Neighborhood Watch

LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Monday, July31, 2000

"Neighborhood Watch"

Los Angeles – Neighborhood Watch is a crime prevention program enlisting the active participation of residents in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) to reduce the incidence and fear of crime in their communities. It involves neighbors getting to know each other to develop a program of mutual assistance. It involves neighbors being educated in crime reporting and suspect identification techniques. The police and the community share the responsibility for fighting crime. The most effective approach to fighting crime is a proactive one, i.e., stopping it before it occurs. This can happen when neighbors cooperate with each other to assist the LAPD.

"The Los Angeles Police Department will assist you in starting a Neighborhood Watch Program in your community," states Commander David J. Kalish, Department spokesperson. An LAPD representative will be available for your first meeting to assist with the initial organization of the Neighborhood Watch Program and discuss crime concerns specific to your neighborhood or community. "Contact your LAPD community police station to get started."

Talk to your neighbors. Are they interested? Do they understand the value of a Neighborhood Watch Program? Are they aware of, or concerned about specific crime problems in your area? If they are, be sure to mention the following:

Neighborhood Watch is a partnership between neighbors to assist the LAPD in the reduction and fear of crime;

Neighborhood Watch does not require frequent meetings;

Neighborhood Watch does not ask anyone to take personal risks to prevent crime; and

LAPD personnel will attend your meetings to answer questions about crime and provide information about police procedures.

Active Neighborhood Watch groups can make changes, through their local officials, such as improving street lighting, increasing extra patrol and changing traffic flow patterns.

Make belonging to your Neighborhood Watch group enjoyable.

There are many more strategies outlined in the LAPD’s "Neighborhood Watch Circular." For more information, or to obtain copies of Crime Prevention Circulars, contact the Community Liaison/Crime Prevention Unit at 213-485-3134.

For Release 9:30 am PDT
July 31, 2000