What To Watch For In Your Neighborhood

Crime is an issue in communities, and always has been. And as the population increases and the economy continues to experience change, crime will remain an issue. But there are things you can look for in your neighborhood which may help you prevent crime.

Theft and burglaries can be prevented by showing that your neighborhood watch has a presence in the area. Stickers or yard signs for street entrances can advertise that the neighborhood is participating in a neighborhood watch program and will deter criminals. If criminals know people are watching, they will be less likely to steal. If you see strangers driving slowly past your block, or anything that looks suspicious, such as strangers loitering in alleys or backyards, organize your fellow neighborhood watchers to make a patrol past the suspicious activity, or request that a patrol car take a look. That should force any would-be thieves to move on.

Street crime can be assuaged by having volunteers take patrols through the community at certain times, preferably in pairs. This is not meant to be provocative, the watch members are merely to show that they have a presence in the neighborhood. Individuals should also watch from their homes and report any suspicious act or person in the neighborhood. If anyone on the street or in their home sees something suspicious, they should then contact a leader in the watch program who can then contact the proper law enforcement agency. This stops large numbers of people calling law enforcement personnel for the same issue.

The neighborhood watch can also initiate a phone tree, which would provide alerts passed from neighbor to neighbor advising of criminal activity in the area, which would allow people to stay off the streets and out of danger.

For information about crime in your community, check out your local police department's website, which most likely maintains records and statistics about crime in your area.