Walhalla Ravine

How To Work With Your Neighborhood To Fight Crime

1. Work with public agencies and other organizations (neighborhood-based or community-wide) on solving common problems.  Don’t be shy about letting them know what your community needs.
2. Make sure that all the youth in the neighborhood have positive ways to spend their spare time, through organized recreation, tutoring programs, part-time work and volunteer opportunities.
3. Set up a Neighborhood Watch or a community patrol working with police.  Make sure your streets and homes are well lit.
4. Build a partnership with police focused on solving problems instead of reacting to crises.  Make it possible for neighbors to report suspicious activity or crimes without fear of retaliation.
5. Take advantage of “safety in numbers.” Hold rallies, marches and other group activities to show you’re determined to drive out crime and drugs.
6. Clean up the neighborhood!  Involve everyone including teens, children and senior citizens.  Graffiti, litter, abandoned cars and run-down buildings tell criminals that you don’t care about where you live or care about your neighbors. Call 3-1-1 or the appropriate city department to ask for assistance.
7. Ask local officials for ways to get criminals out of your building or neighborhood.  This includes reinforcing anti-noise laws, housing codes, health and fire codes, anti-nuisance laws and drug-free clauses in rental leases.
8. Form a Court Watch to help support victims and witnesses and to see that criminals get fairly punished.
9. Work with schools and recreation facilities to establish drug-free, gun-free zones.