Our Neighborhood Watch programs have been very successful in building strong bonds between the citizens of the community and the department. Although there are several aspects of a Neighborhood Watch, the main goals include giving the residents of the watch neighborhood a vested interest in their surroundings and providing the department with more “eyes” in a given area.
As much as we would like to be, reality is that our officers simply can’t be everywhere at once. Members of a Neighborhood Watch, for their safety, are strongly encouraged not to get involved in a crime incident. They are however given specialized training by the department on what to do if they see suspicious activity or a crime in progress, what to tell the dispatch center when calling in the incident and most importantly, how to be a good witness.
A Neighborhood Watch will have a neighborhood Captain that is responsible for coordinating periodic meetings with watch members. Those meetings are used for sharing information about the watch area as well as on-going training for the members.
If you would like more information about the Neighborhood Watch program and how to start a Neighborhood Watch in your area, contact our Community Services Division at 367-7230.
