Neighborhood Watch Manual

USAonWatch - National Neighborhood Watch Program

USAonWatch - National Neighborhood Watch Program

Bureau of Justice Assistance

U.S. Department of Justice

This manual has been created for citizen organizers and law enforcement officers that work with community members

to establish watch programs. The material contained within covers a number of topics and provides suggestions for

developing a watch groups. However, please incorporate topics and issues that are important to your group into your

watch.

Grant Statement:

This document was prepared by the National Sheriffs’ Association, under cooperative agreement number 2005-MU-

BX-K077, awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The

opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not

necessarily represent the official position of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: USAonWatch – The National Face of Neighborhood Watch Page 1

•WhatisNeighborhoodWatch

•ProgramHistory

•ManyDifferentNames,OneIdea

•BenefitsofNeighborhoodWatch

Chapter 2: Who is Involved in Neighborhood Watch? Page 4

•StartingaNeighborhoodWatch

Chapter 3: Organizing Your Neighborhood Watch Page 6

•PhoneTrees

•NeighborhoodMaps

Chapter 4: Planning and Conducting Meetings Page 10

•InvitingNeighbors

•MeetingLogistics

•FacilitatingMeetings

•AlternativestoMeetings

•IdeasforCreativeMeetings

•NeighborhoodWatchActivities

Chapter 5: Revitalizing Watch Groups Page 18

•RecognizeYourVolunteers

Chapter 6: Neighborhood Watch Skills – Using Your “Eyes and Ears” Page 20

•ObservationsSkills

•KnowingWhatandHowtoReport

Chapter 7: Establishing Partnerships Page 24

•IdentifyingResources

•CitizenCorps

Chapter 8: Neighborhood Watch’s Expanded Role Page 26

•EmergencyPreparednessandHomelandSecurity

•PreventingTerrorism

•AreYouReady?

Chapter 9: Home Security Page 29

•BasicHomeTargetHardening

•OperationIdentification

•PersonalPropertyIDRecord

Chapter 1

USAonWatch

The National Face of Neighborhood Watch

forcitizenstoparticipateinNeighborhoodWatchintheir

community.

ThefoundationoftheNeighborhoodWatchprogram

is the information, training, technical support, and

resources provided to local law enforcement agencies

and citizens. The training program is designed to build

thecapacityoflaw enforcementofficersassigned to work

with community groups by providing specificinstruction

ontopicsimportanttoNeighborhoodWatch.Inaddition

to training, Neighborhood Watch has developed a new

Toolkitthat contains such items as posters, flipbooks on

targethardening for the home, andpresentationsforthe

community.

To learn more, visit www.USAonWatch.org and

browsethesite.CheckouttheResourceCenter,visitthe

NeighborhoodWatchpartners,subscribetoourelectronic

newsletter,orregisteryourWatchgroup.

What is Neighborhood Watch?

ANeighborhoodWatchprogramisagroupofpeople

livinginthesameareawhowanttomaketheirneighborhood

saferbyworkingtogetherandinconjunctionwithlocallaw

enforcementtoreducecrimeandimprovetheirqualityoflife.

NeighborhoodWatch(NW)groupshaveregularmeetings

to plan how they will accomplish their specific goals and

assign responsibilities to group members. Neighborhood

Watch is homeland security at the most local level. It is

an opportunity to volunteer and work towards increasing

the safety and security of our homes and

our homeland.

Neighborhood Watch is one of the oldest and best-

knowncrimepreventionconceptsinNorthAmerica.Inthe

late1960s,anincreaseincrimeheightenedtheneedfora

crimepreventioninitiativefocusedonresidentialareasand

involvinglocalcitizens.TheNationalSheriffs’Association

(NSA) responded, creating the National Neighborhood

Watch Program in 1972, to assist citizens and law

enforcement.IntheaftermathoftheSeptember11,2001

terroristattacks,strengtheningandsecuringcommunities

hasbecomemorecriticalthanever.NeighborhoodWatch

programs have responded to the challenge, expanding

beyond their traditional crime prevention role to help

neighborhoodsfocusondisasterpreparedness,emergency

response,andterrorismawareness.

In 2002, the NSA in

partnershipwithUSAFreedom

Corps,CitizenCorps,andthe

U.S. Department of Justice

launched USAonWatch,

the face of the revitaliz

ed

Neighborhood Watch

initiative, which represents the expanded role of watch

programs throughout the United States. USAonWatch

empowerscitizenstobecomeactiveinhomelandsecurity

efforts through participation in Neighborhood Watch

groups. Many neighborhoods already have established

watchgroups thatare vibrant,effective, andcan takeon

thisexpandedrolewithease.Forneighborhoodswithout

thriving groups, the renewed emphasis on emergency

preparednessandresponsemayprovidetherightincentive

NeighborhoodWatchempowerscitizensandcommunities

tobecomeactiveinemergencypreparedness,aswellasthe

fightagainstcrimeandcommunitydisasters.

Activities conducted by Neighborhood Watch

groups across the country are as diverse and varied as

their volunteers and the neighborhoods they represent.

Some groups mobilize to patrol neighborhoods, other

distribute crime prevention information, while business

assessments or home security surveys are conducted by

others.Wheredisorderproblemsaretheprimaryfocusof

Neighborhood Watch members, volunteers mobilize and

conductneighborhoodclean-ups,orworkwithfaith-based

organizationstoassistwiththehomelessandmentallyill

whowanderthestreets.Aslawenforcementofficerslearn

theneedsoftheirvariousNeighborhoodWatchgroupsand

thedynamicsoftheirvolunteers,theycantailoractivities

and responses to meet the ever-changing needs of their

citizens.

Program History

Foralmost70years,NSAhasbeen

committed to the safety and security

ofAmerica’s communities. NSA took

crime prevention concepts a step

furtherbymakinganationalinitiative

– the National Neighborhood Watch

Program.Theprogramwasdeveloped

in response to a multitude of requests from sheriffs and

policechiefsacross thecountry.Lawenforcement leaders

werelookingforacrimepreventionprogramtoincorporate

citizeninvolvement,andaddresstheincreasingnumberof

burglaries taking place, especially in rural and suburban

residentialareas.

Funding was sought and obtained from the Law

Enforcement Assistance Administration part of the U.S.

DepartmentofJustice,andthus,theNationalNeighborhood

WatchProgramwasborn.Thefirsttwoyearsoftheprogram

weredevotedtodisseminatinginformationonthenature

andvolumeofburglary,andprovidinginformationonhow

tosecureresidential property andmakeitlessvulnerable

tobreak-ins,alsoknownastargethardening.Fromthere,

itevolvedtopromotingtheestablishmentofongoinglocal

neighborhood watchgroupswherecitizenscouldworkin

conjunction with their law enforcement agencies in an

efforttoreduceburglariesandotherneighborhoodcrimes.

Thecreationof“BoristheBurglar”aroseasthesymbolof

crimepreventioninneighborhoods.

Throughouttheyears,NeighborhoodWatchhasgrown

froman“extraeyesandears”approachtocrimeprevention

toamuchmoreproactive,community-orientedendeavor.

Neighborhood Watch groups are now incorporating

activities that not only address crime prevention issues,

butwhichalsorestoreprideandunitytoaneighborhood.

It is not uncommon to see Neighborhood Watch groups

participatinginneighborhoodcleanupsandotheractivities

whichimpactthequalityoflifeforcommunityresidents.

In 2002, USA Freedom Corps was created under

President Bush’s initiative to build a national culture of

service, citizenship, and responsibility. USAonWatch was

establishedinpartnershipwiththeDepartmentofJustice

as an expansion of the Neighborhood Watch program

to empower citizens to become directly involved in their

communitytoprepareforallhazards.USAonWatchisone

offiveprogrampartnersofCitizenCorps,anationaleffort

toencouragecitizeninvolvement.Followingthehurricanes

of2005,anewinitiativeforemergencypreparednessand

service swept the country. Neighborhood Watch groups

areawayforlawenforcementandcitizenstoworktogether

notonlyfordisasterpreparednessbutforallhazardsand

encouragecitizenstovolunteerintheircommunities.

Many Names, One Concept

After the National Sheriffs’ Association kicked off

the National Neighborhood Watch

program, it was left to local law

enforcement agencies to create local

groups.Dependingontheneedsofthe

localcommunities,aswellasthedesire

of the sheriff or police chief, Watch groups were started

with differentnames and logos. However, the conceptof

crime prevention through citizen involvement remained

constant. Today the National Sheriffs’ Association and

the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), U.S. Department

of Justice recognize that although a group might be

called “crimewatch,”“blockwatch,”“businesswatch,”or

simplyusethenameofthehomeowners’association,itis

still “neighborhood watch.” By revitalizing the National

NeighborhoodWatchprogramasUSAonWatch,allgroups

committed to reducing crime and making a difference

in their communities belong to one national program

regardlessofthenameorlogoontheneighborhoodsign.

Benefits of Neighborhood Watch

There are obvious benefits Neighborhood Watch

volunteers and their communities have experienced

throughouttheyearssuchas:

• areductionincrime

• abetterqualityoflife

• agreatersenseofsecurity,responsibility,and

personalcontrol

• buildingcommunityprideandunity

• preparing for helping others and ourselves in our

community

• providing law enforcement agencies with volunteer

supportyearround

• becomingtheextra“eyesandears”oflawenforcement

personnel and therefore reduce law enforcement‘s

burden

Who is Involved in Neighborhood Watch?

