Throughout the Village, you may see signs indicating a presence of a Neighborhood Watch program. Neighborhood Watch is one of the most effective crime prevention programs a community can embrace, and it doesn’t take much time or effort on the part of residents to start one on your street.
WHAT'S INVOLVED IN NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH
The program relies on a self-organized group of neighbors who share information with each other and with police about what they see going on in their neighborhood. Police also share ideas that homeowners can use to help deter criminals from targeting their neighborhood. The shared knowledge keeps both neighbors and police alert to potential problems, therefore reducing the opportunity for crimes to occur.
Organizing a Neighborhood Watch on your street begins with neighbors getting to know one another and sharing information about what they’ve seen happening. Because it is a grassroots style program, there is no set process in place or requirement for how neighbors communicate or how often. Here are some general steps you can take if you think you might have an interest in establishing a Neighborhood Watch on your street:
1. Contact the Pleasant Prairie Police Department at 694.7353 to let us know that you might have an interest. We will answer any questions you might have about what’s involved.
2. Collect names and contact information from your other neighbors who would like to stay in the loop (address, phone, email address). A Block Captain can use this contact information to share Neighborhood Watch updates.
3. Set a date for a start-up meeting between your neighborhood/street and the Police Department. We’ll send an officer out to talk through some tips you can use to deter crime on your street and to answer questions about Neighborhood Watch and what types of activities to watch for.
4. Choose a Block Captain to keep the program going on your street. Block Captains keep neighbors informed when something unusual is taking place in the neighborhood and touch base with the Police Department.
Because of the grassroots nature of the program, Neighborhood Watch may be different from neighborhood to neighborhood. It may be as casual or organized as you and your neighbors would like. Neighborhood Watch programs simply encourage neighbors to get to know each other, to watch out for each other, and to call the police when something just doesn’t seem right.
The Pleasant Prairie Police Department is seeking residents who are interested starting or reviving a Neighborhood Watch program on your street. If you are interested in helping to start a Neighborhood Watch on your street, please call the Pleasant Prairie Police Department at 694.7353 or email [email protected], and tell us that you’d like to learn more about Neighborhood Watch.