Neighborhood Watch Program

Neighborhood Watch is a national program of mutual cooperation among neighbors and police aimed at reducing crime in the community. It also incorporates programs that educate the community in how they, themselves, can help prevent residential crimes in their neighborhoods. Residents are trained to call the police department and report any and all suspicious activity in the area that they observe.

Watch Area

The area that is defined for a Neighborhood Watch group is left to the individual neighborhoods. Some areas are only one block of one street while other areas encompass entire subdivisions or condominium/apartment complexes. When a group decides to form a Neighborhood Watch the neighbors contact the police department after at least 51% of all households have agreed to start a Watch Area.

Chairperson & Meetings

Each active area has at least one person classified as the Chairperson who is responsible for organizing meetings. and relaying information to members, keeping up-to-date on new residents and making an effort to involve the elderly, working parents, and young people.

In accordance with the program guidelines, each active group must meet at least annually with a representative of the police department to discuss guidance and offer help in training residents in home security, crime reporting skills and for information on local crime patterns trends throughout the city in general and the specific watch group area in particular. These meetings are held in informal settings usually at a neighbor’s home or sometimes a block party is held.

Signs

All active Neighborhood Watch groups have a least 2 Neighborhood Watch signs placed at opposing locations indicating to everyone they are entering an active watch area.

Further Information

Free residential security surveys by trained Crime Prevention Officers are also offered to city residents. For further information please contact Community Policing Division’s Sergeant L. Ford via email or at 407-875-2805.

Important Neighborhood Watch Update

Do not approach, follow or make contact with suspicious persons or vehicles.
Do not use the Telephone Chain Card to call neighbors for anything that is not crime prevention related.
Do not share the Telephone Chain Card with anyone who is not part of your Neighborhood Watch Group.

Remember

Neighborhood Watch members serve solely as the extra "eyes and ears" of Law Enforcement. Neighborhood Watch members should report their observations of suspicious activities to Law Enforcement by calling 911. Never take action on those observations. Only trained Law Enforcement should take action.