Several decades ago, crime rates in the United States began to climb suddenly and quickly, startling homeowners nationwide.
But out of this rise in crime came the birth of neighborhood watch programs, which allowed frightened homeowners to take home security into their own hands.
To help combat the growing crime trend, citizens and police came together to solve the emerging problems in communities across the country.
Neighborhood watch programs depend on the active participation of residents, combined with the cooperation of local law enforcement, to ensure the quality of life in a given area.
These programs improve home security by teaching residents how to identify potential threats and report suspicious behavior to the proper authorities, as well as to recognize and address larger security issues in the neighborhood.
Participants also learn important tools to help protect themselves, their loved ones, and their property against crime.
Plus, these programs bring communities together and encourage neighbors to look out for each other's wellbeing.
If you are concerned about your home security and that of your neighbors, here are some tips to help you start a neighborhood watch program where you live.
1.
Talk to the members of your local community to find out if your neighbors are also interested in starting a neighborhood watch program.
Contact your local police department to get any additional information they might have about starting a neighborhood watch program.
2.
Get the contact information of the police officer in charge of community relations and neighborhood watch programs.
Contact this person to talk about the problems in your neighborhood that you would like to address and find out how to best proceed in confronting them.
3.
Get in touch with your neighbors again and explain the home security benefits of a neighborhood watch program to them.
Share with them any additional information that you have gotten from speaking with the police, and once your neighbors are on board, organize a time and place (usually a home, church, school, or community center) to hold your first meeting.
To do this, gather information from your neighbors to find out the best times for everyone to attend.
4.
Invite a representative from the local police to attend the first meeting so that your neighbors can direct any questions they might have directly to him or her.
5.
At the first meeting, you should also divide your neighborhood up into smaller sections (blocks, for example), and elect leaders to be captains or co-captains of each section.
In the beginning, these captains will be in charge of keeping track of membership and collecting money for, purchasing, and distributing neighborhood watch signs.
Later on, their responsibilities might include things like recruiting new members, keeping members informed of group activities, serving as the group spokesperson and liaison with the local police department, and organizing crime prevention and other home security activities.
6.
To ensure the effectiveness of your neighborhood watch program, be sure to continue to have regular meetings, whether or not there are any specific incidents or problems to be addressed.