NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

Neighborhood Watch is one of the most effective and least costly ways to prevent crime.  Neighborhood Watch fights the isolation that crime both creates and feeds upon.  It forges bonds among area residents, helps reduce burglaries and robberies and improves relations between law enforcement and the communities they serve. 

Neighborhood Crimes are Preventable

It is everyone’s job to discourage criminals.

WHAT IS NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH?

Neighborhood Watch is an organized group of neighbors that are the eyes and ears for the Sheriff’s Department.  Neighbors come together to discuss community crime prevention issues and learn how to report suspicious activities and persons to the Sheriff’s Department in a timely manner.  Neighborhood Watch is a great way for citizens to work together to prevent crime.

HOW DOES NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH WORK? 

Neighborhood Watch operates to educate in the principles of deterrence, delay and detection.  It depends on a communication network organized of three levels:  the residents, block captains and the Sheriff Crime Prevention Officer.  The major objective, however, is to have residents report suspicious activities to the Sheriff’s Department.

HOW TO ORGANIZE A NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

Contact the Yolo County Sheriff’s Department expressing your desire to institute the Neighborhood Watch Program in your neighborhood. 

Contact your neighbors and see who is interested in the program.

If it is determined that you and your neighbors want the program, the next step is to have the initial meeting with your Neighborhood Watch group and Sheriff’s Department Crime Prevention Officer.  At this meeting you will need to accomplish the following things:

a.    Select a block captain and co-captain.

b.   Establish a calling list with the names, addresses and phone numbers of the neighbors who will be participating in the Watch Group.

c.    Select a date, time and place for your second neighborhood Watch meeting.

• Upon completion of the steps above your Neighborhood Watch will be off to a start.  Of course it will take a community effort to keep the meetings going and keeping all of your neighbors involved on a regular basis.  It is the hope of the Sheriff’s Department that this Neighborhood Team concept will assist us in the reduction or elimination of crime involving household and businesses within your neighborhoods and in general will put your neighborhood on the road back to a more secure community.

WHEN TO CALL THE POLICE

No law enforcement agency can function effectively without the assistance of responsible citizens.  Some people fail to call the Sheriff’s Department simply because they are not aware of what seemingly innocent activities might be suspicious.  Others may notice suspicious activities and be hesitant to call for fear of seeming like a “nosy neighbor”.  Still others take for granted that someone else has already called.  Don’t worry about being embarrassed if your suspicions prove unfounded.  Think instead about what could happen if you don’t act!  So take the time and call the Sheriff’s Department any time you see suspicious activity of any type going on in your community. 

LET’S KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR EACH OTHER!

 For Local information on Neighborhood Watch Programs Please Contact:

Sheriff’s Operation Technician Jennifer Mott at 530-668-5298 or

By email at Jennifer.Mott@yolocounty.org

Below are some web sites where you can obtain additional information on National Neighborhood Watch Programs. 

USA on Watch at www.usaonwatch.org

National Crime Prevention Council at www.ncpc.org