Anynationalinitiativeorprogramrequirescontributions

at multiple levels, from

the federal government

to sheriffs to individual

citizens. The National

Sheriffs’ Association

is working with the

Bureau of Justice

Assistance, Office of

Justice Programs, and

the U.S. Department

of Justice to form new

Neighborhood Watch

groups and revitalize

existinggroups.Inorder

toreachthecitizens,local

lawenforcementagencies

havebeengivenacharge

to involve the people

in their community.

Anyone and everyone

can be involved in a

Neighborhood Watch

group.

National-Level Partners

The Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice

Programs, U.S. Department of Justice works with the

National Sheriffs’ Association to provide administrative

andfinancialsupporttotheNeighborhoodWatchprogram.

This support is used to produce and distribute products

andmaterialsthathelpcreateandenhanceNeighborhood

Watchprogramsacrossthenation.BymobilizingAmericans

totakeaction,crimeandterrorismcanbereduced.

State and Local Law Enforcement

Local law enforcement agencies are charged to reach

out totheircommunities to form local partnerships that

willassistinthedevelopmentofnewNeighborhoodWatch

programs and enhance existing programs. By partnering

together, crime can be prevented or reduced, and the

overall quality oflife can be improved.Law enforcement

officers includesheriffs’deputies, police officers, andany

otherswornlawenforcementofficer.

Law Enforcement Liaison

A law enforcement liaison is the law enforcement

officerordeputyspecificallyassignedtheresponsibilityof

establishing and supporting local Neighborhood Watch

groups.TheliaisonwillguideNeighborhoodWatchleaders

tomakedecisionsthatwillbebestfortheirgroup.Theofficer

will train Neighborhood Watch leaders, block captains-

and members in areas

ranging from setting

goals to how to report

suspiciousactivities.The

liaison should also be

involved in facilitating

c o m m u n i t y - w i d e

Neighborhood Watch

activities.

Community Members

N e i g h b o r h o o d

Watch members have

several responsibilities.

One of the most

important things a

member can do is to

remainactive.Anactive

member will helpcreate

and maintain a level of

excitement about the

program and will help

recruit more members,

leading to a higher level of crime prevention. It is the

responsibility of members to stay informed about issues

in theirneighborhoodandcommunity. This information

shouldbesharedwithotherstokeepmembersmotivated

andtopreventthegroupfrombecomingstagnant.

Chapter 2

Starting a Neighborhood Watch

A Neighborhood Watch group is easy to start. Have

a meeting with your neighbors and don’t forget to invite

alocallawenforcementrepresentative.NWprogramsare

builtuponsuccessfulrelationshipsbetweenlawenforcement

andthecommunity.RememberthisisyourNeighborhood

Watchgroupandlawenforcementistheretosupportand

assistyou.Itisyourresponsibilitytomaintaininterestand

keepthegrouprunningsmoothly.

• Begin totalk toyourneighbors togaugeinterest. If

they don’t understand what NW is, use the flyer at

the end of this manual “Reasons for Neighborhood

Watch”toexplainthebenefits

• Contact your local law enforcement agency. Many

police departments and sheriff’s offices have

established programs or an officer assigned to NW.

Callandtellsomeoneyouareinterestedinstartinga

group.Theymayhaveideasorsuggestionsforstarting

asuccessfulgroup.IfanofficerisnottrainedinNW,

invitethemtoattendyourfirstmeetingandyoucan

learntogether.

• Don’tbediscouragedbylowattendanceorlackof

interest.Noteveryonewillbeinterestedinjoining

yourWatchgrouprightawayorunderstandthe

needforthegroup.Continuetoinviteeveryoneand

updateneighborswhoaren’tinvolved.Asthegroup

grows,morewillwanttojoin!

Five Steps to Building a

Successful Neighborhood Watch

Building a strong Neighborhood Watch program

is not an overnight process: it takes patience, planning

and dedication. However a successful program will keep

a community strong and protected and when a crime or

emergency happens, they will be more ready. Keep these

FiveStepsinmindwhenstartingyourgroup.

The 5 Steps

Step1:Recruitandorganizeasmanyneighborsaspossible.

Step2:Contactyourlocallawenforcementagencyandscheduleameeting.

Step3:Discusscommunityconcernsanddevelopanactionplan.

Step4:Holdregularmeetingsandholdtrainingonrelevantskills.

Step5:Implementaphonetreeandtakeactionsteps.

Step 1

Talk with your fellow neighbors about their concerns

regarding crimeandsafety inthearea. Discuss andcreate

awareness among the neighbors or potential volunteers

about a particular concern or general issue affecting the

neighborhood.Citizensmaywanttocollectdatafromavariety

ofsources,includingpolicereports,personalobservations,or

mediareports.Insomecases,oncethefactualinformation

on the issue is collected, other concerns may emerge and

help to demonstrate the need for an active Neighborhood

Watch.Oneexampleofthismightbeasituationinwhich

citizens do not feel safe because of the large number of

youngpeoplewhoseemto congregateina singleareaand

thenroamthestreets.Onceinformationiscollectedabout

this problem, other concerns such as underage drinking,

druguseorpropertycrimesmayberevealed.Theprimary

concernintheinitialphaseofformingaNWistocollectall

oftheinformationanddevelopastrategytoraisethelevelof

awarenessabouttheidentifiedconcernsorissues.Oncethe

dataiscollected,theorganizerscanformattheinformation

inordertobeabletodisseminateittotheirtargetedgroupof

residentsorpotentialNWvolunteers.Letters,flyers,emails

orevenbillboardscanbeusedtospreadthemessageabout

theconcernandtomobilizepeopletoformaNWgroup.In

somecommunities,dependingontheissues,thelocalmedia

mayhelptospotlighttheconcernsandhelptomobilizethe

citizens.Getthewordoutabouttheidentifiedproblemsand

begintorecruitandselectindividualswhowanttoformthe

“core” group of the new NW effort. This core group will

beresponsibleforrecruitingothers,meetingwithlocallaw

enforcement,andbuildingorrevitalizingtheNeighborhood

Watchprogram.

Step 2

Oncethecommunityconcernsorneighborhoodissues

havebeenidentifiedandthecoregrouphasbeenestablished,

thecitizens shouldmeetwithrepresentatives oftheirlocal

lawenforcementagencyinordertolearnhowthepublicand

lawenforcementcanworktogethertobuildapartnership,

createandsustainaNeighborhoodWatchgroup,andresolve

the community issues. Law enforcement officials such

as police officers or sheriff’s deputies will be able to help

the citizens to formalize their Neighborhood Watch. Law

enforcement officers can provide information, literature,

trainingandahostofotherimportantresourcestohelpin

buildingthenewgroup.Theneworrevitalizedgroupshould

initiativeagainstcrimeandterrorism,andlocaleffortscan

beinitiatedtodevelopandbuildbeneficialpartnerships.

Step 3

Oneofthefirstmeetingsshouldaddressandprioritize

theconcerns,issuesorproblemsthathavebeenidentified.

Citizenvolunteersmaytaketheinitiativetoaddresssome

ofthese concerns, while forothers the police orsheriff’s

department may want to implement crime reduction

strategies. Conduct a meeting on strategic planning and

identify the concerns and resources available.  All too

often, new Watch groups do not have a defined mission

orspecificgoalandfindthemselveswithnoclearguidance

ordirection.Numerousactivitiesmayoccur,butduetoa

lackoffocus,theymaynotresolvetherealissues.Afterthe

community’sconcernshavebeenidentifiedandprioritized,

the group will turn its attention to developing specific

strategies to address these needs. Develop goals with

specificobjectivesandrealisticmilestones.Aplanofaction

shouldbeadoptedandimplementationstrategiesshouldbe

designedthatwillnotonlyguidetheplan,butalsoprovide

ameanstoassessandevaluateitseffectiveness.

Step 4

Once the new or revitalized Watch group has been

formed, and goals and objectives have been determined,

the Watch leaders and citizen volunteers should schedule

meetings where they can receive training and hone their

skillsincrimepreventionandcommunitypolicing.Locallaw

enforcementcanprovideanumberoftrainingprogramsthat

willhelpthecitizensworktogethertoprotectthemselvesand

theircommunities.Dependingonthetypeofactivitiesthat

the group will undertake (whether neighborhood patrols,

cleanup days, crime prevention seminars, or vulnerability

studiesforbusinessassessments),citizenscanofferavariety

ofimportant crimeand terrorismprevention services once

theyreceivethepropertrainingandinstruction.

Step 5

Takeactivestepsinthecommunitysoeveryoneisaware

abouttheNW.Haveakickoffeventtoencourageothersto

getinvolved,startaNWnewsletter,continuetrainingand

emergencydrills.Mostimportantlykeepthegroupactive

andenthusiastic.Maintaincommunicationbetweengroup

membersandthelawenforcementliaison.

Chapter 3

Organizing Your Neighborhood Watch

outandworkwiththecommunity,whileothersareselected

becauseoftheircommunicationskillsorabilitiestoplan,

organizeandmobilizeothers.Insomesituationstheofficer

may have no prior NW experience and the community

musthelptheofficerunderstandtheimportanceofNW.

A law enforcement or public safety officer who has

beenassignedasaliaisontoassist,enhance,andsupport

NeighborhoodWatcheffortsinthecommunityshould:

• LearnaboutthehistoryoftheNeighborhoodWatch.

