About Neighborhood Watch
Typical Tasks
Neighborhood Watch Is Not:
Benefits of Neighborhood Watch
How to Start a Neighborhood Watch For Your Block?
Documents Related to Neighborhood
Watch
About
Neighborhood Watch
Neighborhood Watch is a crime prevention program that teaches citizens
techniques to reduce the risk of being a victim at home or in public
by training citizens on the importance of recognizing suspicious activities
and how to report them. Residents learn how to make their homes more
secure and properly identify their property. Neighborhood Watch allows
neighbors to get to know each other and their routines so that any out
of place activity can be reported and investigated.
Implementation of a Neighborhood
Watch on your block could result in substantial reductions of crimes.
Neighborhood Watch works because people want to assume a more active
role in making their communities safe. Residents within a neighborhood
know who belongs there and who doesn't and what activity is suspicious.
Citizens will work with, instead of relying on, law enforcement to combat
crime in their community.
The Neighborhood Watch
Program consists of a series of activities designed to improve the safety
of the City through the participation of its residents. The activities
include Neighborhood Watch Meetings, Business Watch and the Community
Awareness Program.
Typical
Tasks
Furnish crime information to the Sheriff's Department from residents
who wish to remain anonymous. Continue crime prevention and safety programs
through community presentations. Promote Neighborhood Watch Program
by seeking Block Captains and assisting them with program material.
Work closely with the L.A. County Sheriff's Department in order to educate
the public regarding crime prevention.
Neighborhood
Watch Is Not:
- A vigilante force working outside
the normal procedures of law enforcement.
- A program designed for participants
to take personal risks to prevent crime.
- A 100% guarantee that crime will not
occur in your neighborhood.
Benefits
of Neighborhood Watch
- Reducing the risk of being a crime
victim
- Being better prepared to respond to
a suspicious activity
- Greater access to criminal activity
information
- Receiving a Neighborhood Watch sign
in your neighborhood and decal for your window
- Knowing your neighbors
- Reducing the fear of crime and making
your neighborhood more livable
- Allowing other issues of concern to
the community as a whole be addressed
The City currently has
vacancies for Business Members in the Community Watch Committee. If
you are interested please call Neighborhood Watch Division at (310)
219-2769.
How
to Start a Neighborhood Watch For Your Block?
-
Contact your neighbors.
Ask them if they would be interested in meeting. Your needs and
interests should fit the uniqueness of your area and your neighbors.
Stay flexible (meeting locations, frequency, topics, size, etc.).
-
Set up a location
for your meeting to be held. You can also contact City Hall Municipal
Services Department and we will help you if you do not have a location.
We will also contact the Sheriff's Department if you would like
them to attend your meeting.
-
Notify interested
neighbors. Let your neighbors know the time and location of your
meeting. You can call your neighbors directly or you can come to
MSD and we will develop a flyer for you to pass out.
-
If possible, collect
a survey and family data sheets or block profile sheet from MSD.
A telephone tree is also important and the information can be filled
out at the first meeting.
-
At your first
meeting, have everyone sign in the attendance sheet. Explain the
value of Neighborhood Watch and address particular concerns and
interests you have about your neighborhood. This will include filling
out the "Map" - a list of names, addresses and phone numbers,
which are reproduced and distributed to each of the member homes.
Topics for future meetings can also be explored.
Documents Related to Neighborhood Watch
*These documents are in PDF format, which
require Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Download
Acrobat Reader here for FREE.
If you have any further questions, or would
like help in establishing your Neighborhood Watch on your block please
call Deputy Ryan Rouzan or Ronnie Mason at (310) 219-2769.
