It’s a mad, mad world, and it is our responsibility — nay, our civic duty — to be, and stay involved in keeping our communities safe; maybe that means organizing a Neighborhood Watch program in your Northern Virginia neighborhood.

What is Neighborhood Watch?

Neighborhood Watch is a crime prevention program that encourages citizens to make their neighborhoods safer, thus improving quality of life, through common sense and education. Groups of volunteers may agree to watch out for the homes and property of one another, or might perform active patrol on the lookout for suspicious activity.

The development of an effective Neighborhood Watch program is not as easy as organizing volunteers and posting a few signs (though those are important steps to take). If you are interested in starting a program in your neighborhood, you’ll need to identify area crime patterns; establish a meaningful partnership between law enforcement and your residents or neighbors; agree upon a list of relevant community needs; develop programs to keep your volunteers interested and involved, and consult the experts:

National Neighborhood Watch —
A Division of the National Sheriffs’ Association

In 1972, the National Sheriffs’ Association sought federal funding to turn what had previously been sponsored and promoted by local sheriffs and police chiefs into a national initiative. The National Neighborhood Watch (NNW) Program was born. As the founding organization, the National Sheriffs’ Association oversees the national program, serves as the primary contact for local and regional programs, and provides valuable information about how to start and register a Watch in your neighborhood. Interested individuals can locate existing programs, download a Watch Toolkit, and attend a self-paced Neighborhood Watch training course.

Official Neighborhood Watch App

Now concerned citizens can report Neighborhood Watch activity on the go. The official Neighborhood Watch app is dynamic and easy-to-use, and allows Block Captains, volunteers, and residents the ability to add photos and text to reports anonymously. Bonus: It’s linked directly to law enforcement agencies across the country. The application — available for iPhone, Android, and Blackberry platforms — also features training videos, helpful tips for starting or revitalizing your Neighborhood Watch program, and an interactive Ask the Expert section.

National Neighborhood Watch Institute

The National Neighborhood Watch Institute (NWWI) is the premier national supplier of Neighborhood Watch materials. NNWI has provided signs and decals to more than 13,000 police and sheriff agencies, housing authorities, emergency management agencies, and concerned citizens since 1982. Whether you’re looking for Disaster & Survivor handbooks, reflective street signs, window decals, data record worksheets, or a complete Neighborhood Watch starter kit, the National Neighborhood Watch Institute is committed to providing better value for your crime prevention dollar.

Please note that Neighborhood Watch volunteers are not advised to take action in the event of observed criminal activity. If you see someone breaking the law, contact your local law enforcement agency immediately.

Starting a Northern Virginia Neighborhood Watch Program