Nw Program Handbook

7/31/2019 Nw Program Handbook

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Sanford Police Department815 W 13 th StreetSanford, FL 32771

407.688.5070 ext. 6008



The most important benefits of being involved in your ownNeighborhood Watch program are:Neighborhood policing by you and your neighbors , together with your ownpolice department, creates a greater sense of security, well-being, and reduction of fear of crime because you know you and your neighbors will “LOOK OUT FOREACH OTHER.”

Reduce the risk of being a crime victim. You are taught how to take preventive

measures that substantially decrease the likelihood of becoming a crime victim. Theinstances of other crimes such as vandalism, graffiti, personal assault, auto theft andother personal crimes also decrease.

The Neighborhood Watch program trains you how to observe and reportsuspicious activities occurring in your neighborhood. It trains you on whatinformation law enforcement officers need when you report a crime.

Knowing your neighbor is an important feature and benefit of this program. Youget to know participant’s regular patterns so you can see when something is unusual.You get to know how to contact them quickly.

You have greater access to criminal activity information. Neighborhood Watchprograms are designed to keep participants informed of crime trends and patterns sothey will be better prepared to spot criminal activity.

Participants get on-going training in how to protect themselves and theirproperty. Personal safety awareness, whether you are at home, in public, or inyour vehicle, and knowing what “to do and not to do” could prevent you frombecoming a victim.

Posting Neighborhood Watch signs on your street and labels or decals in your

windows tells a criminal that ( a) you are not an easy target, that ( b) they areprobably being watched and ( c) you have taken the steps necessary to deter crime inyour neighborhood.

Address issues of mutual interest by getting together with your neighbors on aregular basis (monthly, quarterly, or what ever you wish). These may be for othercrime prevention, fire protection, local planning, or other projects which you alonemay say, “Why don’t they do something about…!” As a community, as anorganization already working together as a Neighborhood Watch group, you havethe stepping stone needed to getting things done.



By participating in a program where"We Look Out For Each Other! ", youcan make a real difference in attackingcrime in your community through yourNeighborhood Watch involvement.

Teen-agers, seniors, home-owners orrenters, students, housewives, businesspeople, retirees, the disabled…Yeseveryone in the neighborhood canparticipate in Neighborhood Watch nomatter their age, occupation, race orreligion. You just have to be involvedin improving your neighborhood.

Make your neighborhood a safer, morepleasant place to live by joining yourneighbors in this program. The cost?Your time and commitment. That is asmall price to pay to increase the safetyand security of your home andneighborhood.

You will be given instruction inobservation and recognition, you willlearn about suspicious activities andsounds, you will learn about home andauto security and you will become aparticipant in your Neighborhood Watchprogram.

You will learn about your neighbors,their families, their hours of work and beable to protect them while at the sametime they will be protecting you. Thismutual benefit goes beyond security of the neighborhood to improving thequality of your life with betterfriendships and acquaintances. Get-togethers, such as potluck dinners andblock parties are encouraged in theprogram.

You will add your “ eyes and ears ” tothose of the Police Department whichcannot be everywhere, all the time, bykeeping a watchful eye and open ear towhat is happening in yourneighborhood. You will extend theirability to provide security by reportinganything unusual or suspicious, 24 hoursa day, seven days a week, so they can

follow up on your leads. What you willnot do is get physically involved withany activity you report orapprehension of any suspiciouspersons. This is the job of the lawenforcement agency.



The key to success in any NeiWatch program are the particWillingness to Look Out Foand the ability of each individto observe and recognize wha

then immediately reporting

1. Neighbors join together toabout their households to

2. Participants receive trainintechniques and recognitio

3. Upon seeing a suspiciousimmediately report their

4. Law enforcement respondcaught in the act of comminotes will be very vital.

5. As a Participant your coop

having saved your neighb

ghborhood pants'

Each Otherual participant

is suspicious,

it.

provide informationne another.

g in observationskills in order to recognize suspiciou

ctivity or a crime, Participantsbservation to the police department.

and apprehends the suspect criminal.tting the crime, your recognition of th

eration with the police department is r

r's property or even their life.

Why doesn't your local police or sherNationally, there is probably only onofficer on patrol at any one time forresidents. The availability of an unliNeighborhood Watch Participants avday, seven days a week, tremendousleffectiveness of any law enforcementto prevent crime.

activities.

