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Neighborhood Watch

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Protect Your Neighborhood

The city in which I live has a much lower rate of crime, across the board, than the rest of the nation. We have a large police force and a very active community. We were also voted "Most Livable City" not too long ago. All in all, it's a nice place to live, with many community activities, a new library, and nearby lakes.

However, after our neighborhood began experiencing a growing number of crimes and police calls, I decided to contact the police and talk with my townhouse association. Along with a feeling of less personal security there was also a concern about property value, with the growing suspicious activity in the area. It was time to start a neighborhood watch to discourage the riffraff and protect our piece of mind.

Contents at a Glance

Benefits of starting a Watch Group
What are the Three Elements Needed to a...
Sign Up Your Neighborhood Watch Group
Helpful Links
Neighborhood Watch Apparel
Your Stories or Thoughts?

Benefits of starting a Watch Group

* Cooperation with Law Enforcement and your Neighbors
* Reduction in Crime
* A More Secure and Better Prepared Neighborhood
* A More United Community
* Improved Communications

THE SAFETY OF A NEIGHBORHOOD is an important indicator of its overall economic and social health. Neighborhood crime prevention efforts are essential. Safe neighborhoods are necessary to foster common values and community quality of life. Neighborhood crime, on the other hand, creates fear and distrust among residents. - Solutions for America

What are the Three Elements Needed to a Crime?

Desire, Skills, and Opportunity

1. Desire or motivation on the part of the criminal
2. The skills and tools needed to commit the crime
3. Opportunity to commit the crime

A neighborhood watch can reduce two of the three. By creating an obvious presence of a neighborhood watch, using signage and regular patrols, the desire can be lessened. The opportunity can be reduced by educating the neighborhood on various security topics, but also by helping to secure the neighborhood with better locks, lighting, and other tools.

Criminals go for the easiest targets!

Sign Up Your Neighborhood Watch Group

Register Your Watch Group in 5 Easy Steps

1. Recruit and Organize as many neighbors as possible
2. Contact your local law enforcement agency and schedule a meeting
3. Discuss community concerns and develop an action plan
4. Hold regular meetings and train
5. Implement a phone tree and take action steps

It is wonderful that you are taking the steps to start a Neighborhood Watch group in your neighborhood. The first step is talking to your fellow neighbors about starting a group. The next step is contacting your local law enforcement agency. Invite them to meet with your group at a time and place convenient for your Watch Group. It is essential for your group to work in collaboration with law enforcement because Neighborhood Watch is a cooperative effort. If law enforcement is unavailable to come to the first meeting you might want to have a meeting to discuss the concerns and issues in the neighborhood. Your group should create a plan on how to work towards lessening the impact of the top 3 concerns of neighbors.

Register Your Watch Group

Crime Prevention in America

by: Dean J. Champion

Amazon Price: $19.99 (as of 02/16/2012)

Helpful Links

USAonWatch: USAonWatch® empowers citizens to become active in community efforts through participation in Neighborhood Watch groups. The goal of this site is to provide information, technical support and resources to local law enforcement agencies and citizens.
Project Safe Neighborhoods: The Department of Justice (DOJ) continues to sponsor the Project Safe Neighborhoods Anti-Gang Training, which began in 2007.
National Sex Offender Registry: Family Watchdog allows you to see where registered sexual offenders live and work around you.
Convicted Felon Tracking: FelonSpy.com is a small group of dedicated community activists who are committed to making sure that you do not fall victim to any crime, not rape, murder, robbery or even petty theft. We help because we can and we care because we have all been victims of crimes ourselves, and by all that is holy by the grace of God, we'll do everything we can to keep you safe.

Neighborhood Watch Apparel

Show your colors!

Neighborhood Watches in the News

Neighborhood Watch Hits the 200 Milestone: By George Slefo Criminals may have to think twice before entering Skokie, as the number of residents participating in the police department's neighborhood watch program grew to 200 on Thursday. The 5300 block of Galitz Street is the latest entry in the ...
South Side Neighborhood Watch: By Staff Writer COVENTRY: On Feb. 2, Summit County sheriff's deputies went to a parking lot on Robinson Avenue, arrested a Barberton woman on a warrant for receiving stolen property and took her to the Summit County Jail. Deputies on Swartz Road Feb.
Lansing police, Neighborhood Watch deliver Valentine's Day gift to citizens ...: By Brandon Howell | brhowell@mlive.com View full sizeCourtesy PhotoLansing police Ofc. Brian Whitsitt poses with citizens on Valentine's Day with candy the department and Neighborhood Watch handed out. LANSING -- Lansing police partnered with the ...
Crime Has Locals Considering Neighborhood Watch: ?Maybe the neighborhood watch should come back.? Haddonfield Police Chief John Banning said a neighborhood watch could supplement law enforcement with additional eyes and ears. In the age of the mobile phone, he said, everyone is a potential look-out.

Kapap Combat Concepts: Martial Arts of the Israeli Special Forces: Volume One: Principles and Conditioning

by: Avi Nardia, Albert Timen, John Machado

Amazon Price: $37.06 (as of 02/16/2012)

Your Stories or Thoughts?

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The Inner-City Scholarship Fund (ICSF) helps remove the fundamental challenge of getting a good education in a safe, secure environment in New York City.

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JaguarJulie Jun 7, 2010 @ 3:08 pm | delete

I've always been all for the neighborhood watch program and it makes me smile when I've driven through a local neighborhood and see either a street sign or a sign/decal in a participating neighbor's window. It's nice to help our your neighbor and to actually know that your neighbor has your back ... you know?