Community Watch
Community Relations Officer Supervisor
Sargent Benjamin
Raleigh Police Department
North District
6716 Six Forks Road
Raleigh, NC 27615
919-996-1234
INTENT OF THE COMMUNITY WATCH PROGRAM
• BUILD A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY TO REDUCE CRIME AND IMPROVE LIVABILITY
• INSTILL A GREATER SENSE OF SECURITY WHILE REDUCING THE FEAR OF CRIME
• CREATE A “SENSE OF COMMUNITY” AND PUT THE “NEIGHBOR” BACK INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
ORGANIZING A COMMUNITY WATCH PROGRAM
• ESTABLISH THE NEED FOR A CW PROGRAM
• SELECT A CHAIRPERSON AND BLOCK CAPTAINS TO ORGANIZE THE CW PROGRAM
• SELECT A LOCATION TO HOLDTHE CW START-UP MEETING
• SELECT A DATE AND TIME FOR THE CW START-UP MEETING
• CONTACT THE CRIME PREVENTION OFFICER TO PRESENT THE CW PROGRAM TO THE GROUP
• PREPARE AN AGENDA FOR THE CW START-UP MEETING
• INVITE YOUR NEIGHBORS TO THE CW START-UP MEETING
RESPONSIBILITIES
CHAIRPERSON —THE CHAIRPERSON IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING THE OPERATION OF THE CW PROGRAM IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
• WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY TO INCREASE THEIR AWARENESS OF THE CW PROGRAM
• HANDLE INCOMING CALLS/EMAILS FROM THE BLOCK CAPTAINS
• REVIEW THE PROGRESS ON THE CW PROGRAM
• PASS ON INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THE RALEIGH PD
• INSURE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS HOLDING REGULAR CW/HOA MEETINGS
• ARRANGE FOR THE CRIME PREVENTION OFFICER TO PROVIDE TOPIC SPECIFIC TRAINING (I.E.: HOME SECURITY, OPERATION ID, REPORTING SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY)
• MAINTAIN A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF BLOCK CAPTAINS (I.E.: NAME, ADDRESS, TELEPHONE AND EMAIL ADDRESS) AND CW PARTICIPANTS
BLOCK CAPTAINS —THE BLOCK CAPTAINS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING THEIR NEIGHBORS INVOLVED IN THE CW PROGRAM.
• DISTRIBUTE INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THE CHAIRPERSON VIA TELEPHONE, EMAIL OR NEWSLETTER
• CREATE A BLOCK MAP WITH THE CURRENT INFORMATION OF THEIR NEIGHBORS (I.E.: NAME, ADDRESS, TELEPHONE AND EMAIL ADDRESS)
• KEEP TRACK OF ANY MEDICAL PROBLEMS OR UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES THEIR NEIGHBORS HAVE
• COORDINATE ALL ACTIVITIES FOR THEIR BLOCK AND NEIGHBORS THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
• GREET ANY NEW NEIGHBORS THAT MOVE INTO THEIR COMMUNITY AND EDUCATE THEM ON THE CW PROGRAM
• SERVE AS A LIAISON BETWEEN THE CHAIRPERSON AND THE NEIGHBORS THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
BIGGEST KILLERS OF A COMMUNITY WATCH PROGRAM
• LACK OF CLEAR AND VARIED GOALS
• LACK OF STRONG COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
• LACK OF ONGOING LEADERSHIP
PURPOSE OF A COMMUNITY WATCH PROGRAM IN YOUR COMMUNITY
• REDUCING THE RISK OF BEGIN A CRIME VICTIM
• BEING BETTER PREPARED TO RESPOND TO SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY
• GREATER ACCESS TO CRIMINAL ACTIVITY INFORMATION
• GETTING TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS
• REDUCING THE FEAR OF CRIME AND MAKING YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD MORE LIVABLE
• ALLOWING OTHER ISSUES OF CONCERN TO BE ADDRESSED
• RECEIVE A CW SIGN TO POST IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
WHAT MAKES A COMMUNITY WATCH PROGRAM SUCCESSFUL?
• MUST GET EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED.
