Neighborhood Watch Part 2 National Crime Prevention Council 2007–2008
Goal of This Presentation
To provide participants with strategies for strengthening their Neighborhood Watch programs and explore ways that their programs can be connected with homeland security and emergency preparedness
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Objectives
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Learn how to maintain and strengthen a Neighborhood Watch
Learn how to expand the scope of Neighborhood Watch
Explore how Neighborhood Watch can be linked to homeland security and emergency preparedness National Crime Prevention Council
Neighborhood Watch Works ď Ž
Birmingham, AL: Before Neighborhood Watch, 13 out of 15 neighborhoods had experienced increases in burglaries. After the program was in place, 12 of the 15 had no burglaries. ď Ž Lakewood, CO: Burglaries dropped 77 percent after Neighborhood Watch was implemented.
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Neighborhood Watch Works (continued)
â– Cypress, CA: Neighborhood Watch cut burglaries by 52 percent and thefts by 45 percent. The program saved police an estimated $79,000.
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Neighborhood Watch Background
Neighborhood Watch is a communitybased program supported by the National Sheriffs’ Association. Since its inception in 1972, thousands of communities have created Neighborhood Watch programs. These programs have expanded and become major assets in solving neighborhood problems. 6
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Example of an Expanded Neighborhood Watch Program The Niagara Falls Block Club Council has expanded the traditional Neighborhood Watch activities to include increasing community awareness as well as engagement. Home Block Club Association Roger Spurback, President 2234 Forest Avenue Niagara Falls, NY 14301 716-285-5426 rspurblockclub@aol.com
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Maintaining and Strengthening Your Neighborhood Watch Program 8
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Seek Help From Other Organizations
Talk to other Neighborhood Watch groups in the area. Talk with local PTAs, tenants’ groups, community service organizations, social clubs, faith groups, public and mental health associations, taxpayers’ groups, and homeowners’ associations for help and ideas in sustaining and preserving activities. 9
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Community Assessments Ask your local police department or sheriff’s office for a map of your area. You can use this to define the boundaries of your Neighborhood Watch program and to map crime. Ask your local police department for statistics on crime in your community and whether it has done any crime mapping or crime analysis of your neighborhood. If so, ask to see the results.
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Consider a Neighborhood Assessment
A neighborhood assessment can provide a “road map” that can be used to address problems and community needs. A neighborhood assessment can also highlight other organizations—local government, local civic groups, etc.—that might need to be involved. 11
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Community Assessments
Collect crime data from police and residents. • • • •
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What types of crimes have been reported? What details are available about these crimes? Do patterns of crime show up? Are there specific “hot spots” where multiple incidents have occurred?
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Community Assessments (continued) ď Ž
What have residents noticed in general about the community? ď Ž What types of activities have residents noticed? Which activities are positive, which are negative? ď Ž What can be said about activities of concern? Where, when (what time of day or week)?
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Community Assessments (continued)
Conduct a survey of residents. • Ask about their observations of the neighborhood. • Ask about their concerns and things they want to see happen. Have responses sent anonymously to one person who will compile the responses. Report on the responses at the next meeting. Identify those actions for which solutions are apparent and those that need investigating. Be sure someone takes notes. 14
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Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design ď Ž
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Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) is a way of looking at changing the environment to increase prevention factors and decrease crime problems.
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CPTED Principles CPTED
• • • • • • 16
seeks to strengthen
Natural surveillance Access management Territoriality Physical maintenance Order maintenance Activity support National Crime Prevention Council
Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (continued)
Local law enforcement agencies frequently have officers on staff who have been trained in CPTED principles. Seek the help of such an officer to coordinate a neighborhood review. CPTED seeks to identify problems and strengths by asking questions such as • Does this make me feel safe/unsafe? Does it look like someone cares about this space? • What make me feel safer in this space? What would tell me that someone is taking care of it?
