Crime Reduction - Helping to Reduce Crime in Your Arrea
Running a scheme
Anybody in a neighbourhood, however large or small can set up a scheme. The first step is to speak to your neighbours and find out if they are interested in starting a scheme. The more residents there are who want to get involved, the more successful a scheme will be. But not everyone in a street or neighbourhood needs to join a scheme for it to work. It will work as long as there are enough residents to keep an eye out for each other's properties and to liaise with the police.
If you and your neighbours want to start a scheme, you should decide how it is going to be organised. You may want to consider the following:
- Who will co-ordinate the scheme?
- Do you need a deputy co-ordinator?
- Do you need to set up a small committee?
- Do you need to appoint a treasurer?
- How will fund the scheme (e.g. joining fees, grants etc)?
- How will you cover the costs of running the scheme (e.g. newsletters, meetings)?
- How will you communicate with members (e.g. email, telephone or a communication system)
- Will you produce newsletters? If so, how often and who will draft them?
- How often will you meet and where?
- Do you need to register as a charity? (See Charities Commission)
The next step is to contact your Watch Liaison Officer at your local police station. This is not necessarily a police officer, but can be someone employed by the police in this role. The closer the links with the police, the more effective a scheme will be. Your Neighbourhuood Policing Team might be a good starting point.
The Watch Liaison Officer can advise you on the local crime picture, on personal safety and property security, and local initiatives. It is also useful to establish a contact with whom you can report suspicious characters and incidents.
Some Watch Liaison Officers will attend scheme meetings and participate in other activities such as home security surveys. The scheme is community-led which is supported by the police, not run by them, so success of the scheme relies on all volunteers to make it work.
Am I in a Neighbourhood Watch scheme?
The Home Office does not keep a register of all Neighbourhood Watch schemes. In order to find out if there is a scheme where you live you should contact your local police. Many police force websites also include information about Neighbourhood Watch and may have details of the Watch Liaison Officers.
Roles of Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinators
The roles of a Watch co-ordinator is to set up and maintain a scheme within a specific neighbourhood, and works closely with committee members and the Watch Liaison Officer. Whilst each co-ordinator may develop specific ways to run the scheme, the following are suggested as some of the duties a co-ordinator might underatke:
- Write and distribute newsletters
- Hold or host meetings
- Welcome new residents to the neighbourhood
- Publicise the scheme
- Encourage members to be vigilant and report suspicious characters or incidents to the police.
- Receive crime information from the police and cascade it to members.
- Encourage members to put crime prevention measures into practice, such as home security.
- Keep a check on vulnerable residents and provide advice to members about dealing with callers at the door.