cityofboston.gov - Official Web Site of the City of Boston - Thomas M. Menino, Mayor

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Neighborhood Crime Watch

The Neighborhood Crime Watch Unit is committed to continuing to assist in implementing Neighborhood Policing, an initiative which builds in part on the strengths of the Neighborhood Crime Watch Program. The program's constituency has developed successful crime prevention strategies in neighborhoods and crime watch members are active participants in the development and implementation of Neighborhood Policing in Boston. The Neighborhood Crime Watch Unit often acts as a liaison between the community and the police, frequently helping to develop a conduit for neighborhood feedback and intelligence to the district.

Mission

To Deter Crime and Reduce Fear.

Our mission is to develop and maintain crime watch groups in every neighborhood in Boston; to provide these groups with the necessary skills and tools to act as organized, empowered groups that work with the police to deter crime and reduce fear; to aid groups in networking with nearby or affiliated groups; and to provide guidance and support in developing community impact on the courts.

Neighborhood Crime Watch Basics

The first thing any Boston resident who wants to start a crime watch will do is to ask one of our coordinators to a meeting of neighbors. Usually this meeting is held in a home and we provide the host with meeting notices to distribute to neighbors. At the first few meetings we help the group to:

Get to know and feel comfortable with one another
Identify the specific crime issues currently affecting the neighborhood
Establish a telephone network among neighbors.
Learn to rely on one another when traveling to and from their homes, and to respond effectively to a signal for help
Establish procedures for contacting police regarding incidents and how to follow up on them
Take control of street lighting, trash, shrub-trimming and other maintenance issues
Adopt basic home security measures
Learn the skills and attitudes to operate as an organized and empowered crime watch group.

Once the basics are established a group has the tools to be an effective crime watch. Residents usually tailor these skills to meet the specific needs of their street. By monitoring crime incidents residents will know when and where to be especially vigilant. While an effective crime watch will not completely eliminate crime, it will surely deter crime and reduce fear. A strong crime watch neighborhood is one that is very hard for a criminal to pass through undetected. Neighbors who are trained to react make their street inhospitable to someone intent on committing a crime.