If the suspect is notsuspect and your

warded by you

iff do this?law enforcement

every 4,500ited number of ilable 24 hours amultiplies the

department's effort



Observation takes many forms.From your home, a mobile home,an apartment or condo you candetermine your best observationpoints. From your auto, truck orvan you can observe both the roadand other activities. Many peoplewalk or jog as a daily routine, goingto and from the store or work, or for their own physical fitness. Observation and

recognition skills play a large part of your mutual protection. In rural areas, your truck,tractor, snowmobile or horse give you the opportunity to be mobile and to observe.Whatever your means of observation, use your head todetermine if what you are observing is of a suspiciousnature. Remember, observations are not only madeby sight, but also from sounds and smells.

Recognition is of equal importance. Learn howto get a good description of the suspect, identifytheir vehicle, their method of operation and theiractivity. Recognize that when your neighbor isaway on vacation, a stranger should not be comingin and out of their house. In a rural area, recognizethat your neighbor probably is not aware that some-one is beginning to cut down his 200-year oldwalnut tree.

In any situation, use your head, and recognizewhat is routine and whatis suspicious.

Time is critical inapprehension. When yousee or hear somethingsuspicious, call the policedepartment immediately .



In early 1972, the National SheriffsAssociation developed a model program fortoday's Neighborhood Watch program. Atthe time Chiefs of Police and Sheriffs fromaround the country were requesting aprogram that would squelch the increasingburglary rate across the country.

At that time, society increasingly becamemore mobile and faster paced. Morehouseholds had both spouses working. Theneighborhoods become deserted during theday. The term, "latchkey kids," came in touse. Neighbors stopped being concernedabout their neighbors' property and begankeeping more to themselves. The unity andcohesion of the traditional neighborhoodgradually deteriorated. Neighbors were notlooking out for each other.

Criminals recognized this trend and thisopportunity. They began to take advantageof this knowledge. Law enforcement

agencies alone were not able to keep upwith the alarming rise in burglaries asthieves, without causing alarm or suspicion,invaded neighborhoods where no one wasat home. It was also noted thatcommunities able to obtain the assistance of their citizens in observing, recognizing andreporting suspicious or criminal activitieswere much better able to keep the burglaryrate down.

Although the rate of specific crimes such asburglary decreased tremendously, a furtherbenefit has been the substantial reduction of other crimes as well. All because of citizen-participant involvement.

Neighborhood Watch works because peoplewanted to be more active in making theircommunities safe. Because of budget andmanpower limitations at virtually everylevel of law enforcement, it is impractical toplace a law enforcement officer into eachneighborhood full time. Residents within aneighborhood know who belongs there andwho does not, what looks normal, whatlooks suspicious and these same residentsare in the neighborhood full time. Bybecoming the eyes, ears and yes, even thenoses aiding law enforcement officers tocombat crime in their neighborhood theycan both live in a safer place and stretchtheir law enforcement dollar. By trainingand practice, they can improve their skills.

Neighborhood Watch programs haveproven themselves to be effective in unitingthe community and improving their well-being as well. The idea of building betterfriendships among your neighbors is an old-fashion idea, a good one, and the distancethese friendships and programs can go islimited only by your imagination.



An occupied vehicle parked for a longperiod of time.Possibly casing the neighborhood.

A vehicle driving around yourneighborhood repeatedly.Possibly casing the neighborhood, drugdealing, sexual deviate or child molester.

Departing from a location at night with itslights off.Possible burglar, assault violation or robber.

The vehicle is in unusually bad condition,with signs of a recent accident, broken

windows or bullet holes in the car.Possibly involved in a drive-by shootingor a hit and run accident.

Business is being conducted out of thevehicle.Possibly selling stolen items or drugs.

An over-loaded vehicle that is parked, ortraveling in your neighborhood.Possible burglar.

Someone being forced into a vehicle.Possible kidnapping , assault or attempted rape.

A parked car with the engine running.Possibly a get-away car for a burglary.

Odd property seen in vehicles, such as

TVs, stereos, weapons.Possible stolen property.

Locked vehicle that someone is trying toforcibly enter.Possible theft of car or contents in progress.

Older children or adults, who are notfrom the neighborhood, bicyclingrandomly or repeatedly without apurposeful destination.

Possible theft of homes and/or garages.Person detaching mechanical parts oraccessories from vehicle.Possible theft or vandalism in progress.

Vehicle being loaded with valuables if parked by closed business or unoccupiedhouse.Possible burglary in progress.

