The Neighborhood Watch Program is organized to enable the Sheriff’s Office and the community to work together to make specific geographical areas more crime resistant to reduce crime. It is a citizen involvement, neighborhood and community-based effort, designed to help citizens and the Sheriff’s Office in preventing primarily residential burglaries. In harmony with the philosophy of Community Policing, Neighborhood Watch encourages strong working relationships between patrol officers and the citizens they serve.
One of the most effective ways to promote citizen interaction with law enforcement is the sharing of information. Citizen groups determine specific needs or problems and then share this information with the Sheriff’s Office. Law enforcement can then act on this information and report back to the group on their progress. This program also works when the Sheriff’s Office goes to public groups and organizations and makes them aware of specific criminal activities, or the needs of the Sheriff’s Office.
