Elaine

Before you read Part two take note of the simplicity of doing something like this. It does take some time to set up, but the benefits will out weigh the time it takes in a safer neighborhood, neighbors as your friends and the Criminals will go elsewhere.

You have probably driven through a neighbor hood where you have seen a Neighborhood Watch Sign.What this does is created an awareness that your neighbors are on the look out for suspicious persons and activities. This is pretty simple but the benefits go further than you might think. In Part One of this series, I discussed how the two-way radios can be helpful. Now imagine these signs on your street, and a few people making routine patrols in your neighborhood a few times a day with the radios with one home being the base. You can report suspicious persons and activities as you see them, which gives the police a better chance at heading it off at the pass. You might be thinking to yourself, The Police are never there when you need them. That is a common thought, however, how are the police to predict a burglar from breaking into your home? That isn't very practical. However, with cooperation from involved citizens, you can catch people red handed, or prevent the crime from occurring in the first place. And believe me, criminals do not want to test out neighborhoods that aren't safe for them. They will move to other places if you neighborhood had a good reputation on crime prevention.

There are stickers to put on your windows available too, which will most likely be seen by a perpetrator before they attempt to break in. And that will alert them that a neighbor might be watching. In most areas this works, because there is almost always a police officer close by that can be there within just minutes.

Where do you get these items? Many times your local Law Enforcement Center will provide the street signs, training materials, and window decals. These items are not very expensive if you would like to get them for your own neighborhood watch program. Below is a link where you can get these items for a reasonable price. You may also be able to work with your local Law Enforcement Center and they will purchase the items for you, because involved citizens help them To Serve and To Protect.

National Neighborhood Watch Institute

In addition to this I have created a template at my website that is available free of charge for anyone that chooses to use it. The template is a log sheet that you can use to keep track of all suspicious persons and activities reported within your neighborhood watch program. Below is a copy of a log sheet that you can cut and paste and use for free.

Neighborhood Watch Group ______________________________ Log Sheet

Date:__________________What did you notice? ___________________________________________

Description of Persons. _______________________________________________________________

Time of Day. _______________________________________________________________________

Potential Victim. ____________________________________________________________________

Did you get a License Plate? __________ Did you report it to the police? ______________________

Police Report Number. _________________ Did you inform the facilitator of your watch group? ___

Your Name. _______________________ Phone Number: __________________________________

Date:__________________What did you notice? ___________________________________________

Description of Persons. _______________________________________________________________

Time of Day. _______________________________________________________________________

Potential Victim. ____________________________________________________________________

Did you get a License Plate? __________ Did you report it to the police? ______________________

Police Report Number. _________________ Did you inform the facilitator of your watch group? ___

Your Name. _______________________ Phone Number: __________________________________

You may cut and paste this into your word processor and print it. It is free. Or you can make your own to fit the needs of your Neighborhood Watch Program.

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MJB Electronics, http://www.nnwi.org/index.html