Want to know the best crime prevention tool ever invented?
– A good neighbor!
In fact, neighbors working together in cooperation with law enforcement can make one of the best crime-fighting teams around.
We call it…Neighborhood Watch
What is it?
Neighborhood Watch is a crime prevention program which enlists the active participation of citizens in cooperation with law enforcement to reduce crime in their communities.
It involves:
• neighbors getting to know each other and working together in a program of mutual assistance;
• citizens being trained to recognize and report suspicious activities in their neighborhoods; and
• implementation of crime prevention techniques such as home security, Operation Identification, etc.
You may hear it called NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH, Home Alert, Citizen Crime Watch or Block Watch. The idea is the same: Neighbors looking out for each other!
Who can participate?
City people
Country people
Suburban residents
Apartment dwellers
Mobile home residents
Young people
Senior citizens
Men
Women
Families
Couples
Singles . . .
in summary . . . YOU!
Why Neighborhood Watch?
• Over 40 million crimes are committed every year and the number is still growing.
• There can’t be a law enforcement officer on every corner, so citizen involvement is essential to combat this social crisis.
• By cooperating with each other and the police, people can help fight crime in their community the most effective way — before it begins.
How do I get involved?
First — Contact your local law enforcement agency and explain that you are interested in joining or starting a Neighborhood Watch group.
Next — write for the Attorney General’s “Neighborhood Watch Guide” – a step-by-step instruction manual explaining how to organize a Neighborhood Watch group.
Remember — law enforcement officers can’t be everywhere at once — but you and your neighbors can. Put that neighborhood “know how” to work.
It’s simple:
• Use your eyes and ears and then your telephone.
• If you spot something suspicious, call the police immediately.
Message from
Daniel E. Lungren
Attorney General
Crime and Violence Prevention Center
California Department of Justice
For full details, view this message on the web.