We’ve mentioned it before: good neighbors make good security. And what better way to get good neighbors than to start a crime watch program if you don’t have one?
How to Start a Neighborhood Crime Watch
1. Think about the things you want to accomplish: get to know each other? Talk about crime? Start a patrol? Organize a committee?
2. Pick a date. Evenings are best, around 7 p.m. Schedule the meeting in someone’s home so neighbors can walk and feel comfortable in their own surroundings. You’ll also increase attendance. If no one is willing to host, consider a local church or public space. At least 30% participation is required to organize your group.
3. Call your local police department and ask an officer to attend. That officer is a wealth of information, from crime statistics and prevention tips to community policing, and information about how the police can help deter crime. In particular, ask the officer to address what is needed when calling the police about a suspicious person or vehicle.
4. Make a flyer, one for each home or apartment. This is to inform everyone of the meeting; the brochure speaks to the implementation of Neighborhood Watch. Your local police department may have ready-made brochures for you to distribute. Be sure to ask.
5. At the meeting, identify a neighborhood chairperson and organize the first meeting. Set up a telephone chain to be shared with neighbors participating in the crime watch. The chain is a list of phone numbers and addresses, as well as any special information about that location. This is how people stay in touch and it is a critical part of the program.
6. Ask if the police can provide crime watch signs, house stickers, or t-shirts for your group.
7. Set up a regular time for meetings each month and make plans to distribute the telephone chain.
This is not an easy process, but it’s one of the best things that can happen to a neighborhood!