Abandoned vehicle parked on yourblock.Possible stolen vehicle.



Using your ears to detect suspiciousactivities is very helpful in combatingcrime. Sounds may only last a fewseconds and may go undetected. Here aresome sounds which require closeattention, andreporting:

SCREAMS FOR HELP

Always assumethe scream is real and someone desperatelyneeds help. Quickly try to determine thelocation, source and nature of the scream andimmediately call the police. Heroes can bewounded or killed. Remember thatapprehension is the job of your policedepartment.

CONTINUOUS SCREAMING

This type of screaming probably is a result of someone being beaten, hurt or mistreated.Especially listen for victims' cries of "Oh's"and "Ow's". Quickly try to determine thelocation, source and nature of the scream andimmediately call the police department.

SCREAMING AND CURSING

This type of screaming is probably adomestic violence incident betweenhusband and wife, parent and child, two

people who are intent on hurting each otherbut not in a life-threatening way. Determinethe location, source and nature of the screamand call the police department.

GUN SHOT SOUNDS

Immediately call the policedepartment. Provide as muchinformation as to the numberof shots fired and their source

ALARMS ACTIVATED

Fire, home-burglary,business and car alarmsmust always be consideredas real. Determine the location,source and nature of the alarm and call thepolice department.

BREAKING GLASS

If you hear the sound of breaking glass, call thepolice department's office.This is one of the mostcommon method of forced entry into a home,apartment or automobile.

LOUD MUSIC

Loud music is usuallyan annoyance and youcan report it as anyother nuisance. However, it is often used tocover up other criminal activities. If youhear loud music covering the cry of a

screaming person, immediately call thepolice department.

FORCING, PRYING OR POUNDING SOUNDS

If something is being forced, pried orpounded you should determine the location,source and nature of the sounds and if yoursuspicion is aroused, immediately call thepolice department.

DOGS BARKINGContinuous barkingof a dog in anunusual manner iscause for alarm.Determine the locationof the dog and call the police department.



KIND OF VEHICLE

Car - 2 door, 4 door, sports car,convertible, hard top, jeep, off-road

Camper - style, on the back of a pick-up

Van - station wagon, windowed or solidsides

Truck - small pick -up, large pick-up,flat bed, stake truck, boxed cargo truck

Motorcycle - small or large, side car,domestic or foreign, street or dirt

Recreation or SUV

MAKE OF VEHICLEFord, Chevrolet, Mercury, Oldsmobile,Buick, Plymouth, Chrysler, Dodge?

Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Isuzu, Mazda?

BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, Fiat,Volkswagen?

Perhaps you can only describe it as

domestic or foreign that's OK.

COLORSSingle color - two colors

Color and shade of that color (blue -midnight blue, powder blue)

Window tinting - rear and /or sidewindows, color of tint

MODELBronco, Mustang, Thunderbird, Taurus,Colt, Camry, Cutless, Civic?

YEARIf you know the year of the vehicle,

great. If you don't, was it new, nearlynew, a few years old, several years old,really a wreck?OTHER FEATURES

Any identifying bumper stickers, dents,bullet holes, broken windows?

Did it have a cellular phone or CB?Was it lowered or raised from thestandard production model?

Was it damaged in any way? Had it

been in a crash, bod dama e?

License PlatesWas the license plates form Florida oranother state?

Which design was the license plate, thetree, the fish, or the old west wagon?

Were they vanity plates?



Law enforcementcounts on your ability to:

1. Memorize the license plate number of any suspicious vehicle, and

2. WRITE IT DOWN exactly as youobserved it.

It is of VITAL IMPORTANCE in quicklyobserving, recognizing and reporting thelicense plate number to your policedepartment in order to pursue andapprehend someone involved in criminalactivity.

With the multitude of license plate designsissued by our 50 states, the 12 Canadianprovinces and the 32 Mexican estados, it isalso important to be able to properlydescribe the license plate and any unusualfeatures.

Unusual features include, in some states,the County designation, environmentalmessages, universities, veteran groups, etc.on the plates.

If nothing else, remember the colors of thebackground and the letters and numbers onthe plate. The phonetic alphabet will behelpful in doing this.

Special Note:If you can't read a license plate number

because it has letters or numbers taped overthe original letters and numbers, or is sobadly damaged, covered or unusually dirty torender it illegible, get a description of thevehicle, it location, and the direction it maybe headed if it is moving, and call the policequickly.

