Keys to Neighborhood Watch

The Orlando Police Department's mission is to keep Orlando a safe city by reducing crime and maintaining livable neighborhoods. Preventing crime in our community is a shared responsibility between the police and our residents. The Neighborhood Watch Unit (NWU) has been entrusted with the responsibility of empowering Orlando's residents to keep their neighborhoods safe. Creating safe neighborhoods and conducting crime prevention education is our #1 goal.

 The Objectives of Neighborhood Watch are:

• To prevent crime by improving security, increasing vigilance, and creating and maintaining a caring community in an effort to reduce the opportunities for crime
• To assist the police in detecting crime by promoting effective two-way communication and the prompt reporting of suspicious and criminal activity
• To reduce undue fear of crime by providing accurate information about crime risks, and by promoting a sense of security and community spirit...particularly amongst the more vulnerable members of the community
• To enhance the police/community partnership by providing effective communication through systems such as the Neighborhood Watch Block Captain Program. The Neighborhood Watch Unit communicates with Block Captains via e-mail, fax, phone or mail of local crime trends which they may then disseminate to their Neighborhood Watch members.

The ABC's of Neighborhood Watch

When a group decides to form a Neighborhood Watch, it:

• Contacts the Orlando Police Department Neighborhood Watch Unit for help in training members in home security, reporting skills and for information on local crime patterns
• Selects a Block Captain who is responsible for organizing meetings and relaying information to members
• Recruits members, updates records

What is Suspicious Activity?

• Someone screaming or shouting for help
• Someone looking into windows and parked cars
• Unusual noises
• Property being taken out of houses where no one is at home or a business is closed
• Cars, vans or trucks moving slowly without apparent destination, or without lights
• Anyone being forced into a vehicle
• A stranger sitting in a car or stopping to talk to a child
• Abandoned cars

A suspicious activity is an occurrence that is out of place and should not be happening in your neighborhood. Report these incidents to the police department. Talk about the problem with your neighbors.

Our team formula is:
         Neighborhood Watch + 9-1-1 = Safer Neighborhoods in Orlando!

Block Captains

The continuity and success of the Neighborhood Watch program hinges on the person referred to as the Block Captain. The "Block Captain" is a community member who acts as a liaison between those who work and/or live in a particular area, and the officers assigned to that area. Through the Block Captain, and through Neighborhood Watch meetings, officers pass along crime prevention tips and information to members of the community. This liaison is maintained on an informal basis within the framework of the Neighborhood Watch group.

Organizing and Maintaining

• The defined Neighborhood Watch area must have at least 40% participation
• Two training meetings: at the first meeting, you will learn the dynamics of Neighborhood Watch; the second meeting is about residential security
• Creation of a communication/telephone chain
• The Watch must be able to maintain an accurate list of members' names, addresses, and telephone numbers
• The Watch must be able to activate the communication/telephone chain and reach all members within a designated time period
• The Neighborhood Watch group is required to hold two meetings a year, which must be scheduled through your Neighborhood Watch ambassador. Participation in National Night Out will count as one of the required meetings.

A sure sign of security

How to Get Started

First, concentrate your initial effort by organizing those neighbors with whom you have occasional contact. For example, if your block is mostly single-family dwellings, invite neighbors on both sides of the street and adjacent corners. If you live in an apartment or condominium, include everyone in your building and in the adjacent buildings as space permits.

Secondly, talk to your neighbors and tell them you are starting a Neighborhood Watch and that you need their participation. Enlist the help of another willing neighbor to assist you. Introduce yourselves by going safely door-to-door. We suggest the following tips to encourage the neighbors to participate:

• Tell your neighbors about any recent crime activity in the area. Inquire as to which evenings your neighbors are available. Generally, neighborhood meetings are conducted in the evenings Monday through Thursday.
• Exchange phone numbers. Tell your neighbors that you will notify them when a meeting is scheduled.
• Take this opportunity to get acquainted on a first-name basis. This is vital to the success of your Neighborhood Watch.
• If you need a location for your meeting, ask if neighbors can offer their home to host this or a future meeting. Alternative locations, which can commonly accommodate a meeting, include local schools, places of worship, and libraries.

Lastly, call the Neighborhood Watch Unit at (407) 246-2369 to schedule an available date and time for your first meeting.