Block Clubs/Neighborhood Watch
What is it?
Block Clubs (or Neighborhood Watch) have a focus of meeting neighbors to help keep your neighborhood safe. It is a neighborhood surveillance program or group in which residents work together. They form Block Clubs and keep watch over each other and their neighborhood in an attempt to prevent crime. Neighborhood Watch works because it reduces opportunities for crime to occur; it doesn’t rely on altering or changing the criminal’s behavior or motivation.
WGNO helps coordinate block clubs in a web of neighborhood eyes and ears, all with a design to reduce the impact and incidence of criminal activity within residential areas. We encourage neighbors to get to know each other and work together to come up with solutions.
It is important to Note:
Block Clubs are NOT vigilantes and should not assume the role of the police. Their duty is to ask neighbors to be alert, observant, and caring—also to report suspicious activity or crimes immediately to the police, then contact the Crime Prevention Organizer at WGNO.
How do block clubs work?
Volunteer Block Hosts: Serve as leads for each residential block and are the glue to making it work. Encouraging getting to know our neighbors, helping connect them with information about the neighborhood and work with the Crime Prevention Organizer and staff at WGNO to come up with solutions. If you need information for your neighbors, we can help with providing those resources to you! We need hosts! So please consider this if you want an active block club in your area as it takes volunteers to make it happen. There are ways to do this, even if you are a busy person!
Block Club Members are:
A group of concerned people living on the same street or block who work together to deter crime and problems in their neighborhood. Residents get to know their neighbors and work with them in observing and reporting crime to the police department. The group also provides an opportunity for neighbors to get to know each other.
By becoming a member of your “Block Club” you will:
Get to know neighbors,
How to reduce your chances of becoming a victim of crime,
When and how to call the police department to report a crime,
How to work with your neighbors to reduce crime on your street,
How to work with your neighbors and solve block problems, i.e., trash, poor lighting, etc.
Fill out the questionnaire below if you would like to know more about block clubs/neighborhood watch!