(YOUNG / OLD, MARRIED / SINGLE, HOMEOWNER I RENTER)
• COMMUNICATE WITH THE CW PARTICIPANTS
> PEOPLE HAVE A NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE GROUP
> PEOPLE NEED TO FEEL LIKE THEIR IDEAS AND INPUT ARE VALUED
> PEOPLE NEED TO FEEL THAT THE CW PROGRAM IS WORKING
MAINTAINING AN ACTIVE COMMUNITY WATCH PROGRAM
• HOLD REGULAR MEETINGS
• SHARE INFORMATION (GOOD OR BAD) WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS
COMMUNICATION IS THE KEY
• MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS SHOULD BE TO THE POINT AND TIMELY SO THAT PEOPLE CAN GET IT ON THEIR CALENDAR
• ENCOURAGE BLOCK CAPTAINS AND OTHER NEIGHBORS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO TAKE A LEADING ROLE AT MEETINGS
• KEEP MEETINGS BRIEF AND ON TARGET
• DEVELOP A NEWSLETTER TO KEEP YOUR NEIGHBORS INFORMED — DISTRIBUTE ON A REGULAR BASIS
• DEVELOP A WEBSITE TO KEEP YOUR NEIGHBORS INFORMED
• DEVELOP AN EMAIL TREE TO KEEP YOUR NEIGHBORS INFORMED
• DEVELOP AN ELECTRONIC BULLETIN BOARD WHERE YOUR NEIGHBORS CAN HAVE AN ONGOING DIALOG WITH EACH OTHER
• RECOGNIZE YOUR NEIGHBORS FOR THE GOOD THINGS THEY DO WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY
• MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT YOU ARE GETTING THINGS DONE
• ENCOURAGE SOCIAL EVENTS WHERE YOU CAN COMMUNICATE MORE INFORMALLY
• BE CONSCIOUS OF THE TONE OF VOICE AND LANGUAGE USED WHEN COMMUNICATING WITH PEOPLE
COMMUNITY WATCH PARTICIPANTS
• Do NOT TAKE ANY RISKS TO PREVENT A CRIME OR TRY TO MAKE AN ARREST “ IT’S MORE IMPORTANT TO BE A GOOD WITNESS*
• PAY ATTENTION TO DETAIL (IE: CLOTHING, TAG NUMBER, DIRECTION OF TRAVEL AND ETC.) WHEN OBSERVING SUSPICIOUS PEOPLE, VEHICLES OR ACTIVITES AND REPORT THEIR OBSERVATIONS TO OTHER NEIGHBORS, BLOCK CAPTAINS, CHAIRPERSON AND THE RALEIGH PD WHEN NECESSARY.
• KEEP AN EYE ON THEIR NEIGHBORS’ HOUSE AND REPORT ALL SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY
• GET TO KNOW THEIR NEIGHBORS’ NAMES AND ARE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THEM AND THEIR VEHICLES WITHOUT ANY HESITATION
• NOTIFY A TRUSTED NEIGHBOR WHEN THEY ARE GOING TO BE AWAY SO THEY CAN WATCH THE HOUSE AND PICK-UP THE MAIL AND/OR NEWSPAPER
• ATTEND AS MANY CW/HOA MEETINGS AS POSSIBLE
• IMPLEMENT ALL SECURITY MEASURES SUGGESTED BY THE RALEIGH PD
• PROPERLY IDENTIFY ALL PROPERTY USING THE OPERATION ID GUIDELINES
COMMUNITY WATCH IS Not
• A VIGILANTE FORCE WORKING OUTSIDE THE NORMAL PROCEDURES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT
• A PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR PARTICIPANTS TO TAKE PERSONAL RISKS TO PREVENT CRIME
• A 100% GUARANTEE THAT CRIME WILL NOT OCCUR IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
RESOURCES
National Association of Town Watch - www.natw.org/natw/
NC Department of Crime Control and Public Safety - nccrimecontrol.org/
National Crime Prevention Council - www.ncpc.org
McGruff - mcgruff.org/
IMPORTANT CITY NUMBERS
Abandoned vehicles/Towed vehicles 807-5110 (Private Property)
Abandoned vehicles - 890-3335 (city streets)
Animal Control —831 -6005
Crime Stoppers — 226-2746 (CRIME)
Gang Tip Line — 890-3904
Graffiti —831 -6001
Noise Complaints -911
Police Information Desk- 890-3335
Street Light Repair — 508-5400
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