Block Watch Handbook

The Block Watch Handbook was created to provide a written guide for citizens and officers in the set up and operation of a Block Watch. This handbook cannot provide all the answers but it can help the community and the police work toward a common goal. The success of a Block Watch is directly related to the ongoing participation and support from each member of the watch.

What is a Block Watch? Each day crime and the fear of crime threatens communities. Residents change their plans and lifestyles based on the fear of going out after dark. Parents and children are afraid to use local parks where criminals meet and businesses refuse to put shops in areas they believe are unsafe. It often seems as if nothing can be done to make neighborhoods safer places. The Block Watch can help solve these problems.

Today, community policing allows the police and residents to work together to solve issues involving crime and social concerns in their community. Block watches are one of the original foundations of community policing and are referred to as “the eyes and ears of law enforcement”. Members look out for neighbors and their property and report suspicious activities to the police. However, block watches are more than looking out for suspicious activity in neighborhoods. Through community mobilization, neighbors, businesses, co-workers and students form an active partnership in the community. Watches allow individuals the opportunity to discover common interests and goals that they share with their neighbors. The residents work to prevent the possibility of crime in their area and develop a sense of community spirit that encourages more activism.