In many areas of the US, residential neighborhoods will be labeled as “Neighborhood Watch” neighborhoods, purportedly warning potential criminals that people in the neighborhood care about crime and are on the lookout for wrongdoing and report suspicious activities to the police.
When I was younger, I imagined “Neighborhood Watches” as an organized paramilitary/militia group that walked around the neighborhood.
“<radio crackle> This is Smith. I’m at the corner of Maple and Oak, in front of the Stephensons. Patrol Route Delta 5 completed, nothing to report. Over and out. <radio crackle>”.
“<radio crackle> Roger, Patrolman Smith, this is HQ. Please report to Orchard and Pine, Patrolman Johnson reports scratch marks on a gate at the Williams’ and requests assistance.<radio crackle>”.
“<radio crackle>. Wilco, Smith out.<radio crackle>”.
If I recall correctly, I have lived in a “Neighborhood Watch” neighborhood for at least ten years, and in that time, I have never been asked to join a patrol, have never seen (or recognized as such) a patrol or even given a briefing on how to recognize suspicious activity or on how to make reports to the local police department.
I’m beginning to suspect that “Neighborhood Watches” are a concept that exists on paper, perhaps via a local ordinance or resolution, rather than an active organization. - e.g. a “Neighborhood Watch” exists because in 1970, a group of local citizens got a resolution passed by the County Board saying that “It is resolved that the neighborhood bounded by the intersections of … and colloquially known as Pleasant Lea, is hereby adjudged to be a Neighborhood Watch Zone.”.
I was a participant in a neighbor hood watch program in Towson, Maryland from 1998 to 2000. The neighborhood was called Knollwood-Donnybrook, and it had a neighborhood association. The association published a newsletter, and that’s how I found out about the neighborhood watch program. Pairs of volunteers would ride in a car through the streets of the neighborhood, staying in contact via hand-held radio with a base station. Suspicious activity would be reported to the base station, who would report it to the police. The pairs of volunteers were provided with a lighted magnetic sign that was displayed on the roof of the car.
I have no idea how effective this might have been, but it was definitely real, not just on paper and signs.
My neighbourhood 20 years ago was a member, and there was no patrolling involved. We had to prove through a public meeting that X % of the neighbourhood was engaged in the process, we all got door stickers and they put a street sign as you entered the neighbourhood from the main street. The one meeting I attended (so much for being engaged by the process), we got chastized by the Neighbourhood Watch PTB because we weren’t ratting out enough random strangers. We were told we had much below the average number of reports, and hence were in danger of losing our status. Apparently, if they don’t get enough calls, they will de-Neighbourhood Watch your community.
Your description of what you imagined the NW to be when you were younger sounds much more like Guardian Angels. But from my experience, it seemed much more awareness oriented/don’t be afraid to call the police than active vigilance.
And upon rereading, I see you asked specifically about the US. My experience was in Canada, so for all I know they issue small arms to everyone who joins down there!
We have a neighborhood watch in our area, which consists of nothing more than the following:
Once a year in the summer, we have a neighborhood block party, which the local police or a representative will often attend, and everyone gets to know one another.
All the people who live in the neighborhood and are runners, or others who walk their dogs recognize each other and notice patterns in the neighborhood.
People who are spotted that don’t belong in the neighborhood or patterns that are unusual will result in a non-emergency all to the police substation.
Old people in the RSVP cars (Retired Senior Volunteer Police) send a car out to investigate.
99 times out of 100, it is ineffective. Usually, these calls are directed at teenagers smoking in one of the small parks around the neighborhood who at worst are littering. Meanwhile, there will be random late night TPings of houses, or smash-and-grabs of GPS units, ipods, etc. left in people’s cars where several streets will be hit in an evening and the crooks never get caught. I’d say the neighborhood watch is probably effective in warding off home robberies since we have a decent number of stay at home Moms walking their kids around the neighborhoods during the day when people are at work, but then again, I don’t have a control to really know, as these types of crimes may not happen regardless.
This is obviously proof that your local Neighborhood Watch is just that good at what they do. You don’t even notice their patrols! After all, how are they gonna catch the bad guys if they’re not stealthy about it?
My neighborhood watch does these things, but has been greatly enhanced by electronic means. We have a neighborhood email list that is used for communications between people, reporting of garage break-ins, vandalism, prowlers, panhandlers, etc.
It’s also used for announcements of neighborhood events in the parks, listings of yard sales or things/plants to give away, and questions like who can recommend a good roofer, lawnmower repairman, etc., and reviews of local businesses (especially restaurants). It’s not very active (3-4 messages per day), but is very specific and local.
Police recently caught a pair of burglars who were targeting the neighborhood. A bunch of emails and responses about the 8 or so break-ins in our neighborhood uncovered the fact that each time there was an older purple car in the vicinity, occupied by 2 men (younger white man and older black man), and that vehicle did not belong to any residents of the neighborhood. Soon, many neighbors were watching for this car, and police were called as soon as it was spotted. Eventually they were able to arrive soon enough to stop the car; they found burglary tools inside it along with stolen goods. So one pair of thieves was arrested.
