INSTRUCTIONS TO ORGANIZE A NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH GROUP
·
As the Neighborhood Watch organizer,
you are the group’s Coordinator. You need to determine if
there is a need and an interest to start a Neighborhood Watch in your area.
·
Do so by going out and meeting
your neighbors. Explain to them your concerns and let them know your intentions
to start a Neighborhood Watch Group.
· You need to talk
to your neighbors about the need for such a group, based on your personal
knowledge of crimes or suspicious activities in your area.
·
If there is an interest, it
is your responsibility to gather contact information (i.e., names, phone
numbers, and email addresses) to create a “phone tree.” Later,
your designated Block Captain will send out updates when people leave, and new
ones move in
·
You are also tasked with
polling your neighbors for information about when they can meet. Find out what
days of the week and times are best for them to meet for a Neighborhood Watch meeting.
·
Meetings are typically
scheduled Monday through Thursday evenings, generally beginning at 6:30 pm.
·
Meetings can be held at a
neighbor’s home, a library, a church, a community hall, or a park.
·
As the Neighborhood Watch Coordinator,
you need to also make sure the meeting location you have
chosen will be able to accommodate everyone.
·
After determining the best location, day, date, and time, that’s when
you need to contact your Sheriff’s Office Neighborhood Watch Representative to be present
at the first meeting to talk about the program and answer questions. Sheriff’s Deputies may attend later
meetings if there are still questions. Block Captains can also contact
the Sheriff’s Office Neighborhood Watch Representative with questions.
·
After the meeting date and
time have been confirmed, as the Neighborhood Watch Coordinator, you need to call
and send out a reminder e-mail to let your neighbors know about the date, day, time,
and location of the meeting.
·
Keep in mind to also make up
a flyer to post to invite anyone who is interested who you may have not
contacted previously.
·
Lastly, ask people to RSVP
so that you will know how many people to expect.
Below is a jpg of an announcement for a Neighborhood Watch Meeting.
Feel free to use it.
More information to come.
Tom Correa
I only wish we could do the whole neighborhood watch thing where I live. But alas, Polk County, Florida, (which is where I live), primarily Winter Haven, believes in calling 911 or something else. Usually when we see a looter or something, we start grabbing our guns because we're not taking any chances. But it DOES help to have a neighborhood watch as long as you can gather up enough of your neighbors who are willing to do it. Form some sort of a committee, so to speak. It doesn't hurt to at least try to get as many signatures as you can. And volunteers are almost never hard to find. Where I live, almost everyone helps out. When we see something, we say something. And if we can't do that, or if even if we don't do that, we do something. I'd rather fight back against the intruder than not. But if you can, it's always best to have a neighborhood watch put together. They serve the community as a form of what I call, "legalized security". So the next time Bubba's house gets robbed, don't be afraid to gather up all your neighbors and form a neighborhood watch. And to all those criminals out there: You Are NOT Welcome Here. Keep Out. This Means You. Y'all have a nice day.
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