Neighborhood Watch
and
Community Involvement
2345 Crystal Drive, Suite 500
Arlington, VA 22202
202-261-4153 FAX 202-296-1356
pharris@ncpc.org
www.ncpc.org/ncpa
Neighborhood Crime Prevention
• Neighborhood Watch
• Citizen Patrols
• Volunteers in Police Service
• Citizen Police Academies
Neighborhood Watch
• Establishes a Sense of Community,
Cohesiveness and Unity of Purpose.
• Establishes contact with Police Department
and neighborhood services.
• Good neighbor program, not just about crime.
Neighborhood Watch
• Started by the National Sheriff’s Association over
30 years ago.
• Aim was to prevent residential burglary, a major
crime problem at the time.
• One of the best ways for citizens and law
enforcement to work together to prevent crime.
• Today, is touted as a way for communities to
prevent all types of crime, including terrorism.
Neighborhood Watch Objectives
• Reduce levels of fear of crime in the community
• Improve or create neighborhood cohesiveness
• Improve reporting characteristics of citizens
• Increase natural surveillance in the community
• Prevent and reduce crime
• Support Homeland Security
The President’s Call
In 2002, President Bush called on communities
throughout America to double participation
in Neighborhood Watch to support
Homeland Security.
Neighborhood Watch - Types
• Static Watch - Observe and Report
• Active Watch - Walking Patrols
• Active Watch - Vehicle Patrols
Neighborhood Watch
What’s a Snitch?
a thief - an informer
Neighborhood Watch - Components
• Planning Committee
• Block or Road Captain Volunteers
• Training - observation skills & crime prevention
• Communications – telephone / email tree tree
• Community and home warning signs
• Law Enforcement support
Neighborhood Watch
• Get maps of target areas – identify accepted
neighborhood boundary lines
• Contact Community Development for a list of
existing civic associations - go to meetings
• Hold meetings in the neighborhood at churches,
schools, libraries - places easily accessible to the
public
Block Captains Duties
• Establish a meeting schedule and location
• Organize a Neighborhood Phone or Email Tree
• Disseminate crime prevention literature &
brochures
• Disseminate Crime Statistics/Information as needed
Block Meetings
• At least four per year
• First meeting - get acquainted, handouts,
statistics, etc.
• Within walking distance from home
• No more than one hour
• Set a date for the next meeting
Telephone or Email Tree
Neighborhood Communications
• For large groups - series of
phone trees or emails
• For individual blocks - one
• Test the phone or email tree
Telephone - Email Tree Information
WHAT INFORMATION WOULD BE
BENEFICIAL TO INCLUDE?
•
•
•
•
•
Name, Address, phone number (s), email
Number, age and sex of people in house
Vehicle information
pet information
other?
Neighborhood Patrols
• Groups may decide to walk or drive.
• Determine how long to patrol and how many
volunteers are likely to be recruited.
• Decide where and when the patrols will take
place.
Neighborhood Patrols
• Should not carry any type of weapon.
• Should not take enforcement action.
• Should not engage in physical contact.
• Should not be considered a security or police
function.
Orange Hat Patrols
 Groups of citizens, often in the company of
police officers, who walk the neighborhood for
about an hour.
 They pick up trash, note any missing signs or
burned out streetlights, and provide a visible
presence for concerned residents in the area.
Neighborhood Patrols
Police can offer training on:
• What to look for
• How to report crimes
• Personal Safety when patrolling
• Safety and Security Hazards
Neighborhood Watch
High Crime Areas
• Conduct a neighborhood analysis of target area
• Set up safety talks and crime specific prevention
talks
• Encourage reporting through anonymous tip lines
• Assure names, etc will remain anonymous
Code of Virginia
Security of Neighborhood Watch records
Neighborhood Watch Records Security
1992 General Assembly - Virginia
• Amended Code of Va. 2.1-342 relating to
Freedom of Information .
• Records of Neighborhood Watch participants
when given to Police Departments under the
promise of confidentiality are EXLUDED from the
provisions of the Freedom of Information Act
Neighborhood Watch Police Support
• Maintain contact with the Block Captains
• Update and provide crime data
• Newsletters - Crime Prevention Literature
• Recognize good job by watches
• Letter/certificate from Chief or Sheriff
• News media stories
Neighborhood Watch Police Support
• Perform security surveys and neighborhood
safety assessments
• Schedule other crime prevention training
•
•
•
•
Personal Safety
Operation Identification
Residential Security
others?
Homeland Security
• Be aware and attuned to your surroundings home, work, leisure and travel
• Know the routines, it helps you spot the unusual eighborhood, community, work
• Take what you hear seriously - if it sounds serious
report it to law enforcement
Emergency Planning
• Make a list or important local telephone numbers.
• Know how to reach members of your family.
• Pay particular attention to children, seniors and
people with disabilities.
• Make your house easy to find.
• Organize an emergency preparedness kit.
• Take a First Aid and/or CPR course.
Neighborhood Watch Benefits
• Fosters Good Relations with Citizens
• Crime and Offender information
• Volunteer Base
• Phone numbers/ emails /names of people in
area
• Police can meet people in area/ beat
• Positive media coverage
Neighborhood Watch - Virginia
Neighborhood Watch in Virginia
Summer 2002 Survey
Department of Criminal Justice Services
Neighborhood Watch - Virginia 2002
60
60
50
40
30
34
22
20
10
0
Cities
Counties
Towns
5 Largest NW Programs
Locality
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Fairfax County
Chesterfield County
Newport News
Albemarle County
Hampton
Groups
1,200
290
219
155
53
Total in Virginia 2002
4,753
Total in Virginia 1984
2,158
Neighborhood Watch - Most Active
 21% Very Active
 20% More Active than Inactive
 39% Mixed (50-50 active and inactive)
 18% More Inactive than Active

2% Very Inactive
Neighborhood Watch - Activities
 57% conduct foot or car patrols
 57% participate in National Nite Out
 59% Operation Identification services
 78% home security surveys on a request
VA Neighborhood Watch Resources
VCPA - Neighborhood Watch coordinator links
http://vcpa.org/Neighborhood%20Watch/NW%20in%20VA%202002.htm
Department of Criminal Justice Services
Neighborhood Watch Study
http://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/cple/documents/2003NeighborhoodWatch.
pdf
Neighborhood Watch Resources
National Association of Town Watch
PO Box 303
1 Wynnewood Road, Suite 102
Wynnewood, PA 19096
(610) 649-7055
Contact: Matt Peskin, Executive Director
National Night Out - first Tuesday in August
Neighborhood Watch Resources
National Sheriffs’ Association
1450 Duke Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 838-5330 FAX (703) 519-8567
Contact: Robbi Woodson, rwoodson@sheriffs.org
Director of Crime Prevention & Neighborhood
Watch
Volunteers in Police Service - VIPS
 The VIPS Program provides support and resources
for agencies interested in developing or enhancing a
volunteer program and for citizens who wish to
volunteer their time and skills with a community
law enforcement agency.
 The program’s ultimate goal is to enhance the
capacity of state and local law enforcement to
utilize volunteers .
Citizen’s Police Academy
• The purpose of the Citizen Police Academy is to
foster better communication between citizens and
police through education.
• The Academy will create a nucleus of well-informed
citizens who possess greater insight into police
practices and services. Learn about the Division's
mission and Community Policing Philosophy