NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

A Community Approach to Crime Prevention

The Community in Partnership with the Police

Neighborhood Watch works to educate the participants in the principles of deterrence, delay and detection. The program depends on a communication network organized with three levels of participants:

• The residents Block Captains and Coordinates

• A local law enforcement representative.

• The police are partners in enforcement using information from this network to prevent crime.

How to Develop a Program
Visit your neighbors and tell them you are interested in discouraging crime in your neighborhood. Ask for their help in working toward this goal. Organize a neighborhood meeting. Contact your local police representative to address the group and answer their questions. 

The Charleston Police Department requires a majority of the people in a neighborhood to participate in the program in order to qualify as a Neighborhood Watch.

If the group decides to organize a Neighborhood Watch, block captains and coordinates should be selected.

Block captains should prepare a watch or zone map, listing names, addresses, telephone numbers, license plate numbers and vehicle descriptions for each residence on their block. Copies should be distributed to each participating household.

The Charleston Police Department has crime prevention officers available to perform security surveys on each residence in the program. Once the police department's requirements are met Neighborhood Watch signs may be erected by the City at selected locations.

For more information about starting a Neighborhood Watch Program in your neighborhood, contact the Community Services Division at 304-348-6411.