Winchester Neighborhood Watch Program

06/06/2020

STEP 1. Make contact with your neighbors.

Talk to them about the crime rate in your locality and the idea of starting a neighborhood watch if one does not already exist in your neighborhood. Try to get as many people as possible to partake in the idea as a collective rather than an individual idea. Get feedback and suggestions and make necessary adjustments to the plans, because the success of a neighborhood watch is based on the numbers of participants and commitment/cooperation.

STEP 2. Visit your local Police Department.

Inform them of your group's decision to start a neighborhood watch. Set up a date of meeting with your group. A close partnership between the Police Department and the neighborhood watch is necessary for it to function smoothly. The Police Department would discuss and train the participants on what is required of them as members of the neighborhood watch and also attend to questions to group might have.

STEP 3. Identify the patterns of crime commonly committed.

Within your immediate locale, there are more common crimes than other locations. Work with the local law enforcement adviser and appoint a group head to coordinate and oversee the watch. Draw up a watch roster and an emergency phone number tree to report crime and strange movement and occurrence.

STEP 4. Consider linking with an existing organization.

Look into other formed organizations before forming your own. Such as a Citizens Association, Community Development Office, tenants' Association, or Housing Authority. They may be able to provide an existing infrastructure you can use.

STEP 5. Organize and encourage participants to participate.

Actively train the group members by the local Police Department on the rudiments of playing safe, terrorism awareness, how to respond in times of emergency, and basic crime prevention techniques.

STEP 6. Measure your success.

The success of a neighborhood watch is based on understanding and cooperation between group members and the local law enforcement agency. Maintain enthusiasm among members. Organize a kickoff event to announce the formation of the neighborhood watch and also encourage others to get involved in all ways possible.

STEP 7. Continually recruit.

Organize a door-to-door visit to recruit more members, because certain individuals who hardly leave homes could act as spotters or window watchers who observe and report unusual happenings in the neighborhood.

STEP 8. Light up the area collectively.

Encourage residents in the neighborhood to always turn on their outdoor lights at night to ward off intruders and also help in spotting any individual lurking around in the shadows. Encourage and sponsor cleanups and removals of abandoned vehicles and similar item which can contribute in the committing of a crime.

STEP 9. Treat one another like real neighbors.

To Foster unity and keep up enthusiasm among the watch members, set up regular meetings so residents get to know each other. These meetings serve as an avenue to deliberate upon strategies and activities that are of benefit to the watch.

STEP 10. You are crime spotters, not stoppers!

Neighborhood Watches are not vigilante organizations. When suspecting criminal activities, encourage members to contact authorities and not to intervene.

Conclusion

By following these 10 steps, you and your neighbors can gain valuable peace of mind. It is a great feeling to know others have your back and are watching out for you. Getting crime deterrents like security signs and decals can aldo be important. Formkng a Facebook Neighborhood Watch page to let each other know what is going is another common practice. Finally, don't delay it! Be the one who takes charge and form a local Neighborhood Watch Program today.

06/06/2020

Neighborhood Crime Prevention: A Joint Responsibility

The prevention of crime -- particularly crime involving residential neighborhood -- is a responsibility that must be shared equally by law enforcement and private citizens. The fact is, the impact on crime prevention by law enforcement alone is minimal when compared with the power of private citizens working with law enforcement and with each other. NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH is based on this concept of cooperation, and Nationwide statistics prove that it works. When citizens take positive steps to secure their own property and neighbors learn how to report suspicious activity around their homes, burglary and related offenses decreased dramatically.

Posting Neighborhood Watch signs on your street and labels or decals in your windows tells a criminal that:

1. You are not an easy target.
2. They are probably being watched.
3. You have taken the steps necessary to deter crime in your neighborhood.

When a member of a Neighborhood Watch sees a suspicious person or vehicle, or a crime in progress, they call the police to report it.

You should NEVER attempt to apprehend a suspect. This is the law enforcement officer's job.

06/06/2020

TELEPHONE DIRECTORY

●EMERGENCY......................9-1-1

●NON-EMERGENCY..........584-1301 or 584-1721

Police Department Office..................584-6891

Wi******er Police Department internet web page
www.winchester-in.gov/police

WATCH GROUPS

■ Are extra 👀 and 👂 for reporting crime and suspicious behavior to Law Enforcement.

*****It's one of the most effective and least costly ways to prevent crime.*****

06/05/2020

Benefits of a Neighborhood Watch Program.
The eight most important benefits of being involved in your own Neighborhood Watch program are:

1. Neighborhood policing by you and your neighbors, together with your own Police or Sheriff, creates a greater sense of security, well-being, and reduction of fear or crime because you know you and your neighbors will "LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER."

