COMMUNITY POLICING
NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH: BASICS
Neighborhood Watch is a simple program dedicated to improving the quality of life in Riverdale's neighborhoods. It is citizens and police working together in partnership. Basically, a Neighborhood Watch is a cohesive body of concerned citizens addressing issues that concern your neighborhood. It is about empowering you, the citizens of Riverdale, to help reduce your chances of being victimized by crime through education and teamwork.
WHY NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH?
Whether you live in a high crime area or not, a comprehensive Neighborhood Watch program offers numerous benefits for your area. Such programs instill a greater sense of security, wellbeing, and reduce the fear of crime in your neighborhood. Neighborhood Watch helps instill a greater "sense of community," by putting the neighbor back into neighborhood. Here are some of the other benefits you can expect by participating in Riverdale's Neighborhood Watch program.
HOW MUCH WORK IS INVOLVED?
This is a fair question and the answer depends on you. Some areas have a major concern they want to address. Those areas may require some work - others just want to maintain their area and don't want to spend a great deal of time on it. Your only limitation is yourself. In order to be recognized as an "active" Neighborhood Watch group you must have at least one (1) meeting and one (1) activity, i.e. a clean-up day, ice cream social, BBQ, educational program, etc. within a calendar year.
THE ROLE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH CAPTAIN:
The Neighborhood Watch Captain serves as the coordinator and liaison of the group. It is up to the Neighborhood Watch Captain to serve as a spokesperson, schedule group activities, supply the Neighborhood Watch Coordinator with required information, and coordinate neighborhood activity and communication. Likewise, the Captain should also:
THE ROLE OF THE MEMBERS:
Everyone in the Neighborhood Watch plays an important part in the success of the program! Members should learn their neighbor's names and the kinds of cars they drive. They should keep a copy of a neighborhood watch map and telephone tree readily accessible. In fact, the role of the individual members runs the gamut from arranging meetings and being alert for suspicious activity to displaying Neighborhood Watch signs and learning to be a good witness to assist the police. Above all, being a member means getting involved. If you don't do it, who will? Neighborhood Watch is quite simply the most effective way to reduce or prevent crime, solve neighborhood problems, and make your area a better place to live.
COMMUNITY AND POLICE WORKING TOGETHER
Every neighborhood has its own personality that makes it unique. What works in one area, may not work in another. When starting a Neighborhood Watch be creative and include others on your team. Remember that there is strength in numbers. Criminal justice professionals readily admit that in the absence of citizen assistance, neither more manpower, nor improved technology, nor additional money will enable law enforcement to shoulder the monumental burden of combating crime in America. Teamwork between neighbors - and the police - is what Neighborhood Watch is all about.
NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH: BASICS
Neighborhood Watch is a simple program dedicated to improving the quality of life in Riverdale's neighborhoods. It is citizens and police working together in partnership. Basically, a Neighborhood Watch is a cohesive body of concerned citizens addressing issues that concern your neighborhood. It is about empowering you, the citizens of Riverdale, to help reduce your chances of being victimized by crime through education and teamwork.
WHY NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH?
Whether you live in a high crime area or not, a comprehensive Neighborhood Watch program offers numerous benefits for your area. Such programs instill a greater sense of security, wellbeing, and reduce the fear of crime in your neighborhood. Neighborhood Watch helps instill a greater "sense of community," by putting the neighbor back into neighborhood. Here are some of the other benefits you can expect by participating in Riverdale's Neighborhood Watch program.
- Reducing the risk of being a crime victim.
- Being better prepared to respond to suspicious activity.
- Increased information on issues that impact your neighborhood.
- Obtaining Neighborhood Watch Signs.
- Get to know your neighbors.
- Reduce the fear of crime and make your neighborhood more livable.
HOW MUCH WORK IS INVOLVED?
This is a fair question and the answer depends on you. Some areas have a major concern they want to address. Those areas may require some work - others just want to maintain their area and don't want to spend a great deal of time on it. Your only limitation is yourself. In order to be recognized as an "active" Neighborhood Watch group you must have at least one (1) meeting and one (1) activity, i.e. a clean-up day, ice cream social, BBQ, educational program, etc. within a calendar year.
THE ROLE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH CAPTAIN:
The Neighborhood Watch Captain serves as the coordinator and liaison of the group. It is up to the Neighborhood Watch Captain to serve as a spokesperson, schedule group activities, supply the Neighborhood Watch Coordinator with required information, and coordinate neighborhood activity and communication. Likewise, the Captain should also:
- Maintain a list of all members.
- Develop, maintain and distribute neighborhood maps for your area including names, addresses, and telephone numbers.
- Set up a communication network for your area such as a telephone tree.
- Distribute information sent out by the Neighborhood Watch Coordinator.
- Greet new neighbors, encourage them to join, and update the neighborhood watch list.
THE ROLE OF THE MEMBERS:
Everyone in the Neighborhood Watch plays an important part in the success of the program! Members should learn their neighbor's names and the kinds of cars they drive. They should keep a copy of a neighborhood watch map and telephone tree readily accessible. In fact, the role of the individual members runs the gamut from arranging meetings and being alert for suspicious activity to displaying Neighborhood Watch signs and learning to be a good witness to assist the police. Above all, being a member means getting involved. If you don't do it, who will? Neighborhood Watch is quite simply the most effective way to reduce or prevent crime, solve neighborhood problems, and make your area a better place to live.
COMMUNITY AND POLICE WORKING TOGETHER
Every neighborhood has its own personality that makes it unique. What works in one area, may not work in another. When starting a Neighborhood Watch be creative and include others on your team. Remember that there is strength in numbers. Criminal justice professionals readily admit that in the absence of citizen assistance, neither more manpower, nor improved technology, nor additional money will enable law enforcement to shoulder the monumental burden of combating crime in America. Teamwork between neighbors - and the police - is what Neighborhood Watch is all about.
