Neighborhood Watch

Forms/Party Packets for your Neighborhood Watch
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Register your neighborhood with www.USAOnWatch.org

There are four full-time crime prevention officers who coordinate the Neighborhood Watch program. Contact the Crime Prevention Officer for your area to set up a Neighborhood Watch.

Neighborhood Watch...What is it?

Neighborhood Watch is the cornerstone of all crime prevention programs. It enlists the active participation of citizens in cooperation with law enforcement to reduce burglaries and other neighborhood crimes. Its primary purpose is the protection of property -- yours and your neighbors.

Neighborhood Watch is a proven and effective means to substantially reduce not only the incidence of residential burglaries in a specified geographical area, but the incidence of other crimes.

A good neighbor is one of the most effective
crime prevention tools ever invented!

This program teaches you the steps that can be taken to help protect your home. It also helps you organize a neighborhood group and start making crime prevention a part of everyone's daily routine.

Why establish a Neighborhood Watch?

The Neighborhood Watch program will help deter crime in the neighborhood you live in. The "job" of a citizen in a neighborhood watch area is to be suspicious, alert and to report any suspicious activity to the police. It is the responsibility of the police to apprehend the criminals. Yours is to report crime.

Who gets involved?  Everyone!

Get as many neighbors involved as possible. Not everyone will want to be part of the program, and that's alright. Make sure they know about the Neighborhood Watch program and that they are always welcome to come to the get-togethers. Make sure they know about all your events.

Where and when to hold your meetings.

Make the meetings as convenient as possible. Have them in the neighborhood so that your neighbors will come. The first meeting can be held indoors or out, depending on the weather. If outside, as the participants to bring their own chairs. Most meetings are held outdoors in front of the home, in the driveway, backyard, garage, etc. Your second meeting and subsequent meetings can be held anywhere. If you have it somewhere other than the neighborhood, make sure there are good directions to the event. A representative from the Crime Prevention office will need to attend one of your first two meetings to introduce the program to everyone. Please call at least 3 weeks in advance to schedule a meeting with us.

Schedule a Neighborhood Watch meeting or a neighborhood event whenever it is good for your neighbors!  Make it hard for them to give you an excuse not to be there. Evenings are good, beginning around 7:00 p.m. It allows everyone to get home, eat something and those with children can spend a little time with them.

Active Participation

The captain and co-captain(s) will be responsible for holding two meetings or activities per calendar year. A qualified activity of 50% or more participation of the homes in your "watch" area.

What are the responsibilities of a Neighborhood Watch captain?

A captain is very important to the success of the program! Their involvement and enthusiasm will get the other neighbors involved. The captain arranges the meetings or events. Two are required per calendar year. Don't let it scare you!  It will take less time than you think.

One of your first two meetings needs to be the presentation of the program by a crime prevention specialist from our office. Some of the topics covered in the presentation are:

• the Neighborhood Watch program
• Home Security and Target Hardening
• Vehicle Security
• Operation Identification

If there are specific problems in your area that you would like addressed (i.e., vehicle burglaries, criminal damage), be sure to let your crime prevention specialist know so those issues can be addressed at your meeting as well. Written materials will be provided to you and your neighbors by the Crime Prevention Unit.

Subsequent meetings just need to be some kind of get-together (i.e., a potluck). The purpose of these meetings is for the neighbors to get to know each other. We do not need to attend your subsequent meetings unless you would like us to address issues that are going on in your neighborhood, to speak on a particular topics, or if you would like a refresher on the program for new neighbors that have moved into your area.

The captain is also responsible for the paperwork that is required. Attendance sheets from each event/meeting you have need to be turned in to the Crime Prevention office to receive credit and ensure active participation. Attendance sheets can be downloaded from the Web at www.Mesaaz.gov/police/literature/neighborhood_forms.aspx.

Any Neighborhood Watch group that does not have the
two required meetings per year with at least 50% participation
will not be considered "active" and will have their Neighborhood Watch
removed from the program.

The captain is also the liaison between the police department and their neighbors. The police department sends newsletters and information to the captains and co-captains. They, in turn, may disseminate the information to their neighbors. If there are questions or concerns conveyed during an event, the captain cal call their crime prevention specialist or the crime prevention office for clarification and answers.

How to plan your meetings and make them successful!

Make the date as convenient as possible for the majority of the people. Send out invitations or flyers at least 2 weeks in advance. You will probably never get everyone at one meeting. That's okay. All you need is 50% of the homes in your designated area to participate. Take a quick survey of your neighbors to see which night and time are best for them. They are the ones who make the program successful. Be sure to have everyone there sign the attendance sheet so you get credit for the meeting.

Tips for having a Neighborhood Watch party.

• Assign one person to handle RSVPs.
• Have name tags with each person's name and house number.
• Assign people to bring food, paper plates, napkins, cups, utensils, ice; or let each person bring their own beverage.
• Younger children are comfortable on sheets or blankets on the ground. It is nice to have some toys out for them or activities planned for them.
• Provide several large trash containers.
• Ask guests to bring lawn chairs.
• Ask local merchants to donate food, prizes, gift certificates; even money-saving coupons that will make good give-aways to those who attend.
• Just in case, have a first aid kit handy.
• If you BBQ, keep the grill far away from the children's area. Begin cooking on the grill about a half-hour before the party.
• Take pictures as souvenirs.