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Neighborhood/Business
Watch Program
Last updated 2/18/2008
The primary goal
of Neighborhood Watch is to encourage awareness of who lives
in a given neighborhood, where they can be reached in case
of an emergency, what to do if confronted with an emergency,
and how to reduce the chances of crime occurring in the
neighborhood. Neighbors working together through this
program can combat crime in their area in the most effective
way-before it starts.
OBJECTIVES
OF NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH:
- Maintain a
cooperative system of surveillance over property,
children, playgrounds, etc.
- Report all suspicious
activity, persons, or crimes in progress to the
police accurately and immediately. St. Bernard citizens
are urged to call 242-2727 or call on our anonymous
crime tip line at 860-7233.
- Provide a means of
distributing information to the community relative
to self-protection and criminal awareness.
- Assist victims of
crime and be supportive to their problems, loss, or
injuries. Help them to re-adjust to a normal way of
life.
- Encourage citizens to
come forward as witnesses. Insist on criminal
prosecution.
- Help senior citizens,
disabled citizens, and children to protect
themselves against criminal victimization.
- Help your neighbor,
and be concerned. Call the police department to
report any suspicious persons/activity in your
neighborhood.
For
Neighborhood Watch program to be effective, every resident
on the block should be a member. If you don't know the
people living in your neighborhood, how can you possibly
know a stranger or suspicious person who does not belong
there? Getting to know your neighbors is important to making
the program work for you. You will meet your neighbors at
the meetings and you can share valuable resources, knowledge
and concerns that focus on your neighborhood. You can also
put an end to rumors following around the neighborhoods when
the officer addresses all of your concerns.
NEIGHBORHOOD
WATCH - REDUCING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CRIME TO BE COMMITTED
Most
residential crimes occur because the opportunity to commit
them existed. You cannot take away the criminals desire or
ability to commit a crime, but you can take away the
opportunity to commit the crime.
To create an
effective crime control strategy, one must start with
watchful neighbors, use adequate lighting, and secure their
homes. Crime prevention is the most logical and economical
approach to controlling crime in a community.
In starting
a Neighborhood Watch, you have made the first step in
reducing crime in your neighborhood by educating yourself,
your family, neighbors, and friends on ways to keep from
becoming an easy victim of crime. We welcome you to join
into the St. Bernard Police Department's Neighborhood Watch
program! Remember it's your program as well!
For more
information or assistance please call the Crime Prevention
Officer at 242-2727, we will be happy
to assist you in making your Neighborhood Watch program a
huge success.
For
information in your area, call your local police department
and see what programs and services that they have to offer.
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