• Collect general information on the community or

communitieswhereheorshewillberesponsiblefor

overseeingitsimplementation.

• Examinethegeography of the area and anynatural

neighborhoodboundaries.

• Examine the demographics of the population

(especiallyanyemergingtrends).

• Examine the culture of the communities that the

NeighborhoodWatchgroupswillbeserving.

• Collectdataonthecrime,disorderandquality-of-life

issuesinthegeneralcommunity.

It is important to note all of the information being

gatheredisgeneralinnature.Thisfoundationalinformation

shouldprovidetheofficerwithanunderstandingofwhat

the Neighborhood Watchis andwheretheprograms are

goingtobeoffered,enhanced,orexpanded.

ThereisnosinglerightwaytoorganizeaNWgroup.

Dependingonlocallawenforcementandtheirrequirements,

there might not be a lot of choice. No matter how your

NWissetup,theorganizationalstructuremust take into

accounttheneedsofthecommunityandlawenforcement.

A traditional NW group will include a law enforcement

officer or liaison to the group, an area coordinator who

livesinthecommunity,blockcaptainsspreadthroughout

the community, and watch members. One of the final

steps in forming and organizing a Neighborhood Watch

isthedesignationofleadership.Theseindividualswillbe

responsible for the planning and coordinating activities.

Watchleadersmaybeformalleaderselectedbytheirpeers

orinformal leaders who aresimplythefirst to volunteer!

As a Watch becomes more advanced, the members may

formanadvisoryorexecutiveboardtomakedecisionsfor

a larger area. Itdoesn’t matter howyour Watchgroupis

setup,aslongasyourcommunitymembersareexcitedand

effectivelyaddressingtheidentifiedproblems.

The Law Enforcement Liaison

Traditionally, designated sworn officers or their non-

swornpublicservicecounterparts areassignedasliaisons

or coordinators for Neighborhood Watch. Often these

individuals are selected because of their previous crime

prevention experience or training. Some Watch officers

andcoordinatorsarechosenbecauseoftheirdesiretoreach

The Block Captain

Block captains are recommended for every 10-15

houses, and they should be directly involved with their

immediateneighbors.Theblockcaptain’sresponsibilities

mayinclude:

• Acting as liaison between block residents and the

coordinator.

• Establishing a “telephone chain” by compiling and

distributing a current list of names, addresses, and

telephonenumbersofblockparticipants.

• Visitingandinvitingnewresidentstojoin;notifying

themofmeetingsandtrainingsessions.

• Establishingan“OperationIdentification”program.

• Contacting each neighbor as often as possible to

discusspossiblecrimeproblems,needsforassistance,

andsuggestionsforprogramimprovement.

The Neighborhood Watch Coordinator

TheCoordinator’sjobiscrucialtothesuccessofyour

program. This may be just the right job for a retiree or

otherindividualwhohasextratimeathome.Thisperson’s

responsibilitiesmayinclude:

• Expandingtheprogramandmaintainingacurrentlist

ofparticipantsandneighborhoodresidents,including

names,addresses,homeandworktelephonenumbers,

emailaddresses,andvehicledescriptions.

• Acting as liaisonbetween Watchmembers, officers,

civicgroups,andblockcaptains.

• Arranging neighborhood crime prevention training

programs.

• Obtaining and distributing crime prevention

materials,suchasstickersandsigns.

• Involvingotherstodevelopspecificcrimeprevention

projects.

• Encouraging participation in “Operation

Identification,” a nationwide program in which

personal property is marked legibly with a unique

identifyingnumbertopermitpositiveidentificationif

valuablesarelostorstolen.

NW Chain of Command Example

Law Enforcement

Liaison

Start-up

Committee

Area

Coordinators

Block

Captains

Members

Citizens’ Advisory Board

Somelawenforcementagenciesandcitiesrunninglarge

NWgroupshavearrangedforagroupofcitizenstooversee

theNWgroupsinacertainarea.Thisisagoodideaifthe

NWplansonfundraisingorifthenumberofgroupsistoo

overwhelmingforthelawenforcementliaison.TheBoard’s

responsibilitiesare:

• Neighborhood Watch group start-up assistance in

otherareas.

• Information, processing, training, and recruiting of

groupsinnon-representedareas.

• MaintaincommunicationsbetweentheNeighborhood

WatchgroupsandtheBoard.

• Organizeadvisorycommitteesasneeded.

• Support and organize fundraising efforts in the

community.

• Maintainarelationshipwithlawenforcement.

• Bring emerging issues in the community to the

attention oflaw enforcementand othergovernment

officials.

Neighborhood Watch Members

In some neighborhoods, the need for a proactive

NeighborhoodWatchprogramwillbeevidentbecauseof

thewell-documentedcrimesortheacknowledgeddisorder

that occurs in the community. In these neighborhoods,

residents are usually ready and willing to mobilize and

participate in the NW program. They often need little

external motivation. The focus in these areas is usually

more on leadership and organization. However, in other

neighborhoods the incidents or offenses maybe less well

known and the level of awareness among the residents

mayneedtobeincreased.Underthesecircumstancesthe

responsibilityforraisingthelevelofawareness fallsupon

thelawenforcementliaisonaswellastheareacoordinator.

The responsibility for the recruitment of volunteers

usuallyfallstotheBlockCaptainsorAreaCoordinators,

butinsomeinstancestheofficermayhavetoinstructthese

leadersonhowtorecruitnewmembers.Onceacoregroup

of Neighborhood Watch volunteers has been identified,

specific members may volunteer to take on leadership

positions. In some instances, certain individuals may be

reluctanttotakeonspecializedroleswithinthegroup.The

law enforcement officer maywish to interview andselect

certainkeyindividualstoleadspecificefforts.

Phone Trees

Phonetreesareagreatwaytoshareinformationand

builda sense of community intheneighborhood. Phone

treescanexpediteemergencyinformation.Neighborhoods

canbedividedintosmall,workableareasusingstreetsor

naturalboundaries.Eachgrouppreparesachart(whichis

continuouslyupdated)thatincludesthenamesandphone

numbersofallmembers.ABlockCaptainorotherperson

is designated to be contacted by the police or sheriff’s

office.Eachindividuallistedonthetreeknowswhomhe

orsheistocontactshouldemergencyorotherimportant

informationneedtobedisseminatedinahurry.

When do you use the phone tree?

• Aftercalling911,alertyourneighborstoanemergency

in progress or that one has just occurred such as a

cougar sighting, hazardous material spills, major

trafficaccidents,actsofnature,etc.

• Tocontrolrumorsaboutcrimeintheneighborhood

thatyouhaveverifiedorfoundfalse.

Why should the Phone Tree be used?

• Whensomeonehasurgentinformationtoshare(e.g.

prowlerinthearea),theyactivatethetelephonetreeby

callingthenameatthetop–thegrouprepresentative.

• When you receive acall, call thenext personlisted

underyourname.If heorsheis nothome,callthe

nextlistedpersondownuntilyougetanadultathome.

• The last neighbor to receive a call, calls the

representativetoconfirmthattheyhavereceivedthe

message.

• Itisbesttopracticethetelephonetreeonaperiodic

basissothatproblemsintheprocesscanbefixed.

• Emailcanbeusedfornot-in-progresscrimes,meeting

announcements,andgeneralinformation.

Nowadaysemailisoneofthebestwaystogetintouch

with your neighbors. Your group can organize an email

listmuchlikethatofaphonetree.Whenanissueinthe

neighborhoodcomesupyoucancontactresidentsinafast

andefficientwaywithemail.However,keepinmindthat

somepeoplestilldonothaveinternetaccessathome.

BLOCK CAPTAIN

First & Last Names

Address

Home Phone #

Emergency #

First & Last

Names

Address

Home Phone #

Emergency #

First & Last

Names

Address

Home Phone #

Emergency #

First & Last

Names

Address

Home Phone #

Emergency #

First & Last

Names

Address

Home Phone #

Emergency #

First & Last

Names

Address

Home Phone #

Emergency #

First & Last

Names

Address

Home Phone #

Emergency #

First & Last

Names

Address

Home Phone #

Emergency #

First & Last

Names

Address

Home Phone #

Emergency #

First & Last

Names

Address

Home Phone #

Emergency #

First & Last

Names

Address

Home Phone #

Emergency #

First & Last

Names

Address

Home Phone #

Emergency #

First & Last

Names

Address

Home Phone #

Emergency #

Sample Phone Tree

• Consider adding children’s names, work numbers,

andoutofstateemergencynumbers.

• Ifahouseholdwon’tparticipate,listonlytheiraddress

onthemap.

• Make note of the people who are captain and co-

captain(s).

• Listthepolicecontactnameandnumber.

• Giveacopyofthemaptoeveryonewhoparticipates.

• Createyourmapbyhand,computer,etc.

*Some free internet mapping programs or aerial photos might

be helpful. To find them conduct an internet search for your street,

town, and state.

Makemapssimple,startwithNatthetop,drawlinesfor

streetsandsquaresforhouses,andfillintheinformation.

Ifthere’snotenoughroom,justfillintheaddressthenlist

names andnumberson the back. Or simplynumber the

homes starting with “1” thenlist the address, name, and

phonenumbersontheback.Divideneighborhoodsof50

ormorehomesinto“areas”becauseifaWatchgroupistoo

big,itcanfallapartwithonlyafewpeopletomanageit.Each

areacouldhaveacolororanameanditsownareacaptain.

