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1. What is a Neighborhood Crime Watch?

Decades ago crime rates across the U.S. increased at an alarming pace. Citizens and law enforcement agencies focused on developing crime prevention programs to help reduce this growing trend. In 1972 the National Sheriff’s Association organized the National Neighborhood Watch Program. This pilot program was funded by the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration of the U.S. Department of Justice and was designed to enlist the participation of citizens with law enforcement to help reduce and prevent crime. Since then Neighborhood Crime Watch has become one of the most effective means of fighting crime in our neighborhoods because you and your neighbors are the ones who really know what is going on in your area, most likely to be the first to see a crime and call 911 for help.

Throughout our country, dramatic decreases in burglary and related offenses have been reported by law enforcement professionals in communities with active Neighborhood Crime Watch programs. Neighborhood Crime Watches are organized by the police department and participants are required to undergo a series of training sessions to learn how to recognize and report crimes, suspicious activities as well as how to protect yourself, your family, your property, and also that of your neighbors. Neighborhood Crime Watch is a crime prevention program of mutual assistance and cooperation between the police department and active participation of neighbors to reduce crime and illicit activity. Neighborhood Crime Watch also fights the isolation and fear that crime both creates and feeds upon. It forges bonds amongst neighbors, enhances community security through heightened awareness, educational training and open communication between police and neighbors.

Participating in a Neighborhood Crime Watch allows neighbors an opportunity to form positive relationships with one another and with city police department officers specifically assigned to their neighborhood to reduce and eliminate crime-related activities. The area covered by a Neighborhood Crime Watch normally ranges from several homes on a few streets to several blocks with homes on both sides of the streets. Neighborhood Crime Watch is not an invitation for vigilante groups to operate outside of the law.

2. What is a Neighborhood Association?

Neighborhood associations are larger independent, neighborhood-based organizations with their own structure, officers, and bylaws representing hundreds if not thousands of households within a neighborhood. Neighborhood organizations are organized by neighbor residents, neighborhood property investors, neighborhood businesses and others with a focus of working together to create change and improvement, not only in neighborhood safety but also on larger neighborhood issues such as beautification, zoning, neighborhood planning, economic development, housing, infrastructure, emergency management, fund-raising as well as social activities.

Neighborhood associations also partner with city administration to help reinforce the city’s ordinances regarding a neighborhood’s quality of life through education and sometimes peer pressure. Some neighborhood associations become recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a nonprofit organization which provides them an opportunity and ability to raise funds to undertake self-help neighborhood initiatives and projects. Sample Bylaws (PDF)

3. How do I successfully build a neighborhood organization?

Building and creating a successful Neighborhood Crime Watch or Neighborhood Association is about learning the best way to plan and work with your neighbors to get things done. You always accomplish more when you work together in a group. For example, when the Fleming Court neighborhood was having trouble with a property in their neighborhood where residents were selling drugs at all times of the day and night, they organized a Neighborhood Crime Watch and in partnership with Roanoke police were able to eliminate the activity taking place. When the Williamson Road residents were having trouble with flooding in their basements years ago, they got together, took a survey, and presented evidence of their problem to city administration and City Council. With proof of the problem in hand - how many people had flooded basements, how often, where, etc. - the city acted quickly to resolve the issue.

In both examples, had individual neighbors called the city - one then another – resolution of the issue may have taken longer as it may have appeared it only affected 1 or 2 individuals as opposed to affecting many. Being organized and documenting their complaints as a group made the difference.