“One for all, and all for one.”

 

You must have heard this motto before. Do you know what it signifies? An unbelievable amount of unity. An unbreakable bond. An everlasting friendship. In simple words, it means that you’ve got each other’s back through thick and thin. This is the sort of attitude which should be promoted in a neighborhood. Everyone should stand together to protect the neighborhood.

 

One way of protecting the community and preventing all house-related crimes is by starting a neighborhood watch program. What is it exactly? An organized group of concerned citizens, devoted to keeping an eye on the community, and reporting potential criminal activities to the authorities. It’s like giving an extra hand to the police, which, despite their efforts, can’t cover every part of every neighborhood.

 

Do you want to set up such a watch in YOUR society? Then follow the checklist below!

Consultation

The first step in fulfilling an idea is by talking about it, and talking profusely. For example, if you want to start a cake company, you would plan with your partners first. If you get into it all on your own, you won’t get the support you will eventually need. Similarly, if you want to start a neighborhood watch program, you need to gather up the community members and propose your idea first. Talk about it, lay out its merits, and try to convince them.

Recruitment

If you lay out your idea wisely, then there will always be interested people. It’s like during election campaigns, when a candidate openly address the crowd and propose ideas right from the heart. People who are touched end up voting for that candidate. In the same way, once you discuss the idea of a neighborhood watch program and stress the importance of societal security, concerned people will want to volunteer. So set up a system of recruitment, affix the ground rules to be followed, and you’ll be good to go.

Orientation

When girl scouts are told to sell cookies, they meet with the supervisors so they can learn the best ways to sell them. They’re trained before heading out into the world. Similarly, when a group of volunteers has been organized, the next step should be orientation. Why? Because they’re novices, and need expert guidance to give them a comprehensive view of the job to be done. So call in law enforcement. Bring a professional to your meeting, and have them teach you the basics of criminal behavior, and how to confront it in various scenarios. Teach everyone how to be vigilant and how to communicate with both each other and the authorities.

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So the neighborhood watch group has been finalized, the orientation is done, and the gear is in place. Make it official by coming up with creative, eye-catching logos. Send out flyers all over the neighborhood, with your toll-free hotline number in bold, and followed by a call-to-action. Talk to people in the community. Go from door to door, and spread the word like wildfire. Let people know that they can trust you, and that you’ve got their back. Make an online portal which only community members can access, so they can share their suspicions and recommendations. Involve everyone and let them participate!

Execution

It’s time for action! Set up weekly--or at least regularly scheduled--meetings. Survey the whole area, identify the weak spots, and figure out how to address them. Review the crime patterns of the past so you can predict what’s to come. Set up surveillance all over the place, using the Vivint camera and motion detection technology, and keep an eye on the live feed. Appoint people to patrol the neighborhood.

 

With these tips, you can set up an amazing neighborhood watch program in your community. No one’s going to slip from YOUR grasp! Criminals will have to think twice before heading your way now!