Review of Our First Community Watch Meeting

We just got back from our apartment complex’s first community watch meeting. Lately there has been some car break ins (including my husband’s car) and we wanted to see what we could do to minimize this happening again. I picked up some helpful tips and thought it would be useful to share what the police officer went over with us. Please be aware this is what was told to us in our city. Please check to see if your city has the same services.

Did you know that some police districts have crime analyst who have records on crime in an area? I wasn’t aware that we had this valuable resource available. You can call crime analyst to get information such as pulling up record of calls and what the nature of the calls were for; each district in our city has one.

Police officers can be a great resource.

I also found out that you should call your local police station about a free home security evaluation. It’s a great opportunity to check out your house from a professional.

Car Break ins and Graffiti issues

With the car break ins we have seen, the officer reminded us to keep valuables out of sight. He also suggested to us to hide belongings before we reached our destination. Some thieves watch parks for example, to see where people place valuables before they get out of their cars. After they pick a group of vehicles and break in the cars quick and then leave. GPS is one of the hottest items being stolen.

Even if it’s just graffiti and you don’t see who did it, police shoud be called in to get a record taken and analyzed.
Community Watch Group Tips

• Best times for community watch weekday nights, as many people will be out of town on weekends.
• He encouraged having food available to get participation. Having more people there is a huge asset and can motivate others to watch out.
• Please get to know your neighbors at the meeting and when you’re at relaxing at home. It goes a long way as people are more likely to call if they see something suspicious.
• Be alert to what’s going on; err on the safe side and call the police.
• You can be anonymous with your 911 calls, just let the dispatcher know when you report. You can also request that the officer call you with his findings. Just be aware that this isn’t a priority and it may take a bit while they get back to you.
• Keep track of details to help officer identify people (what were they wearing, approximate height, etc.)
• When you call  911 please be aware of that the calls are prioritized. Some people gt upset at officers, but they have a protocol to follow.

Home Security Tips

The officer encouraged us to follow the tips given to us in the community watch packet. Some of these seemed like common sense, but they are good reminders.

Please respect hose who protect and serve in your community.

• Always check doors/windows to make they are secure
• Keep outdoor lights on at night!
• Keep tree limbs and hedges from blocking doors and windows.
• If you go out of town, have a neighbor gt your mail or have the Post Office temporarily hold it.
• Secure all outside storage doors when not in use.
• Report suspicious behavior to the police.

What Should You Look Out For With Your Community Watch Group?

• Someone screaming or shouting for help
• Someone looking in windows of houses and cars
• Anyone being forced into vehicles
• Underage children unauthorized people by/in pool
• Misuse of community areas

Do you have a community watch group in your neighborhood? What tips do you have?

Photo Credit: abbynormy and Darin Barry

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