Thisway,noonepersonhastoomuchtohandle.Onearea

captainmightserveaschairofalltheareacaptainsandbe

theonewho is thecontactforthepolicedepartment. In

largeneighborhoods,everyoneshouldgetamastermapas

wellasoneoftheirownarea.

Yourgroupwillhavetodecidewhowillmaintainand

update the email lists and what information should be

included. Recommendations include: meeting reminders,

informationoncrimeintheneighborhood,businessrelated

directlytothegroup,andinformationlawenforcementhas

askedthegrouptoshare.Informationthatshouldnotbe

sharedincludes:chainemails,personalinformationabout

aneighbor,ornewsarticlesunrelatedtothegroup.

*A number of companies have email/web communities that

can be created just for your Neighborhood Watch. If you are

interested in using the resources because it might be a good fit

with your group, conduct a web search. Neither, the National

Sheriffs’ Association or Bureau of Justice Assistance recommend

nor support any of the web-based online communities.

Neighborhood Maps

Aneighborhoodmapisapowerfultoolonasimplesheet

ofpaper.Alongwithaphonetree,amapcangiveresidents

informationonwhereeveryoneintheneighborhoodlives

andalsoputlandmarksanddistancefromhousetohouse

into perspective. The map will familiarize NW members

withfamilieslivingintheneighborhoodaswellasaddress

anypotentialdangersduringanemergency.

• ThemapshouldindicateN,S,E,W.

• L

abelallstreetsinsideandconnectingtheneighborhood.

• Drawsquaresforhomesandlistfullnames,address,

phone,andemail.

Full na mes

Addr ess

Phone

Full na mes

Addr ess

Phone

CAPTA IN

Full nam es

Ad dr ess

Ph o ne

Kid s’ na m es

Em erge nc y

Full nam es

Ad dr ess

Ph o ne

Kid s’ na m es

Alar m

Full nam es

Ad dr ess

Ph o ne

Kid s’ na m es

Alar m

Full nam es

Ad dr ess

Ph o ne

Kid s’ na m es

Alar m

Does no t

want to

participa te

Full nam es

Ad dr ess

Ph o ne

Kid s’ na m es

Alar m

Full na mes

Addr ess

Phone

Full nam es

Ad dr ess

Ph o ne

Kid s’ na m es

Alar m

Church

Sch ool

S. 28

Street

S. 32

Street

W E

Calvert Street

Chapter 4

Planning and Conducting Meetings

decisions.Bymeetinginpersonandtalkingtogether,new

ideascanbegeneratedandthegroupwillfocusonissues

andinformationimportanttothegroupasawhole.

Traditionally,Neighborhood Watch was always about

havingmeetingstodiscusscrimeintheneighborhood,but

asNWhaschanged,sohavemeetings.Thekeytoplanning

a successful Watch meeting is organization. NW leaders

should be aware that participants are volunteering time

outofbusyschedulesandshouldworktoensureefficient

andinformativemeetings.Meetingleadersshouldhavethe

facilitiespreparedpriortothemeeting,startandfinishon

time,andthankparticipantsforattending.

Some meetings require a face-to-face gathering. By

meeting in person, you are able to establish, build, and

maintain personal relationships with the people with

whomyouareworking.Byholdingameeting,youareable

toeducateandsharevaluableinformationwithattendees.

Youwillbeableto“read”youraudienceinordertofocuson

thingsthatareimportanttothegroupasawhole.Meetings

allowthoseinattendancetodiscussideasandmakegroup

Keep meetings fun,

short and productive!

Inviting Neighbors

Youwanttogetasmanyneighborstogetherasyou

can.Howyouinvitethemisimportant.Thinkofitthis

way:whatwouldmakesomeonegetoffthecouchafter

alongdayatworktocometoameetingwithagroupof

strangers?Mostpeopledon’tevenknowwhatBlock/

Crime/NeighborhoodWatchis.Theymightthinkit

meanscommittees,meetings,orhavingtopaymoney.

• Makeyourinvitationsimpleandclear.Mentiona

recentcrimeasanincentivetoattend.

• Delivertheinvitationinpersonifpossible.Aface-

to-faceintroductionismoreeffectivethanleavinga

pieceofpaperonadoorstep.

• Askiftheycouldspare“onlyonehour”totalkwith

other neighbors about how to fight crime in the

neighborhood.

• Don’tputinvitationsinpostalmailboxes—it’sillegal.

• Get acoupleof neighborsto walk with youto help

deliverinvitations.

• Plananactivityforchildrennearthemeeting,perhaps

ask a teenager to watch them. Mention this on the

invitationtoencourageparentstoattend.

• Offerotherincentives:food,doorprizes,orachance

to“win”moneyoffrentorhomeowners’dues.

• Consider using one ofthe online social networking

tools (Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc) to facilitate

communication and encourage neighbors to

participate.

Neighborhood Watch Meeting

What: Monthly Meeting

Where: Brad and Chandy Moore’s House

8846 Clearwater Drive

When: Monday, June 12, 7:30 pm

Why: Topic: Observation Skills

Guest Speaker: Ofcer Ritchie

Directions: From I-10, exit Calgary Trail and make a right. Take your rst left onto Clearwater. 8846 is third

house on the right.

Refreshments and desserts will be served.

Sample Meeting Flyer

Sample Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(date)

Contact: Public Information Ofce, 555-5555

SHERIFF’S OFFICE HOSTS NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH FORUM

The Sheriff’s Ofce will hold a Neighborhood Watch Forum on Tuesday, March 21 at O. Henry

Middle School, 2610 W. Tenth St., from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. The meeting is designed to organize crime

watch groups and form partnerships with law enforcement to ght crime in neighborhoods.

Residents will have the opportunity to meet Central Division representatives and discuss ways

to curb crime in their communities. Future meetings will be held to form groups in other command

districts.

Meeting Logistics

It is important to select a date and a time for your

meetingthatisconvenientformostofthepeopleinvited.

You will not be able to accommodate every person, but

youshould try to appeal tothemajority. For example:If

yourmeetingconsistsofmostlyworkingprofessionals,then

youwillnotwanttointerferewiththeirbusinessday.You

mightschedulethemeetingintheeveningjustafterwork

sothattheycanattendontheirwayhome.Iftheymakeit

allthewayhome,thechancesofyourgettingthemtoleave

againarereduced.Ontheotherhand,ifyouareplanning

a meeting for a group consisting primarily of work-at-

homeindividuals,anothertimewouldprobablybebetter,

perhapsatimewhentheirchildrenarestillinschool.Try

to establish a regularly-scheduled meeting day and time.

Youmightmeetonceaweekoronceamonth,ataninterval

thatbestfitstheneedsandavailabilityofthegroup.

You should also select a location

convenient for the majority of the

group. If you are conducting a

Watch group meeting you should

probably hold the meeting in the

neighborhood. However, if you

are holding a community-wide

meeting for your block captains

a more centralized location

would be better. Neighborhood schools and faith-based

organizations often provide meeting space for groups

such as Neighborhood Watch. Remember to use the

partnershipsyouhavedevelopedinthecommunity.Invite

peoplefromyourpartnerorganizationsorasktousetheir

facilitiesformeetings.Youshouldensurethelocationhas

the required and desired facilities—space, seating, public

access, restrooms, climate control, technical equipment

suchasmicrophonesanda/vsupport(ifneeded),perhaps

evenkitchen facilities.This of courseall depends onthe

sizeofyourgroup.

Facilitating a Meeting

At the Meeting

• Bewarmandfriendly,makingapointtosayhelloto

everyone.

• Consider holding an informal social time before or

afterthemeeting.

• Consider providing name badges. This will help

with introductions as well as help the instructor to

encourageparticipation.

• Youmightalsowanttoconsideranicebreakerexercise

inthefirstcouplemeetings.

• Beginandendontime.

• Stick to thescheduleyouset—ithelpsestablish your

credibilityinbeingabletocontrolthemeeting.

• Set groundrules, such as time allowed forspeaking

andadheringtotheagenda.

• Itmaybeappropriatetotakeminutes.

The Meeting Facilitator should:

• Stayfocusedonthetaskathandtoensurethemeeting

fulfillsitspurpose.

• Encourage polite discussion allowing everyone an

opportunitytoparticipate.

• Clearly summarize decisions made and issues that

requirevoting.

• Directconversationsaboutdisagreementssothatthey

donotspiraloutofcontrol.

• Alloweachpersontimetospeakwithoutdominating

thediscussion.

• Remembertolistenforwhatisnotbeingsaid.

• Trytofindandresolvesourcesofconfusion,hidden

agendas,andemotions.

• Asthemeetingcomestoaclose,setthedate,time,and

placeforthenextmeeting.Ifyoumeetonaregular

basis,usethistimetoremindyourgroupofthenext

meeting. If you know the topic and purpose of the

nextmeeting,thiswouldbeagoodtimetogenerate

excitementforthatmeeting.

After the Meeting

Afterthemeeting,reviewhowthemeetingwentandhow

itcouldbeimproved.Effectivemeetingswillnotdisappoint

thoseinattendancebecauseitwillshowNWvaluesbusy

schedules,butencouragespeopletostayinvolved.TheNW

coordinator or block captains should distribute minutes

(or make them available) including details about action

itemsandassignments,personsresponsible,andtimelines.