2. Reduce the risk of being a crime victim.

3. The Neighborhood Watch Program trains you how to observe and report suspicious activities occurring in your neighborhood.

4. Knowing your neighbors is an important feature and benefit of this program...."WE LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER."

5. You have greater access to criminal activity information.

6. Participants get on-going training in how to protect themselves.

7. Posting Neighborhood Watch signs on your street and labels or decals in your windows cuz it criminal that (a) you are not an easy target, (b) they are probably being watched and (c) you have taken the steps necessary to deter crime in your neighborhood.

8. Address issues of mutual interest by getting together with your neighbors on a regular basis (monthly, quarterly, or whatever you wish)

06/05/2020

Is your neighborhood vulnerable?
Crime feeds on apathy. If people simply "mind their own business," their entire neighborhood is vulnerable. Is your neighborhood vulnerable? Take the following test to help determine if you need a Neighborhood Watch Program.

1. Do you know all your neighbors?

2. Do you watch your neighbors' house when they are away?

3. Do your neighbors watch your home when you are away?

4. Do you and your neighbors work together on neighborhood problems?

5. If you hear or see something suspicious do you call the police?

6. Is your active involvement in your neighborhood and Community important?

7. Do you talk to the youth in your neighborhood?

8. When you see youngsters misbehaving, do you correct them?

9. Do you accept complaints about your children?

10. Do you know what is going on in your neighborhood?

● The security of the community and its citizens depends upon the people themselves.

● You and your neighbors are the ones who really know what is going on in your neighborhood.

● No Police Department can effectively protect life and property without the support and cooperation of the citizens it serves. They need your eyes and ears.

● Every citizen should be a Neighborhood Watch member.... A concerned, public-spirited person who watches their neighborhood and reports criminal activity to their local law enforcement agency.

06/05/2020

You can now follow us on Instagram!!

Username: wcneighborhoodwatchprogram

06/04/2020

What kind of activities should I be on the lookout for as a Neighborhood Watch member?

● Someone screaming or shouting for help.

● Someone looking in the windows of houses and parked cars.

● Property being taken out of houses where no one is at home or from closed businesses.

● Cars, vans or trucks moving slowly with no apparent destination or without lights.

● A stranger sitting in a car or stopping to talk to a child.

Report these incidents to the Police or Sheriff's Department. Talk about concerns and problems with your neighbors.

How should I report these incidents?

● Call 911 or your local emergency number. 765-584-1721 is our non-emergency line.

● Give your name and address.

● Explain what happened.

● Briefly describe the suspect: s*x and race, age, height, weight, hair color, clothing, distinctive characteristics such as a beard, mustache, scars, or accent.

● Describe the vehicle if one was involved: color, make, model, year, license plate, and special features such as stickers or damage to the vehicle.

06/04/2020

Thank you all for being so patient with us this week. I have been working on rounding up material I have acquired in the past 9-10 months and transferring it onto this page so we can share with every one. I have been debating on what to bring up first but i've decided on, Neighborhood Watch Do's & Don'ts. This is material I have directly acquired through W.P.D. and I will be sharing more throughout today and tomorrow.

Do:

● Report suspicious activity immediately to the Police, not the Neighborhood Watch Coordinator or Block Captain's.

● Report all crimes to the Police.

● Learn what's normal in your neighborhood.

● Take a pro-active stance against crime.

● Encourage others to participate in Neighborhood Watch, invite new residents to join Neighborhood Watch.

● Attend Neighborhood Watch meetings. **(Meetings are currently still on hold for the time being. Once we are able to start scheduling meetings again you all will be notified on this page immediately!!)

● Obtain full descriptions and license plate numbers of suspicious people and their vehicles and report immediately to the Police.

● Participate in operation identification.

Don't:

■ Don't take the law into your own hands.

■ Don't approach suspicious people. You should never attempt to apprehend a suspect.

■ Don't stop criminals committing crimes.

■ Don't pull over cars on patrol or any time.

■ Don't take unnecessary risks to obtain information on suspicious people or crimes.

■ Don't hesitate to call Police.

05/29/2020

We hit the 500 Followers milestone the other night and just moments ago we hit 500 Likes!!...Now with that being said, how can we help you? What are some things you think we could do better? Constructive criticism is always welcome, remaining respectful of course, because things are always changing. Any thing you've found out that works feel free to share. We are always looking for new ways to help one another.

05/29/2020

05/28/2020

We have reached 500 followers on this page!! Thank you to everyone that has stepped up in our Community to make this possible!! You are great and we appreciate your hard work!! Continue looking out for one another and reporting suspicious activity to the non-emergency line at 765-584-1721 and always dial 911 for an emergency!!