Neighbourhood Watch
What the Neighbourhood Watch is?
Neighbourhood Watch is one of the most popular and successful crime prevention schemes and is built on the simple idea that by getting together with your neighbours, you can take positive action to help cut local crime.
It gives people the opportunity to work in partnership with their neighbours, the police ant other agencies and make a real difference to their community.
The schemes can be large or small bringing together whole estates or a few houses. Whatever the size, they all share the same objectives:
- cut crime and the opportunities for crime
- help and reassure those who live in the area
- encourage neighbourliness and bring communities together
As well as looking out for their neighbours, Neighbourhood Watch members can take proactive steps to reduce levels of crime in the area and help reduce the opportunities for criminals to operate. They can also help provide the community with simple crime prevention advice.
Neighbourhood Watch schemes are generally led by volunteer co-ordinator whose job it is to get members of the community working together and ensure that objectives are achieved. As well as a co-ordinator, most schemes also have a committee who meet regularly to plan which problems to target and what action to take.
What Does Neighbourhood Watch Involve?
- Individual Street Schemes are run by their members through a "Street Co-ordinator" supported by neighbours called "Contact Persons". The number of Contact Persons depends upon the number of residents in the Street Scheme.
- Street Schemes vary in size from just a few properties to a maximum of 25 - 30 households.
- The Street Scheme Co-ordinator is a willing volunteer who resides in the street and liaises with residents, Police and Town Council and acts as the "Voice" of that local community.
- All residents who wish to become members of Neighbourhood Watch are encouraged to take all reasonable steps to safeguard their property, prevent crime, improve safety and help reduce the fear of crime by acting together as "GOOD NEIGHBOURS".
- Scheme members recieve information and messages from the Police and Town Council via their co-ordinator. This communication helps to link them with other Neighbourhood Watch Schemes, local, area and National Neighbourhood Watch Support Groups in order to keep the community spirit alive and Street Schemes active.
- Each Street Scheme is a community initiative, which is owned by the community but supported by the Town Council and Police but not run by them. Success of any Street Scheme depends upon how much members are prepared to put into it. Neighbourhood Watch gives the residents the chance to get to know and help each other better, particularly the more vulnerable - both young and old.
Advantages of Joining a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme
There are many benefits to setting up or joining a Neighbourhood Watch scheme including:
- bringing communities together with everyone sharing a common goal
- helping you feel secure knowing that your neighbours are keeping an eye on your property
- helping you become more familiar with crime prevention ideas that help keep your home and belongings safe
- possible premium discounts from your insurance company
- receive regular updated local crime information and trends
- "TOWN WATCHERS MEETINGS" - Establish links with other Neighbourhood Watch Schemes in Braunstone Town and Thorpe Astley
- Community Forums and Police Joint Action Group
- Neighbourhood Watch suppert from the Civic Centre Team and the Crime Reduction Co-ordinator.
By Acting Together
* Neighbours have respect and consideration for each other thus reducing the possibility of conflict
* Are able to resolve problems and issues within the community such as supporting the most vulnerable (the young and old) to prevent them becoming victims of crime plus (families under stress) to help them avoid getting into trouble.
* Discourage vandalism, preventing 'outsiders' from spoiling YOUR area, together with creating safe areas for children to play and encouraging teenagers to keep out of trouble.