The Tuscaloosa Student Sampler, Against Crime

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Against Crime

Neighborhood Watch

Getting Organized

Neighbors Look For...

How to Report

Staying Alive

Relevant links

Link 1
Link 2
Link 3

Neighborhood Watch, Block Watch, Town Watch, Crime Watch, whatever the name, it is one of most effective and least costly ways to prevent crime and reduce fear. Neighborhood Watch fights the isolation that crime both creates and feeds upon. It forges bonds among area residents, helps reduce burglaries and robberies, and improves relations between police and the communities they serve.

Neighborhood Watch

Any community resident can join, young and old, single and married, renter and home owner.
A few concerned residents, a community organization, or a law enforcement agency can spearhead the effort to organize a Watch.
Member learn how to make their homes more secure, watch out for each other and the neighborhood, and report activities that raise their suspicion to the police or sheriff's office.
You can form a Watch group around any geographical unit: a block, apartment, park, business area, public housing complex, office, marina.
Watch groups are not vigilantes. They are extra eyes and ears for reporting crime and helping neighbors. Neighborhood Watch helps build pride and serves as a springboard for efforts that address community concerns such as recreation for youth, child care, and affordable housing.

Getting Organized

Wa group decides to form a Neighborhood Watch it:
Contacts the police or sheriff's department or local crime prevention organization for help in training members in home security and reporting skill and for information on local crime patterns.
Selects a coordinator and block captains who are responsible for organizing meetings and replaying information to members.
Recruits members, keeping up-to-date on new residents and making special efforts to involve the elderly, working parents, and young people.
Works with local government or law enforcement to put up Neighborhood Watch signs, usually after at least 50 percent of all households are enrolled.

Neighbors Look For...

-Someone screaming or shouting for help.
Someone looking into windows and parked cars.
Unusual noises.
Property being taken out of houses where no one is at home or closed businesses.
Cars, vans, trucks moving slowly with no apparent destination, or without lights.
Anyone being forced into a vehicle.
A stranger sitting in a car or stopping to talk to a child.
Abandoned cars.
*Report these incidents to the police or sheriff's department. Talk about the problem with your neighbors.

How To Report

Give your name and address.
Briefly describe the event, what happened, when, where, and who was involved.
Describe the suspect: sex, race, age, height, weight, hair color, clothing, distinctive characteristics, such as heard, mustache, scars, or accent.
Describe the vehicle if one was involved: color, make, model, year, license plate, and special feature such as stickers, dents, or decals.

Staying Alive

It is an unfortunate fact that when a neighborhood crime crisis goes away, so does enthusiasm for Neighborhood Watch. Work to keep your Watch group a vital force for community well-being.
Organize regular meetings that focus on current issues such as drug abuse, "hate" or bias-motivated violence, crime in schools, child care before and after school, recreational activities for young people, and victim services.
Organize community patrols to talk around streets or apartment complexes and alert police to crime and suspicious activities and identify problems needing attention. People in cars with cellular or phones CB radios can patrol.
Adopt a part or school playground. Pick up litter, repair broken equipments, paint over graffiti.
Work with local building code officials to require dead bolt locks, smoke alarms, and other safety devices in new and existing homes and commercial buildings.
Work with parent groups and schools to start a McGruff House* or other block parent program (to help children in emergency situations.)
Publish a newsletter that gives prevention tips and local crime news, recognizes residents, of all ages who have "made a difference," and highlights community events.
Do not forget social events that give neighbors a chance to know each other, block party, potluck dinner, volleyball or softball game, and picnic an so on.
*A McGrugg House is a reliable source of help for children in emergency or frightening situations. For information call 801-486-8691

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	Against Crime
Neighborhood Watch Getting Organized Neighbors Look For... How to Report Staying Alive Relevant links Link 1 Link 2 Link 3	Neighborhood Watch, Block Watch, Town Watch, Crime Watch, whatever the name, it is one of most effective and least costly ways to prevent crime and reduce fear. Neighborhood Watch fights the isolation that crime both creates and feeds upon. It forges bonds among area residents, helps reduce burglaries and robberies, and improves relations between police and the communities they serve. Neighborhood Watch Any community resident can join, young and old, single and married, renter and home owner. A few concerned residents, a community organization, or a law enforcement agency can spearhead the effort to organize a Watch. Member learn how to make their homes more secure, watch out for each other and the neighborhood, and report activities that raise their suspicion to the police or sheriff's office. You can form a Watch group around any geographical unit: a block, apartment, park, business area, public housing complex, office, marina. Watch groups are not vigilantes. They are extra eyes and ears for reporting crime and helping neighbors. Neighborhood Watch helps build pride and serves as a springboard for efforts that address community concerns such as recreation for youth, child care, and affordable housing. Getting Organized Wa group decides to form a Neighborhood Watch it: Contacts the police or sheriff's department or local crime prevention organization for help in training members in home security and reporting skill and for information on local crime patterns. Selects a coordinator and block captains who are responsible for organizing meetings and replaying information to members. Recruits members, keeping up-to-date on new residents and making special efforts to involve the elderly, working parents, and young people. Works with local government or law enforcement to put up Neighborhood Watch signs, usually after at least 50 percent of all households are enrolled. Neighbors Look For... -Someone screaming or shouting for help. Someone looking into windows and parked cars. Unusual noises. Property being taken out of houses where no one is at home or closed businesses. Cars, vans, trucks moving slowly with no apparent destination, or without lights. Anyone being forced into a vehicle. A stranger sitting in a car or stopping to talk to a child. Abandoned cars. Report these incidents to the police or sheriff's department. Talk about the problem with your neighbors. How To Report* Give your name and address. Briefly describe the event, what happened, when, where, and who was involved. Describe the suspect: sex, race, age, height, weight, hair color, clothing, distinctive characteristics, such as heard, mustache, scars, or accent. Describe the vehicle if one was involved: color, make, model, year, license plate, and special feature such as stickers, dents, or decals. Staying Alive It is an unfortunate fact that when a neighborhood crime crisis goes away, so does enthusiasm for Neighborhood Watch. Work to keep your Watch group a vital force for community well-being. Organize regular meetings that focus on current issues such as drug abuse, "hate" or bias-motivated violence, crime in schools, child care before and after school, recreational activities for young people, and victim services. Organize community patrols to talk around streets or apartment complexes and alert police to crime and suspicious activities and identify problems needing attention. People in cars with cellular or phones CB radios can patrol. Adopt a part or school playground. Pick up litter, repair broken equipments, paint over graffiti. Work with local building code officials to require dead bolt locks, smoke alarms, and other safety devices in new and existing homes and commercial buildings. Work with parent groups and schools to start a McGruff House* or other block parent program (to help children in emergency situations.) Publish a newsletter that gives prevention tips and local crime news, recognizes residents, of all ages who have "made a difference," and highlights community events. Do not forget social events that give neighbors a chance to know each other, block party, potluck dinner, volleyball or softball game, and picnic an so on. A McGrugg House is a reliable source of help for children in emergency or frightening situations. For information call 801-486-8691 \| Home \| \| Home Safer \|* \| Travel Safer \| \| Not Being Carjacked \| Main Page