Eachblockcaptainshouldfollow-upwithpeoplewhodid

not attend to see if they had questions about anything

discussed.Thiswillencouragepeopletostayinvolved,even

iftheycan’tattendmeetings.

Alternatives to Meetings

With overbooked schedules and new ways to

communicate, it may be beneficial to maintaining your

watch to occasionally hold non-traditional meetings. If

you can accomplish the same purpose without meeting

in person, consider more time-efficient alternatives such

as email, phone, online chats, creating a Facebook page,

utilizing Twitter to update neighbors, and/or electronic

newsletter..  If you are simply relaying information to

others and feel that the information is not important

enough to call a meeting, considera flyer orsomeother

sort of publication that can be mailed or distributed to

groupmembers.Respecteachgroupmember’stime.Ifthe

informationprovidedinpersonatthemeetingisimportant

andvalued,thenameetingisappropriate.

Neighborhood Watch Meeting Agenda

ThesuccessofaNeighborhoodWatchgroupisdirectlyrelatedtotheongoing

participationandsupportfromeachmemberofthegroup.

Meetingchairedby:Avolunteeruntilelectionofofficers

5:45pm Welcome and Sign-in

6:00 pm Call to order

6:00-6:10 Introductions

6:10-6:15 Overview of Neighborhood Watch

6:15-6:25 Discussion of Neighborhood Issues

6:25-6:40 Crime Prevention Presentation

6:40-6:45 Issues for next meeting

6:45-6:50 Date, place, and time of next meeting

6:50 pm Adjourn/Refreshments

Ssmple Meeting Agenda

Fundamentals of Meeting Planning

What do you project to be the outcome of your meeting?

What are you going to do at your meeting?

_Presentasubject?

_Havequestionsandanswers?

_Haveabusinessmeeting?

_Problemsolve?

_Socialize?

Set your agenda

_Introductions

_Readingofminutesfromlastmeeting

_Oldbusiness

_Newbusiness

_Nextmeetingdate,time&location

How long the meeting will run?

Starttime______  Finishtime______

(Nomatterhowlateyougetstarted—sticktotheendingtime)

Publicize the meeting

_Newspaper

_Postflyers

_Mailinglists

_Personalinvitationandphonecallsaremosteffective

What will be your next step after this meeting?

_Decidethisbeforethemeetingends–wherewillyougofromhere?

_Askforcommitteesifneededandsetthemuptonight

_Setthenextmeetingdatebeforeeveryoneleaves

Maintain integrity

_Follow-throughonwhatyoucommitto

_Printminutestothemeetingandruninanewsletterormailtomembers

Possible equipment checklist

_TV/VCR

_Overhead

_PowerPointprojector

_Workingelectricaloutlets

_Lighting

_Whiteboard/chartpackandstands

_Feltpens/dryerasers

_Maskingtapeoradhesivefornewsprint

_Microphone

_Podium

_Waterforspeaker

_Refreshments

_Chairs&seatingarrangementforgoodvisibility

• PersonalSafety

• RapePrevention

• SafetyfortheHearingImpaired

• StreetSafety

• Child/StrangerSafety

• CrimePreventionthroughEnvironmentalDesign

• HomeSecurity

• WaterSafety/BoatSafety

• Awareness&PatrolTechniques

• Observation

• FirstAid/CPR

• AnimalControl

• Dogs—Whattodoifattacked

• Scams

• InternetCrimes

• ParenttoParent

• Landlord/TenantTraining

• CulturalAwareness/DiversityTraining

• RestorativeJustice

• PeerCourts

• SchoolResourceOfficer

• CommunityPolicing

• VolunteerPrograms

• EmergencyPreparedness

• TrafficTeam

• PatrolAspects

• Search&Rescue

• Detectives

• ArsonInvestigations

• HazardousMaterials

• Truck&TrainSpills

• HowtobeaWitness(DA’sOffice)

• CountyCommissioner

• DistrictRepresentatives

• DistrictAttorney

• DefensiveDriving

• NWPatrolling

• TerrorismAwareness&PreventionPresentation

• TeenVehicleSafety

• JuvenileCrimePrevention

• ConflictResolution

• ChildrenServicestoFamilies

• LocalFireStation

• ForestRanger

• DomesticViolence

• VictimsAssistancePrograms

• SexualAssaultServices

• RedCross

• MediationServices

• HelpinginSchools

• Parole&Probation

• SexOffenders

• GangAwareness

• Drug/NarcoticAwareness

• CarFailure

• NWGuidelines/Purpose

Public Speaking Tips

Move around the room

Have charisma

Show excitement

Be a role model

Speak loudly and at a good pace

Start fast and project energy

Make eye contact with everyone

Avoid Time Wasters

Cell phone and pager

Interruptions

Socializing during the meeting

Fear of decision-making

Drop-in attendees

Creative Meeting Topics

Fire Prevention & First Aid

Usepartnershipswithlocalgovernmentagencies and

nonprofit organizations to hold training on fire safety

skills and first aid training. These trainings are essential

to keeping your community safe and allowing citizens to

takecontroloftheirownsafety.Mostoftheseorganizations

willbethrilledtoparticipateandyourWatchgroupwillbe

excitedaboutthedifferenttypesoftraining.

Beautification Projects

Your group can organize aneffort to remove graffiti,

trash,abandonedautos,andotherunsightlynuisancesfrom

yourneighborhoodcommunity.Communitypridecanbe

enhancedeveninimpoverishedareasbyworkingtomake

theareamoreattractiveandlivable.Researchhasindicated

thatimprovementsofthistypecanhavemeasurableeffects

onreducingactualcrimeaswellasthefearofcrimeamong

communitymembers

Celebrate Safe Communitiee

Take time to Celebrate Safe

Communities(CSC)byorganizing

alocalcelebrationduringthefirst

Thursday to Saturday ofOctober.

HelpAmerica’scommunitiesTake

A BiteOut OfCrime

! CSC is a

partnershipofNSA,BJA,andthe

National Crime Prevention Council. CSC is designed to

spotlight communities’crime prevention efforts, enhance

public awareness of vital crime prevention and safety

messages, and recruit year-round support for ongoing

prevention activities that help keep neighborhoods safe

from crime. This initiative will help local communities

organize safety-focused events. Local CSC activities held

inOctobertocoincidewithCrimePreventionMonthwill

helpAmericansofallagesrecognizethatasafercommunity

is no accident and that crime prevention is everyone’s

businesseverydayoftheyear.

Triad

In an increasing

numberofcommunities,

older residents and law

enforcement participate

in Triad, a cooperative

crime prevention

initiative. Working together, the police department(s),

sheriff’soffice,andseniorleadersdevisestrategiestoreduce

Additional Neighborhood Watch Activities

crimesagainsttheelderly–andtodealwiththesometimes

exaggerated fear of crime, which affects some elderly

persons.Triadsalsosponsorreassuranceeffortsforlonely

orisolated seniors.Triad maybring forth capable leaders

toWatchgroupsandmoresetsofeyesandearstoobserve

suspiciousactivitiesinacommunity.

Fundraising

Neighborhood Watch is

a community-based group.

Whilelawenforcementshould

support the group’s efforts,

usuallythelocalsheriff’sofficeorpolicedepartmentdoes

nothavethefundingtosupportanythingbeyondthesalary

oftheNWofficerandperhapsafewsigns.Itisnotnecessary

tohaveenormousfundstooperateastrongNWprogram,

the mostimportant asset of NW is a strong community.

However signs, brochures, and meeting supplies invoke

cost.Ifthelocallawenforcementagencydoesn’tprovideas

muchfundingasagroupmaydesire,theWatchgroupcan

explorealternativemethods.SomeNWgroupsseekgrants

from city and private groups. But fundraising by Watch

members can be an excellent way to increase operating

fundsandincreaseinvolvement.Fundraisingopensdoors

foractivities.Inadditionthegroupbecomesstrongerasa

visioniscreatedthroughactionandgoalsareachievedas

agroup.

ID Theft

Identitytheftisahugeissueforcommunitymembers.

Whenaperson’sidentityhasbeencompromisedthrougha

socialsecuritynumber,creditcard,ordriver’slicenseitcan

beadauntingtasktoclean upandmakesurethevictim

isprotectedfromfutureattempts.Forinformationandto

downloadmaterialsonfightingIDtheft,visittheNational

CrimePreventionCouncil’swebsiteatwww.ncpc.org.This

sitehastipsonpreventingIDtheft,creatingawarenessof

howidentitiescanbestolenandfreebrochurestodistribute

tocommunitymembers.Holdingmeetingsonpreventing

ID theft is a great way to encourage excitement for NW

andshownewmembershowNWisnotjustaboutcrime

preventionforthehome.

Citizen Patrols

ManyNWgroupschoosetouseCitizenPatrolsonfoot

orinvehiclestokeeptheircommunitysafe.Patrolsmaybe

effectiveforyourgroup,butyoushoulddiscussitwithyour

law enforcement liaison. Two or more individuals, often

fromthesamefamily,patrolduringdesignatedtoursofduty

andmaydetectsuspiciousactivitynotnoticedbystationary

observers. Lost children, stranded motorists, stray dogs,

damaged street signs or traffic signals, wandering cattle,

and automobile accidents are often discovered by citizen

patrols.

Patrolmembersshouldbetrainedbylawenforcement.

