Neighborhood Watch - Getting Started

Initial Steps to Organizing a local neighborhood watch program is to follow the the first rule of a successful Neighborhood Watch program. Be a good neighbor! That's right, the best crime prevention service ever invented is the good neighbor. After all, you are the ones that know best what's going on in your neighborhood. Some people might call this being nosy, while others appreciate the fact that their neighbors are looking after their property through a neighborhood watch program.

If you are concerned about your neighborhood, get out and talk with your neighbors about crime problems and crime prevention. Let them know you are concerned about your safety and theirs. We realize this is more difficult in some neighborhoods than others, but if you sit in your house and remain uninvolved for fear of meeting blank stares from your neighbors, the situation could get worse, not better.

Click here for Ottawa Home Sitters

Organize a meeting for neighbors from your street, block, or apartment building to discuss the crime problem in your area, residents' concerns, and the Neighborhood Watch concept.

Select a meeting place that is accessible to people with disabilities. Publicize your meeting at least one week in advance with door-to-door fliers and follow up with phone calls the day before. Stress that a Neighborhood Watch group is an association of neighbors who look out for each other's families and property, alert the police to any suspicious activities or crime in progress, and work together to make their community a safer and better place to live.

To begin a Neighborhood Watch program, contact your Community Policing Unit at the City Police Department xxx-xxx-xxxx to schedule an available date and time when an officer can meet with your group for your first meeting.

Indicate approximately how many households your Neighborhood Watch group includes, and the area involved. You should call at least two weeks in advance for scheduling purposes. Not everyone will want to be involved and this is to be expected. Many people are just too busy or do not want to belong to a group. They may still provide support in other ways as well, which you can discuss with them.

Please feel free to email us with additional items at Email: contact@GCCIhome.com We will be pleased to add your items to our list.

Click here for a list of duties and responsibilities associated with Neighborhood Watch. See below for a full list of articles and checklists concerning neighborhood watch programs.

All content published on this web site is provided for informational and educational purposes only. Always seek professional advice before making any decisions.

We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address, or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here.

Neighborhood Watch Programs

General Info Checklist Getting Started Coordinator-Block Captain Block Members

Maintaining Your Program Summary