A well-run community watch program in your neighborhood can be far more effective than any police force in both stopping crime and maintaining privacy. Uniting a community under a common goal can turn neighbors into friends, making the area warmer and safer for everyone. Such a coalition can, however, test the line between healthy vigilance and improper suspicion of neighbors to the point of disregarding a sense of privacy. If you're concerned, organize a neighborhood watch program that protects the neighborhood without encroaching on anyone's privacy.
Instructions
Organize a Community Watch Program
1. Visit the official Neighborhood Watch website (see Resources) to get ideas for organize your own neighborhood's program.
2. Contact local law enforcement to register your community watch program and to set a meeting with a police or sheriff representative.
3. Discuss the concerns specific to your community at your meetings. Select an overall coordinator (and several neighborhood-specific chairs, if applicable) and establish a phone tree, along with a plan of action in case of incident.
4. Remain tenacious. Hold regular meetings and maintain training, focusing on new recruitment whenever possible.
5. Invite your neighbors to a meeting about crime problems and see if there is sufficient interest in organizing a watch.
Maintain Privacy in Your Neighborhood With a Community Watch Program
6. Make your goals of both safety and privacy known as soon as possible. Bring them up in local meetings and discuss them with the police liaison. A community watch program itself can turn into a type of privacy violation. Identify boundaries in clear terms, and explain exactly what you feel would be a violation of your privacy, thereby avoiding misunderstanding.
7. Put forth a concerted effort to incorporate privacy maintenance into your training. Learn to identify and confront suspicious people and behavior.
8. Inform neighbors if you are going to host a party or event so good-natured suspicion does not lead to a visit from the police.
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