Itshouldbeemphasizedtomembersthattheydonotpossess

policepowersandtheyshallnotcarryweaponsorpursue

vehicles.Theyshouldalsobe cautionedto alertpoliceor

deputies when encountering strange activity. Members

should never confront suspicious persons who could be

armed and dangerous. Patrol members can be equipped

fortheirduties.Forexample,flashlightsorsearchlightsare

necessary for night patrols. Many mobile patrols use cell

phonesortwo-wayradiostocontactacitizen-mannedbase

station, which in turn contacts law enforcement officials

whennecessary.Rememberyourpartnershipsandaskfor

donationsfromlocalbusinesses.

Safe Houses for Children

Asafe location suchas theMcGruff HouseorBlock

Houseisidentifiedbybrightstickersonwindowsanddoors

whichindicatethattheoccupantsareblockparentswilling

tohelpafrightenedorpursuedchildifneeded.Ideally,the

adults participating in a block house program are either

retired or otherwise not employed out of the home and

availablefor assistance during the day. After your agency

hasconductedabackgroundcheckonjuvenileandadults

in the home, there is a clear understanding about the

types ofassistance a blockparent should andshould not

attempttorendertoachildindistress.Signsandstickers

shouldbe displayedonly whentheblockparentis inthe

houseandwithinhearingdistanceofthedoorbell.Officers

should have a list of authorized safe houses and check

neighborhoodsperiodicallytoensurethatonlyauthorized

homes display the signs. Contact your law enforcement

liaisonformoreinformation.

Please review Chapter 8 for activities related to

emergency preparedness, and natural and man-made disasters.

Chapter 5

Revitalizing & Maintaining

Watch Groups

OneofthebiggestchallengestoNeighborhoodWatch

ismaintainingmomentumaftertheproblemsare“solved.”

When NW groups organize around safety concerns,

enthusiasmisusuallyhighandparticipationgood.Afew

monthslater,theexcitementdiesdownandcommunication

oftensags.Inordertomaintainastronggroup,expandthe

focus of your Watchgroup.Itis importantto find other

activitiestokeepyourgroupengaged.Thenewlyrevitalized

USAonWatchprogramembracesthisideabyencouraging

partnershipsandviewingNWinanall-hazardsapproach.

• Developanemailnewsletter.Anelectronicnewsletter

will save copying and mailing costs, can provide

essentialinformation,andoftenmaybelinkedtoyour

locallawenforcementagency’shomepage.

• Form a team to actively recruit new members or

encourage previous members to attend. Lack of

attendance can sometimes be alack of information.

If neighbors are informed about safety and security

issuestheymaybemorewillingtoattend.

• Expand NW concerns beyond crime prevention to

includequalityoflifeissuesandfunactivitiestobuild

communityspirit.

Be Creative

Information Sharing

WriteyourownNeighborhoodWatchnewsletter.Keep

people up to date on crime or other subjects of interest.

(Never advertise in newsletters about individuals leaving

townuntiltheyarebackfromtheirtrip.)

Exercise or Walking Groups

It’seasiertopursuefitnesswithacompanion.Arrange

withsomeofyourneighborstorun,walk.orbikeregularly.

While doing this you may notice subtle changes in your

neighborhoodandunusualactivity.

Garage Sale

Pitchintogetherandbuyanadforabigneighborhood

sale.Youcanusethemoneytopurchasesigns,radios.and

vestsforyourNeighborhoodWatchgroup.

Neighborhood Clean Up and Landscape Trimming

Rentadumpsterforaweekend.Neighborscanshare

toolsandexpertisetohelponeanother.Capthedaywitha

barbecueoranightofdessertsandvisiting.

Winter Emergency Planning

Developagameplanforemergencies.Whohasagas

stove?Four-wheeldrivevehicle?Does anyonehavespecial

needs?Identifyyourneighborhoodresources.

Start Up Training Sessions

Start and participate in training sessions given by

volunteers. Some suggested topics are observation skills,

what observations to report to police, first aid training,

communitydisastertraining,etc..

Creative Pot-Luck’s or Bar-B-Ques

Gettogetherevery3-6monthsto‘re-connect’,keepit

funandlight.

Local Interest Groups

Politiciansandcommunityservicegroupscouldshare

whatishappeningwithyourgroup.

Group Activities

• Helpneighborstrimbushesandtreesforbettervisibility.

• Helpremovegraffitirightaway.

• Invitethefiredepartmenttotalkaboutfirepreventionanddisasterpreparedness.

• Geteachneighbortomaketheirhousenumberseasytoseeatnight.

• Helpeachotherreinforcedoorframes,hinges,andlocksforwindows.

Recognizing Your Volunteers

People need to feel appreciated when they give up

timefortheircommunity. Inorderto keep Watchgroup

membersinvolvedandexcited,taketimeouttorecognize

them. There are two basic forms of recognitions: formal

and informal. Formal recognition often occurs in an

organized setting such as a recognition dinner, reception

etc.  Informal recognition includessimple things such as

athank younote. Usetheformofrecognition thatwill

bestmotivateyourvolunteers.Therearealsotwotypesof

recognition:awardsandrewards.Theawardstype,suchas

certificates or plaques, are often seen in formal settings,

suchasatconferencesortownmeetings.Rewardsareatype

ofrecognitionthat are often seen in an informal setting

and can be more of a thank you gift for services. Some

suggestions for rewards are agift certificate forvolunteer

serviceora giftforparticipation.Theymayalsoinclude

ajobpromotionoranopportunitytolearnanewskillby

training.

Chapter 6

Neighborhood Watch Skills

Using Your “Eyes and Ears”

Once you have established a strong Watch group, it

is importantto startbuilding skills needed to makeyour

groupasuccess.WhileNWexistsformorethanjustcrime

prevention, it is important to build the skills necessary

for preventing crime as well as terrorist activity, and

preparedness for natural/man-made disasters. Schedule

trainingsessionswithyourlawenforcementliaisonorother

lawenforcementagenciesthatmighthavetrainingcourses.

The National Sheriffs’ Association offers skill building

training through the Neighborhood Watch Toolkit. Your

locallawenforcementmayalreadyhaveaToolkityoucan

borrow for your meetings. Also look for other resources

such as your state crime prevention association or the

NationalCrimePreventionCouncilwhomayholdtraining

inyourarea.

Observation Skills

Mostpeoplegothroughthedaywithoutevennoticing

everyday events. However beginning to recognize what

is normal around you is the first step in recognizing

what is not normal. Although law enforcement officers

are trained observers, sometimes they find it difficult to

explain to citizens whatto report andwhen to report it.

Whilepatrollingthestreets,officersgetusedtolookingfor

activitiesoreventsthatseemoutofplaceorarenotpartof

theregularorordinaryroutine.Officersmaynotbeableto

articulatespecificallywhatisunusual,buttheyarekeenly

awarethatsomethingisawry.Officerssometimesreferto

thisphenomenonasa“sixthsense”or“streetsmarts,”and

they instinctivelyknow when something is not right and

theyshouldinvestigate.Communitymembersshouldknow

theyhavetheabilitytorecognizeunusualeventsaswell.It

is amatter of practicing observation skills to make them

stronger.

Inordertounderstandhowtoproperlyobservepeople,

vehiclesandincidentsthatmayaffectus,weshouldbegin

bylearningwhattypesofthingstoobserve.Youshouldpay

attentiontothingslike:



• Physicalsetting

–Specific

location,time

ofday,dayof

week.

• People–What

dotheylook

like?(height,

weight,

ethnicity,

gender,etc.)Howmanyarethere?

• Specificitems–Whatisimportant?

• Routines–Didyounoticeanyrecurringpatterns

orroutines?Howoftendidtheyoccur?Whowas

involved?

OneofthekeystoasuccessfulNeighborhoodWatch

program is recognizing the importance of using good

observationskillstokeepyourneighborhoodsafe.Practice

lookingatpicturesofpeopletoknowhowtodescribethem.

Clothingisimportant,butlookforthingsthatcannotbe

changed,likeskinoreyecolor,tattoos,scars,moles,height

and weight. Properly observing

vehicles is similar to observing

individuals. You always begin with

the basics, such as the make and

model of the vehicle. Identify the

vehicleasaFord,Chevrolet,Dodge,

Honda,Mercedes,Volvo,etc.Then

identifytheboththetypeofvehicle

(such an SUV, pickup truck, etc.),

as well as the specific model if

possible (such as Corolla, Accord,

Expedition, etc.) To remember

license plates: write it on paper, on your hand, or even

scratch itin the dirt! License numbers are useful only if

theyarecorrect.Neverhesitatetosay,“I’mnotsure.”With

a vehicle description, even a partial license plate can be

valuable.

What is Suspicious Activity?

All too often citizens are confused about what they

shouldreportandwhy,soitisimportanttotraincitizens

through a variety of reporting activities. After reviewing

this section, participants will be able to advise citizens

specifically on the appropriate who, what, when, where,

and how of reporting. Often citizens ask officers “Why

shouldIgetinvolved?”or“HowamIgoingtobenefitby

reporting suspicious activity?” Although the answers may

seem obvious, it must be clearly communicated to the

publicthattheyareanessentialcomponentinprotecting

our communities. Sometimes

ourcitizensreceivemixedsignals

regarding what to report and

when to report it. Other times

they simplydo notknowwhat is

expectedofthem.Itisimportant

to learn specific definitions

and details to provide Watch

volunteers with clear andconcise

information.Begin with defining

“suspicious activity.” Officers

should know the definition of

suspicious activity and be able to properly communicate

this definition to Watch members and other concerned

citizens.Suspiciousactivitycanrefertoanyincident,event,

individual oractivity thatseems unusualor outofplace.

