Neighborhood Watch

For those who are new, here's some helpful information:
While some folks belong to both, the Neighborhood Watch [NHW] is actually a separate entity apart from the SHNA. A couple ways it differs:

1. NHW has a more limited focus - reducing crime and crime prevention.
2. NHW follows an organizational guideline, more fully described here.

For information on the next NHW meeting, or how to get involved, please email Chuck.

Latest Crime Map & Statistics

Keeping It Safe

  by Judy Hoskins
It's been awhile since the days when Dads went off to work while Moms stayed home, neighbors knew all each others' kids, front porches were for visiting, back fences were for exchanging gossip. These days many of us hardly know any of our neighbors, and have very little time to chat with the ones we do. One side effect of our busy lifestyle is that it's become easier for local crime to flourish.

The neighborhood watch program is one way to make our community more "crime resistant". It may take a little change in habits but we've seen that the results are worth it. What does it take?

Get to know your immediate neighbors. As the police officer explained at our first meeting, this doesn't mean you have to start having each other over for dinner! It's simply introducing yourself, explaining your interest in making the neighborhood safer by participating with the NHW, offering to keep an eye on each other's property when absent, and exchanging phone numbers in case problems arise. Just briefly meeting all your immediate neighbors this way can improve things quite a bit! In NHW jargon, taking the initiative to do this is called being a "block captain", with the 10 houses nearest to your house becoming your "block".

Report suspicious stuff. By getting more familiar with the residents of your "block" you can more easily identify a stranger there. Not all strangers are criminals, of course, but certain activities could alert you to the possibility. Some things to consider reporting are:

  • Unfamiliar persons walking casually through the neighborhood looking into automobiles, backyards, etc.
  • A person running, especially if carrying something of value.
  • Lots of human traffic to and from a certain residence (if it occurs on a daily or very regular basis; especially during late or unusual hours, it could possibly be the scene of vice activities or a fence operation).
  • An unfamiliar person taking a shortcut through a backyard (may have just broken into your neighbor's home).
  • Any vehicle moving slowly and without lights or following a course that appears aimless or repetitive in any location (particularly in areas of schools, parks and playgrounds. Occupants may be looking for places to rob or burglarize, or they could be drug pushers or sex offenders).
  • Parked, occupied vehicles containing one or more persons (if it is an unusual hour they could be lookouts for a burglary in progress, even if the occupants appear to be legitimate).
  • Apparent business transactions conducted from a vehicle (it could mean a possible drug sale).
  • An abandoned vehicle parked on your block (may be a stolen car).

While some, if not all, of the suspicious situations described above could have innocent explanations, law enforcement departments would rather investigate a crime-prone situation than be called when it's too late.

Information Most Helpful

Description of Persons: (Include clothing). When describing suspects, try to notice age, race, sex, height and weight. Compare your own weight and height with the suspect's. Pick out some unique characteristics (scars, nose, jewelry, etc.) that will help you identify the suspect in the future if need be.

Description of Vehicle: License number, 2-door or 4-door, make, model, color, any noticeable damage and direction of travel.

Numbers to Call

For immediate police assistance (to report gun shots, screaming, dangerous situation), dial 911. When the responding officer arrives, make sure you get a little card with the "Complaint Number" on it, to follow up with. If you'd rather not have the officer come talk with you at the time, you can call and make an "anonymous" report -- be sure to state that you want the call to be "anonymous" at the beginning of your call.

For non-urgent reports (i.e. abandoned vehicle, suspicious person looking in automobiles, etc.), dial 862-8600.

Finally, let your Neighborhood Watch Director know what you've reported (email or call Judy at 297-4858). That way I can help follow up, if necessary, or sometimes supply additional related info to the police.