START A NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

NEIGHBORHOOD
WATCH

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH HOW TO START ONE?

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH LINKS

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SECTION 1

NEIGHBORHOOD
WATCH

Neighborhood Watch is a community-based crime prevention program where
neighbors look out for each other’s safety, property and homes in a
systematic and sustained way. It is based on the idea that when residents,
businesses, clergy, police and other partners look out for the safety of
the neighborhood, establish and maintain open lines of communication, and
collaborate to resolve problems of crime and disorder, they create safer,
friendlier and healthier neighborhoods.

Why Start a Neighborhood Watch?

Crime Prevention and Communication Links

By establishing and using communication networks such as phone trees and
listservs, residents can alert police and one another of crimes in progress,
suspicious activity, and neighborhood concerns. By working with police,
community leaders and other agencies, Neighborhood Watch members can identify
crime trends and patterns, such as a series of robberies or burglaries, and
alert their neighbors to take crime prevention steps.

Disaster Preparedness and Terrorism Alerts

Neighborhood Watch also serves as a communication link for disaster preparedness
and terrorism alerts. Since September 11, 2001, the ongoing threat of terrorism
has necessitated community residents as well as police to look out for suspicious
activities of terrorism.

Hurricane Katrina — which devastated New Orleans in 2005 — illustrated the importance
of establishing effective communication and collaboration networks within communities,
such as a Neighborhood Watch program.

Neighborhood Watch
https://mpdc.dc.gov/page/neighborhood-watch

Department of Justice's
Neighborhood Watch
Training Manual
https://mpdc.dc.gov/node/211392

Tips for
Reducing and Preventing
Crimes of Opportunity
https://mpdc.dc.gov/node/211412

Neighborhood
Watch
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neighborhood_Watch

National
Neighborhood
Watch
http://www.nnw.org/

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SECTION 2

NEIGHBORHOOD
WATCH
HOW TO START ONE?

Starting a Neighborhood Watch program in your neighborhood is not
hard, but it will take a little time and some proper planning.

Step One:
Getting started

Visit the USAOnWatch.org website which is the national face of the
Neighborhood Watch program. There you will find great information
to help you get started.

Determine the area you want to organize. This should be the area you
consider your "neighborhood". Groups can range in size from 5 to 150
households. The larger the area, the greater the protection.

Find neighbors to assist you. These people will form your initial group
of Neighborhood Watch Volunteers. A good number would be one person per
8 to 10 households. Determine the best night of the week for a
presentation. Most Neighborhood Watch presentations are held during the
evening hours, Fridays and weekends are not recommended.

Set up a free neighorhood watch website to help coordinate and communicate
your efforts. See this article on how to use a website with the neighborhood
watch program.

Step Two:
Contact the Sheriff's Office to schedule speakers

Contact Your Local Sherri's Office or Police Departemnt
Arrange a meeting location close to your neighborhood. It should have enough
room to hold your invited neighbors and, if needed, for the use of audio
visual aids such as an overhead projector.

Step Three:
Invite your neighbors

Distribute the invitations at least 2 weeks prior to the meeting. The most
effective way to do this is to ask the Neighborhood Watch volunteers to
hand-carry them to neighbors and ask if they will attend. Get names and
phone numbers if possible to make reminder calls later.

Distribute a meeting "reminder" notice 3 days before the meeting or make
personal phone calls.

Step Four:
Prepare a neighborhood map

Prepare a Neighborhood Watch area map or plat plan showing names, phone
numbers and street number of each household.

Step Five:
The presentation

At the presentation you will:

Identify concerns and develop an action plan.

Learn crime prevention techniques such as home security, personal safety
and Operation Identification.

Learn how to report suspicious activity.

Meet your neighbors and establish a communication network (telephone tree).

Recruit your Coordinator and Block Captains.

You will learn how to order Neighborhood Watch signs.

Step Six:
Maintenance

Once your neighborhood has been organized, maintaining interest in Neighborhood
Watch is important. It's too easy for us to forget to keep that vigilance we
thought was so important in the beginning. Some groups maintain interest by
planning neighborhood outings, meetings, summer picnics and passing out a
Neighborhood Watch Newsletter every month.

For More Information:

Find Out How to Get A Free
Neighborhood Watch Website
http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/article/Community/Free_Neighborhood_Watch_Websites

Free and Premium
Neighborhood Watch Websites!
http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/setup/neighborhoodwatch.html

Neighborhood Watch-What is It?
http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/article/Community/Neighborhood_Watch_What_Is_It

Step by Step Guide:
How to Start a Neighborhood Association
http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/article/Association/How_To_Start_Association

The Face of the National
Neighborhood Watch Program
http://www.usaonwatch.org/index.php

Tools and Resoures from the
National Crime Prevention Council
http://www.ncpc.org/topics/neighborhood-watch

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Neighborhood Watch
How to Start One!
http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/article/Community/Neighborhood_Watch_How_To_Start

How to Form a
Neighborhood Watch
https://www.wikihow.com/Form-a-Neighborhood-Watch

Neighborhood
Watch Handbook
http://www.flgov.com/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/20120710_nwmanual.pdf

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SECTION 3

NEIGHBORHOOD
WATCH
LINKS

Communication Key to Success
of Community Policing Programs
http://source.southuniversity.edu/communication-key-to-success-of-community-policing-programs-27294.aspx

Family Radio Service, An Option for
Neighborhood Emergency Communications
https://www.itstactical.com/digicom/comms/family-radio-service-an-option-for-neighborhood-emergency-communications/

How to Lead a Successful Neighborhood Watch
https://alarm-reviews.net/how-to-form-neighborhood-watch/

How to start a neighborhood watch program
https://silveyresidential.com/real-estate-blog/how-to-start-a-neighborhood-watch-program/

How to Start a Successful
Neighborhood Watch Program
https://reolink.com/start-neighborhood-watch-program/

National Town Watch Association
https://natw.org/

Neighborhood Watch
https://www.ncpc.org/resources/home-neighborhood-safety/neighborhood-watch/

Neighborhood Watch
https://neighbourhoodwatch.group/

Neighborhood Watch
https://www.protectamerica.com/neighborhood-watch

Neighborhood Watch
https://troopers.ny.gov/Crime_Prevention/General_Safety/Neighborhood_Watch/

Neighborhood Watch Group –
How to Start One in Five Steps
https://www.thehomesecuritysuperstore.com/blogs/the-home-security-superstore-blog/neighborhood-watch-group-how-to-start-one-in-five-steps

Next Door
https://nextdoor.com/

Steps to Starting a Neighborhood Watch Program
https://www.safewise.com/blog/6-steps-to-starting-a-neighborhood-watch-program/

Useful Community Development
https://www.useful-community-development.org/neighborhood-associations.html

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The More You Know
http://www.themoreyouknow.com/

Involving Community
http://www.awesomelibrary.org/Office/Main/Involving_Community/Involving_Community.html

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