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Safe or Unsafe: Residential Street
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Safe or Unsafe: Open Space
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Strategies To Keep Your Neighborhood Watch Strong
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A Lasting Neighborhood Watch
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ď Ž
Often communities start Neighborhood Watches because of a dramatic crime or increase in crime. When the problem subsides or is forgotten, the program loses momentum.
ď Ž
Adopt a long-term attitude from the start—your aims are to empower people to prevent crime, to forge bonds among residents and law enforcement, and to build a base for broader community improvement.
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Example of Neighborhood Watch That Works Closely With the Sheriff’s Department Hinds County, MS, has 240 Neighborhood Watches in six towns within its 875 square miles and each must meet specific requirements set forth by the Sheriff’s Department. 22
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A Lasting Neighborhood Watch (continued)
Spell out the roles of the group. Consider forming a formal association with bylaws and officers. Decentralize planning and work. Establish committees and delegate tasks. Keep all members informed via a mix of personal contact and newsletters. Plan for and train new leaders. 23
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A Lasting Neighborhood Watch (continued)
Strike a balance between work and fun. Address problems but also have fun as neighbors. Involve the entire community. Organize meetings that focus on current issues pertaining to children, youth, adults, seniors, and public and private property. 24
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A Lasting Neighborhood Watch (continued)
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ď Ž
Consider organizing citizen patrols to walk or drive around and alert police to crime and suspicious activity. Talk to local law enforcement about how patrols could work in your area.
ď Ž
If you do implement patrols, share patrol duties and consult regularly with law enforcement, who should help train patrols. National Crime Prevention Council
Examples of Citizen Patrol Groups
The San Antonio, TX, Cellular on Patrol Program engages more than 600 trained volunteers who report possible crimes to police. Baltimore County, MD, has more than 115 Citizens on Patrol groups—trained individuals who patrol by car in their neighborhoods and report concerns or crimes to the police. 26
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Examples of Citizen Patrol Groups (continued)
The McGruff® Truck Program, in which drivers call for help on behalf of children in distress, is another adaptation of mobilizing the “watch out for each other” concept. Lost children have been returned to their parents; others have been saved from closed and overheated cars or even rescued from abusive situations, thanks to these trained and vetted drivers of more than 16,000 corporate and municipal trucks in 24 states. 27
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A Lasting Neighborhood Watch (continued)
Don’t forget to hold social events that give neighbors a chance to know each other—a block party, potluck dinner, volleyball or softball game, or a picnic. Thank people publicly for their hard work. Share data (formal or informal) that show Neighborhood Watch has helped reduce crime and improve safety.
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What Else Can Neighborhood Watch Do?
Adopt a neighborhood park or playground and hold a cleanup. Paint over graffiti in the neighborhood. Work with local building code officials to bring subpar buildings up to code. Help neighbors install deadbolt locks, window locks, smoke alarms, and other safety devices in new and existing homes and in commercial buildings. 29
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What Else Can Neighborhood Watch Do? (continued)
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Work with parents’ groups to start a McGruff® House or similar block parent program to provide safe places for children to go during emergencies.
Publish a newsletter with prevention tips, local crime news, recognition of residents’ achievements, and news of neighborhood and community events. National Crime Prevention Council
Expanding the Scope
Neighborhood Watch can serve communities in many ways beyond preventing crime. It can provide focus for community preparedness, including Community Emergency Response Team training. Strong, organized, cohesive neighborhoods are better equipped to recognize terrorism and handle all sorts of emergency situations.
