Tyson - Klondike - Mamaroneck - Greenwich Block Watch

Block Watch Manual (pre-1999)

What you need to know ...

Neighborhood Block Watch
Updated May 18, 1999

Neighborhood Block Watch was created to obtain citizen involvement in discouraging and preventing residential crime. The program uses citizen involvement to secure their own homes and personal property and to report any suspicious activity to the police.

Neighborhood Block Watch depends on a communication network organized with three levels of participants - the resident, block captains, and co captains, and a local law enforcement representative from the Louisville Crime Prevention Unit.

Organizing a Program

If you are interested in starting a Neighborhood Block Watch in Your neighborhood first visit your neighbors and tell them you are interested in discouraging crime in the neighborhood. Ask for help toward this goal.

Next:

1) Organize a neighborhood meeting. Arrange a meeting time and place with a police officer from the Crime Prevention Unit, then notify the residents in your neighborhood. (Note: For the Block Watch to be effective 50% of the residents of the designated area need to participate.)

2) Usually at the first Neighborhood Block Watch meeting the police officer will go over the Home Security Booklet - teaching residents to look for and correct weaknesses in the physical security of their homes or apartments. Additionally, reporting procedures, i.e. what to tell the police when a resident calls about suspicious activity – will be covered.

The officer will also discuss the basic activities of the program – crime reporting, Operation Identification, follow up Neighborhood Watch Meetings, and neighborhood security. All information concerning the Block Watch Program and its activities is outlined in a kit given to each resident at this first meeting.

If an officer is unable to attend the first scheduled meeting residents can still get together. The Crime Prevention Unit will see that residents obtain their Block Watch kits so they can begin discussing their concerns regarding crime prevention.

• If the group decides to organize a Neighborhood Block Watch program, a block captain and co captain should be recruited.

• The Block Watch captain should pass around the membership roster listing names, addresses, telephone numbers, and see that each member receives a copy. This will help neighbors contact each other in the future – especially if they want to report suspicious activity seen at a neighbor's home.

• If there are other neighborhood problems, such as needed improvements in city services, these can be discussed and a list made for target projects.

• Suggestions can also be taken for future meetings. The group may want to agree on the next meeting date and select a host for the meeting

• It is a good idea to serve some simple refreshments at the Block Watch meeting so that residents can socialize and get to know each other – a big first step in uniting together to prevent crime.

Duties of the Block Watch Captain, Co Captain

Since awareness and involvement are the keys to a successful program, keeping interest high and continuing the group's crime prevention education must be a primary focus of all participants. Basically, the captain and co captain facilitate the completion of target Block Watch programs. Their specific duties are to:

• Schedule periodic group meetings (at least every six months), and encourage each homeowner to attend.

• Act as a liaison between homeowners and the police.

• Invite your crime prevention officer to address the group and show films on such topics as home security, rape prevention, child molestation, and crimes against the elderly.

• If the 50% requirement is met for participation then the captain should erect street size Neighborhood Block Watch signs at each entrance to the neighborhood or block. These signs can be obtained from the crime prevention unit.

• Coordinate home security surveys and Operation I.D. The captain or co captain should obtain an engraver from the closest police substation. The engraver, which can be borrowed up to two months, should be kept circulating so that all residents have the opportunity to mark their valuables with their Kentucky Driver’s License Numbers (or Name and Address or Phone Number).

• Assign one member to look at the overall security weaknesses of the community including lighting. Identify dark and shadowy areas that may be conducive to crime.

• Contact new neighbors about the program.

• Keep the membership roster data current.

• Disseminate any special information to the group such as crime patterns in the area, homeowners who are on vacation, or attending a function listed in the newspaper such as a wedding or funeral.

Duties of Residents

Residents should be encouraged to participate in Block Watch activities as much as possible. Like any self help program, Block Watch depends upon everybody's participation.

Specifically residents should:

• Attend the Block Watch Meetings.

• Mark their valuables with the engraver (Operation Identification) using their Kentucky Driver’s License Number (or Name and Address or Phone Number).

• Have their newspaper stopped and mail picked up when away.

• Inform other neighbors and the Block Watch captain if they plan to be away so that special attention can be given to your home.

• Report any suspicious activity seen in the neighborhood to the police.


Tips for Successful Block Watch Meetings

• Have regular meetings when neighbors will attend. At first the group may want to meet monthly or bimonthly and then every six months, for example a fall and spring meeting to prepare for that season's special crime prevention security.

• Keep meetings informal and encourage discussion. Use homes rather than schools or other public buildings.

• Set priorities. List neighborhood concerns in order of importance. Then organize and plan strategies.

• Stress importance of group as well as individual efforts.

• Keep meetings short and interesting.

• Have an agenda planned for each meeting and circulate a flyer to residents so as to get maximum attendance.

Additional Block Watch Projects

• After your group becomes organized they may want to consider additional projects. These might include:

• Arranging to contact the Department of Traffic and Engineering if /additional street lighting is needed.

• Organizing a children's block club. Help them elect officers and choose projects. For example they could plant flowers, pick LIP trash, brush out alleys. Follow "work meetings" with refreshments with games.

• Calling on shut ins.

• Holding social events block parties, picnics, get acquainted gatherings.

• Organizing safety programs for fire prevention and escape from the home should a fire occur.


For further information about starting a Neighborhood Block Watch program call 574-7069 (Louisville Police Crime Prevention Unit) or 574-8976 (Jefferson County Police Community Services) or the Alderman/woman for your Ward at 574-3521.

Speakers List/Telephone Reference

In organizing future Block Watch meetings you may want to consider speakers from burglar alarm companies, locksmiths, rape relief center, fire prevention bureau, etc. On the next page, are listed some of these numbers for the Louisville and Jefferson County area as well as additional listings to keep as a reference.

See the “Blue Pages” of your BellSouth White Pages for more government listings.

Remember that you can call the main city (CityCALL 574-3333, TDD 574-4091) and county (CountyCARE 574-2273, TDD 574-5998) government phone numbers for assistance in finding the government resource.