Somecommonexamplesofsuspiciousactivitiesinclude:

• Astrangerloiteringinyourneighborhoodoravehicle

cruisingthestreetsrepeatedly.

• Someonepeeringintocarsorwindows.

• Ahighvolumeoftrafficgoingtoandcomingfroma

homeonadailybasis.

•Someoneloiteringaround

schools,parks,orsecludedareas.

•Strangeodorscomingfroma

house,building,orvehicle.

•Openorbrokendoorsand

windowsataclosedbusinessor

unoccupiedresidence.

•Someonetamperingwith

electrical,gas,orsewersystems

withoutanidentifiablecompany

vehicleoruniform.

•Persons arriving or leaving from

homesorbusinessesatunusualhours.

• Multiplepersonswhoappeartobeworkinginunison

andexhibitingsuspiciousbehaviors.

• Signs of forced entry or tampering with security or

safetysystems.

The effectiveness of the police and sheriffs’ offices

efforts is enhanced byactive participationonthepart of

citizens.Bycallingtoreportsuspiciouspersonsoractivity,

younotonlyaidthepolice,youmakeyourcommunitya

saferplace to live. Some peoplefail tocall because they

arenotawareofactivitiesthatmightbesuspicious.Others

maynoticesuspiciousactivity andhesitatetocallforfear

ofbeinglabeleda“nosyneighbor.”Stillotherstakeitfor

grantedthatsomeoneelsehasalreadycalled.Alwaysreport

suspiciousactivityandallcrimesbecausepolicedon’tknow

there’saproblemunlesstheyaretold.

Knowing What and

How to Report

There are four general

categories to consider when

determining what to report: 1)

suspiciousactivities,2)peopleand

vehicles; 3) illegal activities;  and

4) unusual events or incidents,

dangeroussituations.

By reporting these types

of activities and situations, citizens can make their

communities safer and more secure, reduce violence,

minimize victimization, reduce crime, and improve the

overallqualityoflife.Communitymembersmustalsobe

instructedonhowtoreportsuspiciousactivity.To report

suspiciousactivities,crimesinprogress,orpossibleterrorist

activities,simply:

What is Suspicious

Activity?

Anythingthatfeels

uncomfortableorlooks

outofplace.

Report:

•Suspiciousactivities,people

watchingvehicles

•Illegalactivities

•Unusualeventsorincidents

•Dangeroussituations

• Dial9-1-1andcallthepolicedepartmentorsheriff’s

office.

• Tell the call taker what happened and the exact

location.

• Provide a detailed description of individuals or

vehicles.

• Remainonthephoneandstaycalm.

• Bepreparedtoanswerfollow-upquestions.

OneideaforacreativeNWmeetingistovisitthelocal

9-1-1 dispatch center. If someone is willing to take your

Watch group or even the Area Coordinators and Block

Captains around the center, community members will

understand the fast pace of a 9-1-1 call center. This will

emphasizetheneedforclearreportsofsuspiciousactivity.

Some9-1-1centerswon’tacceptnon-emergencycalls;they

willgiveanothernumbertocall.Duringoneofyourfirst

Watchmeetingsyoushouldfindoutallthelocalnumbers

tocallfornon-emergencycallstothepolice.Onlyserious

and legitimate calls should be made to 9-1-1, no matter

what.Teachchildrenhowtorespectthe9-1-1systemand

howtouseitiftheyarealone.Childrenlearnby“doing”

but practice on a toy phone only. Encourage themto be

goodcitizens;helpthemlearntowatchfortroubleandhow

togethelpwhenneeded.

Whenyouhaveanofficerattendameetingyoumight

suggest they go over what happens to the information

providedto911andwhennottocall911.

REMEMBER:

Communitymembersonlyserveastheextra“eyesandears”oflawenforcement.They

shouldreporttheirobservationsofsuspiciousactivitiestolawenforcement;however,citizens

shouldnevertrytotakeactiononthoseobservations.Trainedlawenforcementshouldbe

theonlyonesevertotakeactionbasedonobservationsofsuspiciousactivities.

When to Call 911 and When Not!

Calling 911 is an important communications tool

for emergencies. However, some citizens call 911 in non-

emergencysituations.Thiscancausethedispatchoperator

tomissacallofapersonneedinghelp.Itisimportantthat

notonlyyourgroupsbutall citizensunderstandwhento

callandwhennottocall911.

When To Call

• Medical emergency (examples: chest pain, extreme

shortnessofbreath,uncontrolledbleeding).

• Motorvehicleaccident.

• Fire.

• Whenalifeisindanger.

When Not to Call

• Thepowerisoff.

• Askingfordirectionstothehospital.

• Askingfortelephonenumbersofothers.

• Requestingtospeakwithaparticularofficer.

• Inquiringastothetimeandday.

• Inquiringaboutcommunityactivitiesandlocations.

Formoreinformationaboutwhenitisappropriateto

call,pleasecontactthenon-emergencynumberofyourlocal

lawenforcementandaskforanofficertodiscussthetopic

withyou.

Neighborhood Watch Observation Notes

Post-observation activities:

1.Writedownyourobservationassoonaspossible.

2.Notethedateandtime.

3.Ifactivitiesappeartobeunusual,suspicious,orillegal,callforassistanceandtaketheappropriateactionaccording

toyouragency’spoliciesandprocedures.

Date:________________Time:_________________Observer:_______________________

Observation:____________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Notes:

Physical Setting – specific location

____________________________________________________________________________

People – What do they look like? How are they acting? How many are there?

____________________________________________________________________________

Specific Items – What aspects are important?

____________________________________________________________________________

Routines – Did you notice any recurring patterns or routines? How often did

they occur? Who was involved?

____________________________________________________________________________

Stay calm

Remain alert to your

surroundings

Begin with the basics

Move to the specifics

Broaden your perspective

Add detail

Chapter 7

Establishing Partnerships

OneofthefoundationsoftherevitalizedUSAonWatch-

National Neighborhood Watch program is an emphasis

onpartnerships. Potential partners can be any formal or

organizedgroupthataNWgrouppartnerswithtoimprove

safety, security, and quality of life. NW partners can be

citizengroupsand/orcityorregionalgovernmentagencies.

Thesegroupsprovideinformation,resources,andsupport.

Theyhelp broaden thescope of NWgroupsand helpto

coordinate responses for neighborhood issues. To ensure

successful partnerships, Area Coordinators and Block

Captainsshouldremembercommunication,coordination,

cooperation,andcollaborationtechniques.

Communication– The agreementtoshare thoughts,

ideasandinformation.Communicationneednotrequireface-

to-faceinteraction,butcanbeaccomplishedthrough

letters,

telephonecalls,reports,oremail.

Communication

requiresamessage,sender,andareceiver.

Coordination– This is criticalto creating

and sustaining partnerships and citizen

involvement.Theamountornatureofinteraction

cancoverarangeofactivitiessuchasarranging

for Community Emergency Response Training

(CERT)orhelpingtoarrangeanevent.

Cooperation – This occurs when two or

morecommunicating individuals orgroupsagree tohelp

eachotherwithtasks.

Collaboration–Anintenselevelofpartnershipbased

onamodelofsharingpowerforattainingacommongoal.

Watchprogramsseektoimprovethesafetyandsecurity

ofeveryoneinthecommunity.Belowareafeworganizations

thatyourgroupmaywanttopartnerwith,inadditiontoa

locallawenforcementagency.

Some potential partners could be:

• Businesses

• Schoolsanddaycarecenters

• Faith/Community-basedorganizations

• Communicationscompanies

• Hospitalandmedicalproviders

• Localgovernment

• Otherneighborhoodgroups

• CitizenCorpscouncils

• Localfire,EMS,andpolice

• ParksandRecreation

• CodeEnforcement

• PublicWorks

• HealthandSocialServices

• Localnewsmedia

Identifying Resources

Think about your NW program and the

community surrounding you. Partnerships

aren’t just important for training and activities, but also

financialassistance,personnel,andmaterials.

• Financial resourcescan includebothindividualand

outsideagencyresources.

• Personnel resources can include items as such as

individualskillsorpossessions.

• Materials can range from items such as training

materialstobuildingmaterials.

• Training resources can come from individuals or

outsideagencies(i.e.,locallawenforcementagency).

• Organizations that can serve as resources include

socialserviceagenciesandcivicgroupssuchasKiwanis

orRotary.Thesegroupscanprovideeverythingfrom

speakerstovolunteers.

Buildingpartnershipswithinyourcommunitycanadd

strengthtoyourNWgroup.Don’tlimityourself!Becreative

whenlookingforpartnersandresources.Lawenforcement

officers should be aware that there are a wide range of

bothpublicandprivateorganizationsthatareavailableto

supportandenhancetheeffortsofWatchgroups.

