Emily Stone's Crime Watch Tip # 19 - Neighborhood Watch Groups

Police Departments across the country are learning that community participationin anti-crime programs is essential. One of the most effective ways to promote citizens interactionwith police is sharing of information. Citizen groups determine specific needs or problems and then share this information with local police.

The Neighborhood Watch concept is designed to target specific geographical areas and to assist citizens in these areas to;

• Establish and organizational structure and create an information sharing network.


• Help to introduce neighbors and create social ties that will help them work together.


• Allow police to train citizens on how to be proactive by preventing crime and how to recognize and report criminal activities.


• Access information and assistance from police and of the Government agencies that can help improve living conditions.


• Provide the community with a strong unified voice to inform community leaders on programs and actions that the people support.

For more information contact your local police precinct and see what programs they have available.

Also, many areas now have ways that you can inform the Police of strange circumstances in your neighborhoodthrough the PC, Phone, and even by sending a Text Message remaining confidential. This system, if available,works very well and many crimes have been prevented with this program.

Never try and be a hero, if something does not look right or you think you hear gunshots call the Police immediately. Do not think that someone else is making the call. The more calls the Police receive the more they will realizethe potential higher crime areas.

Working together as a community is important and adding on the Police and keeping them informed will help your neighborhood be a safer place to live.