Neighborhood Crime Watch

What is Crime Watch?

Crime Watch is a group of neighbors looking out for the neighborhood.  It is getting to know each other and becoming familiar with your neighbors' habits and vehicles so that you will know when something is suspicious or out of the ordinary.

In addition to recognizing potentially suspicious activities, Crime Watch participants report such activity by calling 911.  After calling 911, also notify your Crime Watch Chairperson or neighborhood voice mail.  All of this doesn’t make you a nosy neighbor – it makes you a good neighbor in the old-fashioned sense of the word.

Many people don’t want to bother the police because they are afraid that it may not be a real emergency or that they may be embarrassed if their suspicions turn out to be unfounded.  The police would much rather be called out to investigate than to be called after a crime has been committed.  When in doubt, always call 911.  The 911 dispatch center is staffed with trained operators who will evaluate your call, rank its priority, and dispatch it to the appropriate officer.

Crime Watch does not mean being a vigilante.  Participants do not confront suspects or take any personal risks at all.

Click here to learn more.

If you want information about organizing a Crime Watch, Crime Watch activites and tools, Crime Prevention programs, sample Crime Watch forms or other information, read the Crime Watch Resource Package. This is a large file.

Crime Watch Handbook  Adobe PDF. file

Crime Watch Tool Kit