Citizen Corps

The missionof Citizen Corps is to harness the power

of every individual through education, training, and

volunteerservicetohelpmakecommunitiessafer,stronger,

and better prepared to respond to threats of terrorism,

crime, publichealth issues, and disasters. After September

11, 2001, America witnessed a wellspring of selflessness

and heroism. People in every corner of the country asked,

“HowcanIhelp?”CitizenCorpswascreatedtoanswerthese

questions throughpubliceducationandoutreach,training,

and volunteer service. Citizen Corps Councils help drive

local citizen participation by coordinating Citizen Corps

programs, developing community action plans, assessing

possiblethreats,andidentifyinglocalresources.

www.citizencorps.gov

TherearefiveCitizenCorpsProgramPartners.These

partners expand the resources and materials available

to states and local communities by offering resources

for public education, outreach, and training; represent

volunteersinterestedinhelpingtomaketheircommunity

safer; or offer volunteer service opportunities to support

first responders, disaster relief activities, and community

safetyefforts.

Volunteers in Police Service

TheVolunteersinPoliceService(VIPS)programworks

toenhancethecapacityofstateandlocallawenforcement

toutilizevolunteers.VIPSservesasagatewaytoresources

andinformationforandaboutlawenforcementvolunteer

programs.FundedbytheBureauofJusticeAssistance,U.S.

DepartmentofJustice,VIPSismanagedandimplemented

bytheInternationalAssociationofChiefsofPolice.

www.policevolunteers.org

CERT

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

educates people about disaster preparedness and trains

them in basicdisaster response skills, such as fire safety,

light search and rescue, and disaster medical operations.

Usingtheirtraining,CERTmemberscanassistothersin

their neighborhood or workplace following an event and

cantakeamoreactiveroleinpreparingtheircommunity.

TheprogramisadministeredbyDepartmentofHomeland

Security(DHS).www.citizencorps.gov/cert

Medical Reserve Corps

The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) strengthens

communities by helping medical, public health, and other

volunteers offertheir expertise throughoutthe year as well

as duringlocal emergenciesand othertimes ofcommunity

need. MRC volunteers work in coordination with existing

local emergency response programs and also supplement

existingcommunitypublichealthinitiatives,suchasoutreach

andprevention,immunizationprograms,blooddrives,case

management, care planning, and other efforts. The MRC

program is administered by Department of Health and

HumanServices(HHS).www.medicalreservecorps.gov

Fire Corps

Fire Corps promotes the use of citizen advocates to

enhance the capacity of resource-constrained fire and

rescue departments at all levels, whether volunteer or

career. Citizen advocates assist local fire departments in

fire safety outreach, youth programs, and administrative

support. Fire Corps provides resources to assist fire and

rescue departments in creating opportunities for citizen

advocates and promotes citizen participation. Fire Corps

isfundedthroughDHSandismanagedandimplemented

throughapartnershipbetweentheNationalVolunteerFire

Council,theInternationalAssociationofFireFighters,and

theInternationalAssociationofFireChiefs.

www.firecorps.org

Chapter 8

Neighborhood Watch’s Expanded Role

Emergency Preparedness and

Homeland Security

One of the newer elements of Neighborhood Watch

is the expanded role that now includes awareness and

reportingofpossibleterroristactivities.SinceSeptember11,

2001,thefederalgovernmenthasissuedheightenedstates

ofalertforlocallawenforcement,andhasurgedAmericans

toremainvigilantforthethreatofnewterroristactivities.

Theneedforstrengtheningandsecuringcommunitieshas

become more important than ever. For 35 years Watch

groupshaveworkedsuccessfullytoaddresscrimeprevention

issuesandtorestorepridetoneighborhoods.Nowtheyface

anewchallenge:helping local residentsbecomea critical

element in the detection, prevention, and disruption of

terrorism.Althoughgovernmentagenciesassumemostof

the responsibility for detecting and preventing terrorism,

preparedness is the job of the individual citizens as well.

Disastercanstrikequickly.Whetheradisasterisanatural

event, a technological event, or an act of terrorism, the

importanceofpreparednessisthesame.

Preventing Terrorism

TheuniqueinfrastructureofNWbringstogetherlocal

officials,lawenforcement,andresidentsfortheprotection

ofthecommunity,makingNWanexcellentprogramfor

promotingbothcitizenawarenessandpreparednessinthe

war against terrorism. To strengthen communities and

effectivelyrespondtothethreatsofterrorism,crime,orany

typeofdisaster,communitymembersshouldknowhowto

startorjoinaNW,createaDisasterPreparednessplan,and

recognizeandreportthesignsofterrorism.

Sixmonthsafterthe9/11attackontheWorld

TradeCenterandthePentagon,anationalpollshowed

thatalready60%ofAmericansfeltthattheprimary

responsibilityfor

theirsecuritydidn’t

restwiththemselves

butwithlaw

enforcement.While

lawenforcement

doesn’thaveall

theanswersto

HomelandSecurity,

onethingiscertain:

residentsarethe

keytobuilding

safercommunities

andhelpingprotect

themselves.

Terrorists

use fear to get

attentionandshow

the seriousness of

theirintentandto

leave victims with

an unforgettable

impression. Their

hope is to cause panic and serious

disruption of services and everyday activities goes far

beyondtheimpactoftheimmediatevictims.Byattempting

todemoralizeus,theterroristsseektoattackournational

psychebyshockingorparalyzingusintoinactivity.Aspart

ofasuccessfulterrorismawarenessandpreventionstrategy,

wemustnotonlyknowwhatterroristsdo,butalsolearn

aboutwhotheyareandwhattheybelieve.Beingawareof

this and moreimportantly, who they target, allows us to

useourresourcesmosteffectivelyandefficientlytoaddress

theirthreatsandattacks.

Bypracticing thefollowing commonsense guidelines

forobservingandreporting,youcanactivelyincreasesafety

andsecurityagainstapotentialterroristact—andeveryday

crimeandviolence.

Mostpeoplewillnotrunintoterroristsorextremistsin

theirdailyroutinebutsomehaveandwill.Lawenforcement

needstheactiveinvolvementofcitizenstoreportsuspicious

activity.Withoutleads,therearenoinvestigations.

NW Activities Related to Homeland Security

• Make sure community members know what kind

of suspicious activity to look for and how to report

it to law enforcement. Invite a representative from

your local law enforcement agency or emergency

managementofficetospeakwithyourWatchgroup.

• Develop a neighborhood evacuation plan. Create a

neighborhood directory with phone numbers and

email addresses for all community members, noting

contactinformationandplansforchildrenandseniors

whomaybealoneduringemergencies.

• Encourage members to develop an individual

emergencypreparednessplanandsharethisplanwith

theentirefamily.

• Develop a preparedness kit and have supplies for

shelteringinplace.

• Discuss local warning systems and how to find

information on evacuation routes, schedule, and

temporarysheltersinanemergency.

• Discusspotentialterroristtargetsinyourcommunity

(e.g.powerandchemicalplants,airports,bridges)and

theconsequencesoftheattack.

• Discuss how to report suspicious terrorist activity.

Usually NWmembersare trained to reportto local

lawenforcement,butinthecaseofterrorismitmight

be more appropriate to report to a local Federal

BureauofInvestigationsoffice.CheckwithyourNW

officertofindoutwhatisbestforyourjurisdiction.

Also,localemergencyagencieswillgivedirectionsto

citizensregardingwhattodoviathepublicemergency

broadcasts.

Disasters: Are you Ready?

Checkwithyourlocalfiredepartmenttofindoutabout

the classes and training they offer in first aid, CPR, fire

suppression,anddisasterpreparedness.CERT(Community

Emergency Response Teams) includes extensive training

forcitizensondisasterpreparednessfortheneighborhood.

Someofthesubjectsinclude:

• Disasterfirstaid.

• Howtotriageandsetupmedicalareas.

• Howtofightfiresandturnoffgaslines.

• How to inspect buildings and mark them after

inspecting.

Thefirststepismakingsureyourfamilyissafeandyou

havewhatyouneedtostaysafeandhealthyfortheduration

andaftermathofadisaster.Suppliesmustbereadybecause

youusuallydon’tgetmuchwarningortimetogatherand

packsupplies.Ifyouwait, youmaynotfindmuchinthe

stores after everyone else scrambles for food, medical

supplies,batteries,andwater.Makeitafamilyactivitytoget

emergencysuppliestogether.Childrencanrotatesupplies

tokeepwater,batteries,andfoodfresh.Youshouldpractice

fireescapeplansanddisasterevacuationplansacoupleof

times a year. This way, if the “real” thing happens, your

familywillbe calmandlevelheaded. Useoldsuitcases to

pack disaster clothing and personal items; they are easy

tograb ina hurry.Ask yourfiredepartmentforalist of

itemsneededfordisasterkits.Individualswithdisabilities

need to plan forspecial needs. For example, they should

haveapairofworkglovesattachedtotheundersideoftheir

wheelchairincasetheyhavetorollthroughdebris,broken

glass,etc.Don’tforgettoplanforthesuppliesyourpetswill

need.YourWatchgroupshouldhavealistofresidentswho

willneedassistance.

Disaster Preparedness Kit

While it may not be fun to think about a disaster

occurringinyourcommunity,thechancesitmayhappen

are possible and the type of disaster varies from where

you live. However, your Watch group can make Disaster

Preparedness fun by holding a meeting to educate on

evacuationplans,thentakethetimetocreatePreparedness

Kitstogether.Haveeachhouseholdbuyitemsinbulk,then

sharewitheachotherinordertoreducecosts.Don’tforget

to use the partnerships you’ve developed and see if local

businessesorgovernmentagenciescandonatesuppliesto

you.