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Home > Action Tips: Start a Neighborhood Watch

Action Tips: Start a Neighborhood Watch

Suburb street

A neighborhood watch is a free and helpful way to reduce violence, bullying, and crime in an area.

Starting up

  • Go talk to your neighbors and local businesses to see who is interested.
  • If they say yes, collect phone numbers and emails.

Host a meeting

Discuss the expectations that everyone has at all times.

  • Provide the non-emergency number for police. Some communities you can dial 311, others you must directly call the station. In emergencies, dial 911.
  • Decide what things prompt participants to call the police or other neighbors. Write them down.
  • Set a date for the next meeting for updates.
  • Be sure to email everyone a summary of what happened at the meeting no more than 24 hours afterwards.

Contact the police

  • Call that non-emergency number and tell them about your neighborhood watch.
  • Invite a police officer to speak and offer advice at your next meeting.

Keep it going

  • Make sure you have those regular meetings.
  • Expand to include other services such as a housesitting program.
Time: 
One Semester [2]
One Summer [3]
One Year [4]
Where: 
In Your City [5]
In Your Neighborhood [6]
Issues: 
Bullying and Violence [7]
Dating Abuse [8]
Gang Violence [9]
Gun Control [10]
Hate Crimes [11]
School Violence [12]
Sexual Assault [13]
Who: 
Alone [14]
Club [15]
Family [16]
With Your Friends [17]
Source URL: http://www.dosomething.org/actnow/actionguide/action-tips-start-neighborhood-watch

Links:
[1] http://twitter.com/share
[2] http://www.dosomething.org/category/time/one-semester
[3] http://www.dosomething.org/category/time/one-summer
[4] http://www.dosomething.org/category/time/one-year
[5] http://www.dosomething.org/category/where/in-your-city
[6] http://www.dosomething.org/category/where/in-your-neighborhood
[7] http://www.dosomething.org/cause/bullying-and-violence
[8] http://www.dosomething.org/issues/dating-abuse
[9] http://www.dosomething.org/issues/gang-violence
[10] http://www.dosomething.org/issues/gun-control
[11] http://www.dosomething.org/issues/hate-crimes
[12] http://www.dosomething.org/issues/school-violence
[13] http://www.dosomething.org/issues/sexual-assault
[14] http://www.dosomething.org/category/who/alone
[15] http://www.dosomething.org/category/who/club
[16] http://www.dosomething.org/category/who/family
[17] http://www.dosomething.org/category/who/with-your-friends