| You come home after a long day at work, a fun | | | | and build your group. In most cases a representative |
| night out or an exciting vacation, and immediately | | | | from the police station will be willing to come speak |
| know something isn't right. When you get to your | | | | at your meeting and answer questions. |
| front door you see why; someone has broken into | | | | Step 3: Hold your first meeting and give everyone |
| your house. Few things are as personally invasive and | | | | time to mingle and get to know each other. Consider |
| demoralizing as a home burglary. | | | | starting with a potluck or providing refreshments to |
| It's a sad fact, but crime is on the rise all over the | | | | encourage people to socialize. Get started on time, |
| United States. When times are tough economically, | | | | and make sure everyone has a chance to voice his |
| criminal activity generally increases. So how do you | | | | or her opinion and concerns, but try to keep the |
| protect your home, property and family members? | | | | meeting short and on topic. Pick a crime watch block |
| One of the best things you can do is work with your | | | | captain who will help organize the group and be a |
| neighbors to prevent crime. | | | | direct contact person with the police. |
| The Neighborhood Watch Program was established | | | | Step 4: Ask the members of your neighborhood |
| by the National Sheriffs' Association in 1972 to help | | | | watch to exchange contact information. Trade phone |
| citizens protect themselves and each other from | | | | numbers to start a telephone tree and share email |
| criminals. Since then the program has grown and | | | | addresses so everyone can stay connected. Make |
| become very well respected, but the success of any | | | | sure the people in your group understand they have |
| neighborhood watch depends entirely on the effort | | | | a commitment to watch out for each other and |
| that people put into it. With a little time and patience, | | | | report suspicious activity. For example, if someone |
| it's easy to create a beneficial watch group. Here's | | | | sees a stranger driving up and down the block or |
| how you can get started: | | | | watching a particular house, they should notify the |
| Step 1: Talk to your neighbors and generate interest. | | | | neighbors. It's important to keep everyone aware of |
| Explain how you can all work together to prevent | | | | a potential problem, but always call the police to |
| crime and keep people safe. Set a date for a | | | | report an actual burglary or any other type of crime. |
| meeting to discuss establishing a crime watch group, | | | | Step 5: Make sure that people know your group |
| and invite everyone to attend and participate. | | | | exists; talk to an officer about setting up crime |
| Step 2: Contact the local police and let them know | | | | watch street signs on your block. This shows |
| you are forming a neighborhood watch. Law | | | | criminals that the people in your area are looking out |
| enforcement offers are in favor of these crime | | | | for lawbreakers. Criminals prefer easy opportunities |
| prevention programs, because they help keep the | | | | where they won't be seen by anyone, so if they |
| entire community safe. They will usually have tips, | | | | know you're watching they will be likely to move on. |
| suggestions and advice on how you can get started | | | | |