Neighborhood alert is a communication tool for residents to share incidents, suspicious activity and security concerns in their community. The program is often used in gated communities, apartment complexes and HOA neighborhoods to increase communication between neighbors and to law enforcement in a non-intervening way. It is a successful crime prevention program that teaches people to be their own neighbors’ eyes and ears by observing and reporting to police any suspicious circumstances.
To establish a neighborhood watch program, the first step is to contact your local law enforcement agency as they will be able to provide guidance and resources tailored for your specific community. The next step is to hold a meeting with your neighbors to gauge interest and discuss the goals of the neighborhood watch. After the committee is established, a main person should be designated to oversee and manage the program. It is also a good idea to identify block captains who will be responsible for informing other members of the neighborhood watch and organizing meetings.
Some of the most important elements of a neighborhood watch are to encourage communication and to teach residents how to make their homes more secure. This can be done by keeping doors and windows locked at all times, removing any valuables from vehicles, trimming bushes or other hiding spots near entryways to the home and using cameras and video doorbells. Neighborhood watch members should be on the lookout for strangers acting strangely or parked cars that appear to be unoccupied.