Neighborhood Watch
What is Neighborhood Watch?
Neighborhood Watch is a crime prevention program that enlists the active participation of residents in cooperation with law enforcement to reduce crime, solve problems, and improve the quality of life in your area. In it you will get to know and work with your neighbors, and learn how to:
- Recognize and report crimes and suspicious activities
- Protect yourself, your family, and your property,
- Protect your neighbor’s family and property, and
- Identify crime and disorder problems in your area and work with Prescott Police Department personnel to solve them.
Decades ago crime rates across the U.S. increased at an alarming pace. Citizens and law enforcement agencies focused on developing crime prevention programs to help reduce this growing trend. In 1972 The National Sheriff’s Association organized the National Neighborhood Watch Program. This pilot program was funded by the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration of the U.S. Department of Justice and was designed to enlist the participation of citizens with law enforcement to help reduce and prevent crime. Since then Neighborhood Watch has become one of the most effective means of fighting crime in our communities. This is because you and your neighbors are the ones who really know what is going on in your area, most likely to be the first to see a crime and call for help, and are in the best position to: (1) Report code violations, unsafe street conditions, etc. that degrade the quality of life in your area, (2) Take property owners to small claims court to abate nuisances, (3) Keep your block clean and free of graffiti, and (4) Provide a safe environment for your children.
Block Watch
The Block Watch program, also known as Neighborhood Watch, is a program that encourages neighbors watch out for one another. This program promotes an active participation by residents, in partnership with the police, to reduce and improve the quality of life in your neighborhood. Block Watch works best when neighbors work together to identify, deter, and report crimes. We encourage you to be a good witness and refrain from actually intervening in in-progress criminal activity.
The Block Watch program is a basic Neighborhood Watch program confined to 1 or 2 street within a neighborhood. Several times, this is the beginning of a larger neighborhood watch program.
Are you interested in this program? Click on the links below.