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Homeland Security Is
Crime Prevention 32
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Overview of Homeland Security
Prevent terrorist attacks within the United States Reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism Minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do occur
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Homeland Security and Neighborhood Watch
Crime prevention is terrorism prevention. Both help to achieve safety and security. Both require action by individuals and neighborhoods. Both help us cope with fear. Both need planning and organization to be effective. 34
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Homeland Security and Neighborhood Watch (continued) Neighborhood Watch groups are excellent platforms for community preparedness. They are already experienced in teaching residents about prevention. They often offer networks of neighborhoods. They are accustomed to training residents in various skills. They are accustomed to communicating regularly among themselves and with others. 35
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Homeland Security and Neighborhood Watch (continued)
Neighborhood Watches can develop neighborhood-level plans for residents to help each other in emergencies; they can keep plans current. The groups provide excellent focal points for developing inventories of neighborhood skills and equipment that might be needed in emergencies. They can tap training for security needs. 36
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An Example The Pasadena, CA, Police Department matched the old concept of Neighborhood Watch with the new idea of security for the recreational vehicles (RVs) at the Tournament of Roses parade. Parade Watch, as it came to be known, provided experienced neighbors to monitor RVs along the parade route and notify police of any suspicious vehicles. 37
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An Example In Stafford County, VA, the sheriff’s office identified sites that might be attractive to terrorists, such as reservoirs, train tracks, and bridges. Neighborhood Watches near the sites were invited to get special training in what to report and how to report it with respect to possible threats to these targets. All residents were offered education on preparedness and mitigation strategies. 38
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The Crime Prevention Framework ď Ž
Crime prevention plays a strategic role in community preparedness. ď Ž Practitioners can help communities apply crime prevention skills to the work of community preparedness. ď Ž A safe nation begins with safe, engaged communities.
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Community Preparedness Much like crime prevention, everyone can have a role in preparing for the unexpected emergency. Individuals or families can prepare by Identifying meeting locations in case of an emergency Developing a family emergency contact list Assembling a disaster supplies kit Taking a course in first aid or CPR 40
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Disaster/Emergency Preparedness ď Ž
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A Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is a neighborhood team (trained by emergency service professionals) who respond to a major disaster when professionals are overwhelmed or delayed and can’t meet immediate needs.
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Disaster/Emergency Preparedness (continued) ď Ž
CERT offers 20 hours of instruction and hands-on training in disaster preparedness, first aid, fire suppression, light search and rescue, disaster psychology, team organization, and terrorism awareness. ď Ž For more information, visit http://training.fema.gov/EMIWEB/CERT.
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Everyone Can Play a Role
Here are some things participants can do. • • • • • • • •
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Be proactive. Get involved. Motivate others to get involved. Involve all members of the community. Translate national needs into community concerns. Train and practice. Accept the challenge. Begin today. National Crime Prevention Council
Questions and Answers
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Resources www.ncpc.org and www.mcgruffstore.org
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Resources From NCPC
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United for a Stronger America: Citizens’ Preparedness Guide, National Crime Prevention Council, 2002
Crime Prevention Can Spur and Support Homeland Security in Neighborhoods and Communities, National Crime Prevention Council, 2003 National Crime Prevention Council
Resources From NCPC Citizens’ Involvement in Homeland Security, National Crime Prevention Council, 2003 Checklists, emergency family planning guides, and information on how to recognize terrorists’ activities can be downloaded from www.ncpc.org.
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Resources National Sheriffs’ Association 1450 Duke Street Alexandria, VA 22314 703-836-7827 www.sheriffs.org www.USAonwatch.org
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Resources (continued) National Association of Town Watch P.O. Box 303 1 Wynnewood Road Wynnewood, PA 19096 610-649-7055 www.nationaltownwatch.org National Night Out—first Tuesday in August
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Resources (continued) Neighborhood
Watch Program by the National Sheriff’s Association www.usaonwatch.org
Citizens
Corps www.citizenscorps.gov
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Resources (continued) ď Ž National
Criminal Justice Reference
Service www.ncjrs.gov ď Ž Volunteers
in Police Service (VIPS) www.policevolunteers.org
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The National Crime Prevention Council 2345 Crystal Drive Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22202 202-466-6272 FAX 202-296-1356 www.ncpc.org
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Presenter Contact Information
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