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Neighborhood Watch

If you have a neighborhood group who would like to start a crime watch program, please contact Prior Lake Police Officer Maureen O'Hehir at (952) 447-9874.

What is Neighborhood Watch?
Police Departments across the country are learning that community participation in anti-crime programs is essential. One of the most effective ways to promote citizen interaction with police is the sharing of information. Citizen groups determine specific needs or problems and then share this information with local police. The police then act on this information and report back to the group on their progress. This program also works when the police go to public groups and organizations and make them aware of specific criminal activities or the needs of the police department.

			Prior Lake Police phone numbers to remember
			Emergency	911
			Non-emergency	(952) 440-3555
			Crime Prevention Unit	(952) 440-3555

The Neighborhood Watch concept is designed to target specific geographical areas and to assist citizens in these areas to:

• Establish an organizational structure and create an information sharing network.
• Help to introduce neighbors and create social ties that will help them work together.
• Allow police to train citizens on how to be proactive by preventing crime and recognizing and reporting criminal activities.
• Access information and assistance from police and other Government agencies that can help to improve living conditions.
• Provide the community with a strong unified voice to inform community leaders on programs and actions that the "people" support.

Neighborhood watch cannot only be utilized as a strong tool to fight crime, it is also a strong social organization. It can also be utilized to enact other projects such as Community Clean Up, Bus Stop Safety Watch for children and locating and assisting citizens with special needs. Neighborhood Watch is not a vigilante organization! It promotes awareness techniques and reporting crimes not physical confrontation with criminals.

So, how do I start?
The first step is to discuss interest in organizing with neighbors in your area. You should obtain a map and clearly define the boundaries for your watch area. (Start small, less than 50 residences, you can expand as you become more organized.) Distribute a flyer or go door to door and let the people in your area have input on this project.

			Guidelines for Neighborhood Watch as set by the Minnesota Crime Prevention Association 1. To qualify as a Neighborhood Watch Block, at least 50% of the neighbors should actively participate in the program. 2. To qualify as a Neighborhood Watch Block, the block club should meet a minimum of twice a year. An officer or department representative should be at one of the yearly meetings. 3. Operation I.D. participation is required of the Neighborhood Watch Block.

Step two is to begin planning your first neighborhood meeting. Call the Prior Lake Police/Crime Prevention Unit and schedule a date when a Crime Prevention Officer can come to speak to your group about the Neighborhood Watch concept (952-440-3555). After setting the date, select and secure a location, close to your area, to hold the meeting. Local churches and schools are usually very cooperative. Advertising the meeting is very important! Be creative with handouts and personal or phone contacts. Let everyone know when and where the meeting will be held.

The first meeting is basically a social event and an information sharing time. The police officer, who will be speaking to your group, will tell you about Prior Lake, your police department and how Neighborhood Watch can help your community. The primary goal of the first meeting is to gauge the expected participation in the project and to create an understanding for the need for Neighborhood Watch.

After the first meeting you will need to begin by selecting the Block Captain.

The Block Captain
The Block Captain is the primary link in the NHW chain of command. The duties include a wide range of tasks:

1. Primary Contact with the Police Department. The Block Captain passes non-emergency information from the NHW Directly to the Crime Prevention Officer. The Block Captain also receives information from the Crime Prevention Officer and passes it to the NHW Members.
2. Organizes date, time, and location for NHW meetings.
3. Meets with each resident in your assigned area and offer to register them in the NHW. Loans the new member an engraving tool for Operation Identification. (Police provide engraving tools and stickers for members to mark valuables with an assigned number for burglary prevention.
4. Maintain an emergency phone list of all your assigned residents.
5. Be available to pass on information about criminal activities in your area. Activate the phone tree if you receive information from the Crime Prevention Officer of a concern in your area. (The "phone tree" involves calling NHW members and informing them if there is an active incident going on in the area.)
6. Coordinates assistance programs if there are any special needs in their area and may set up social events for their members to become involved in.

The Neighborhood Watch Members
The most important part of a NHW are the members. Being a NHW member is not a hard or time consuming job. It mostly involves becoming aware of activities in your area and taking time to report them.

1. Observe and report any suspicious activities. Report the non-emergency activities to your Block Captain by phone or on a 3x5 card. Emergencies or a crime in progress should be reported to the police (911) and then to the Block Captain.
2. Be willing to serve as an acting Block Captain in the absence of your area Block Captain or to assist the Block Captain with projects in your block.
3. Attend monthly or quarterly meetings of the NHW group.

The Kick Off Day
After the first meeting and when your group has finished the initial organizing, you need to have a day to officially start the NHW. This will be the Kick Off Day. We recommend that you pick a weekend or evening when everyone in the NHW will be invited to a special event such as a block party or a community rally. It never hurts to have food and special events planned. Try to have the meeting outside in or near your NHW area. This will draw attention to your group and will encourage others in the area to want to become a part of your program. You may also wish to invite the media to cover your events. This is a good way to tell the community about your program and how your neighborhood is fighting back against Crime. At the Kick Off event you may want to unveil your NHW street signs. We provide 2 NHW signs and posts (installed by city crews) to active NHW programs. These signs should be placed on private property near the beginning and end of your watch area.

LET'S REVIEW...
Neighborhood Watch organizational schedule.

1. Discuss the need for NHW in your area with your neighbors.
2. Map out the area for your NHW.
3. Contact the Prior Lake Crime Prevention Office to schedule a speaker.
4. Secure a place and time for the first meeting.
5. Advertise the meeting to your NHW area.
6. Have the first meeting.
7. After the meeting select the Block Captain.
8. The Block Captain will decide which form to use to register the members and to select a target date for the Kick Off.
9. Block Captains should make contact and attempt to register every home in your assigned block.
10. Compile a master list of all members.
11. Plan the Kick Off meeting and invite the members and guests.
12. Advertise the Kick Off day.
13. Have the Big Kick Off.
14. Work with the police to reduce crime!