Neighborhood Watch

Neighborhood crimes are preventable.

It is your job to discourage criminals.

Get involved in Neighborhood Watch!

  

WHAT IS NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH?

It is Neighborhoods organized to be the eyes and ears of the police. Reporting suspicious activities and persons to the sheriff's office as soon as they are observed. Neighborhood Watch is a way citizens can work together to prevent crime.

HOW DOES NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH WORK?

It operates to educate participants in the principles of deterrence, delay, and detection. It depends on a communication network organized with three levels: the residents, block captains and co-captains, and the Crime Prevention Officer. The major issue, however, is that you report suspicious activities to the police.

HOW TO ORGANIZE A NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

    1. Contact the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office expressing your desire to institute the Neighborhood Watch Program in your neighborhood.
    2. Contact your neighbors and see if they want the program.  In order to be a certified Neighborhood Watch Program and qualify for the street signs, you must have 60% participation.  However, if you don't get 60%, you can still qualify for the Neighborhood Watch Program. 
    3. If it is determined that you and your neighbors want the program, the next step is to have the initial meeting with your Neighborhood Watch Group.  At this meeting you are to do the following things:
      1. Select a block captain and a co-captain.
      2. Establish a calling list with the names, addresses and phone numbers of the people who will be participating in your Neighborhood Watch.
      3. Select a time and date, with alternates, and a meeting place where you would have your second Neighborhood Watch meeting. This would be the first meeting with the Neighbors and the Neighborhood Watch Team from the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office Crime Prevention Unit.
    4. Contact the Sheriff's Office Crime Prevention Officer to advise him of the dates you have selected.  From these dates available, the Crime Prevention Officer will schedule that second meeting with the Neighborhood Watch Team and your neighbors. 
    5. Upon completion of the steps above, and meeting with the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office Neighborhood Watch Team, the Neighborhood Watch Program in your neighborhood is now off to a start.  It is the hope of this office that this Neighborhood Team concept will assist us in the reduction or elimination of crime involving households and businesses within the neighborhoods, and in general will put your neighborhood on the road back to a more secure community.

WHEN TO CALL THE POLICE

No sheriff's office can function effectively without the assistance of responsible citizens. Some people fail to call the police simply because they are not aware of what seemingly innocent activities might be suspicious. Others may notice suspicious activity and be hesitant to call for fear of seeming like a "nosy neighbor" or a "crank". Still others take for granted that someone else has already called. Don't worry about being embarrassed if your suspicions prove unfounded. Think instead about what could happen if you don't act!

LET'S KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR EACH OTHER!

Crime Stoppers

Fill out and submit this Neighborhood Watch Form

Volunteer to be a Crime Stopper Board Member!