How to Start a Neighborhood Watch Program
Is your neighborhood plagued by crime and vandalism? Neighborhood watch programs can make a difference in the community. Organizing a watch in your neighborhood will help residents feel safe. Neighborhoods that have large amounts of crime directly affects the value of the area, so protecting the neighborhood also protects the value of your home.
- Set up a meeting location for a neighborhood watch. The number of residents will directly reflect the size needed.
- Contact the police or sheriff’s department and ask them to participate in the meeting, establishing a relationship with law enforcement.
- Create flyers announcing the first group meeting.
- Distribute the flyers to every home in the neighborhood.
- Open the meeting by introducing the law enforcement officer and allow the representative to discuss crime statistics in the area.
- Ask attendees to volunteer for the neighborhood watch.
- Explain that the volunteers will patrol a specific area by walking through the area looking for crimes.
- Coordinate the volunteers to take shifts within a certain area.
- Advise the residents to be observant for any persons in the area that don’t appear to belong.
- Advise the residents to contact the police department if they encounter anything unusual.
- Appoint a volunteer or a team of volunteers to coordinate with law enforcement on a regular basis about crimes in the area.
- Set up a website for the neighborhood watch so the residents can access needed information at their own convenience.