A used car with neither plates nor vehicleregistration papers in the window isimmediately suspicious. When you see this,get the best description of both the vehicleand its occupants and call this informationinto the police department.



If you know a crime ishappening, or suspect thatsomething suspicious ordangerous is going on, oreven if potential trouble

exists, do the following:Determine if it is anEMERGENCY.

An emergency requires IMMEDIATE POLICEDEPARTMENT, FIREAND/OR MEDICALRESPONSE. Example: A person is facinga life or death situation or property is in the process of being stolen or jeopardized.Immediately call 911.

If the situation is routine, notlife threatening, then call thenon-emergency number,688-5199 . Remember: if youare in doubt, call 911 .

What, When, Where, and

Who are the first four thingsyou need to know to report acrime. How and Why arevery important, but manytimes you don't know theseanswers.

When calling, here is what toprovide, and what you may beasked:

The same series of questionsneed to be answered whenyou are calling in a non-

emergency situation. A non-emergency situation is one inwhich immediate response isnot necessary, but doesrequire a police officers. Example: A stolen battery,stereo or cellular phone in your car does requireattention, but not immediateresponse.Your police departmentappreciates you acting as theirextra eyes and ears.Sometimes your suspicionsare unfounded. If you arewrong, they understand youwill not always be right, butyou will not be in trouble withthem. As a good citizen and aNeighborhood Watchparticipant, your job is to givethem the information youbase your suspicions on.

Reporting is the first step inhelping to stop crime.

You are making yourneighborhood a safer placefor you and your family.

FIRST You will be askedwhat is your emergency?Police, Fire or Medical?What is your location, yourname and phone number?Are you in danger?

WHAT is happening. Tryto be as specific as possible. Example: "This is anemergency. Two peoplehave just been wounded and the gunman has fled."

WHAT is needed. Police,Fire, Medical?

WHEN is it happening? Isit now? Is it about tohappen? How long ago didit occur?

WHERE is it happening?Give the specific addressand directions. Example:"The shooting happened at McDonald's at 123 South Main, in Albany."

WHO is involved? Quick descriptions of the victimsand the perpetrators need tobe communicated.Example: "Two teen-ageboys are wounded. Thesuspects were male(specifyethnic background), about20 years old, black hair,(etc.) driving a blue Dodgevan, license ABC 555.



8. Post Neighborhood Watch windowwarnings around your home.Report vandalized or missing signsso they can be replaced.

9. Teach children respect for the lawand crime prevention techniquesaround the neighborhood and intheir personal life and safety awayfrom your home.

10. Remember always that yourresponsibility is to report crime. Donot take any risks to prevent acrime or try to make an arrest.The responsibility forapprehending criminals belongsto the police department.

11. If you are leaving home for anextended period of time, notify yourneighbors and Block Captains.Arrange to have your mail pickedup or put on "Temporary Hold" atyour Post Office. Newspapersshould be picked up by a neighbor.Timers to activate lights, TV, andradio should be set. Garbage cansshould be taken in. Don't leavesignals saying "no one is at home."

12. Get Involved! Look Out For EachOther! Be a good neighbor.

As a Neighborhood Watch participant, you havea responsibility to:

1. Learn your neighbor's names, including alloccupants of their residences. Be able torecognize them and their vehicles without anyhesitation.

2. Attend all Neighborhood Watch meetings.3. Keep your personal copies of the

Neighborhood Watch Family Data SummarySheets, Block map, and Telephone Tree in aneasily accessible, secure place and continuallyupdated with any new information providedby your Block Captain.

4. Properly identify all property using theguidelines suggested at your NeighborhoodWatch meetings, in Operation ID, in otherhome security programs and maintain anaccurate inventory of your valuables.

5. Implement all security measures suggested byyour police department after a security surveyhas been completed in your home.

6. Learn the techniques of getting an accuratedescription of a suspect or a vehicle. Practicethese by writing them down from memory sowhen the need arises to actually report a

suspicious incident, you are prepared.7. Keep an eye on your neighbor's homes and

report any suspicious activities to your policedepartment. Again, write the descriptiondown so you forget nothing. DO NOTDELAY REPORTING. A few minutesdelay is enough time to reduce the chances of ever catching the criminal. No exceptions tothis rule insures that:



Below is an example of a completed map. For each home, the color, street number, familyname, home and work phone numbers are listed plus the street names and compassdirections are indicated. Homes that are "vacant" and "not participating" should beshown.

Nw Program Handbook

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