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Neighbourhood Watch (UK)
Encyclopedia
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
is a partnership where people come together to make their communities safer. It involves the Police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
, Community Safety departments of local authorities, other voluntary organisations and, above all, individuals and families who want to make their neighbourhoods better places to live. It aims to help people protect themselves and their properties and to reduce the fear of crime by means of improved home security, greater vigilance, accurate reporting of suspicious incidents to the police and by fostering a community spirit
Community spirit
Community spirit is a phrase used to describe local people working together for a mutually positive and sometimes pleasurable result. This could be apparent at a community fair, a school fete, or in more practical situations where a local is in need of help and the community rally round to provide...
.
History
The UK's first Neighbourhood Watch was set up in MollingtonMollington, Cheshire
Mollington is a small village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, It is located two miles north of the city of Chester, with approximate boundaries formed by the A41 Liverpool-Chester trunk road and Shropshire Union...
in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
in 1982 following the success of a similar scheme
Neighborhood Watch
A neighborhood watch or neighbourhood watch , also called a crime watch or neighborhood crime watch, is an organized group of citizens devoted to crime and vandalism prevention within a neighborhood...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Many more schemes followed throughout the UK, and 10 million http://www.cambs.police.uk/advice/schemes/nhw/faq.asp http://www.cleveland.police.uk/crime_prevention/nh_watch.htm people are now claimed to be members.
The neighbourhood watch schemes covers many aspects of criminal behaviour.
Objectives of Neighbourhood Watch
- To prevent crime by improving security, increasing vigilance, creating and maintaining a caring community and reducing opportunities for crime by increasing crime prevention awareness.
- To assist the policePoliceThe police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
in detecting crime by promoting effective communication and the prompt reporting of suspicious and criminal activity. - To reduce undue fear of crimeCrimeCrime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
by providing accurate information about risks and by promoting a sense of security and community spirit, particularly amongst the more vulnerable members of the community. - To improve policePoliceThe police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
/community liaison by providing effective communications through Neighbourhood Watch messaging systems which warn Co-coordinators of local crimeCrimeCrime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
trends which they can disseminate to their scheme members, and by members informing the policePoliceThe police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
of incidents when they occur.
Schemes
Neighbourhood Watch schemes are run by their members through a Co-ordinator and are supported by the PolicePolice
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
and in many Divisions, a local Neighbourhood Watch Association.
Schemes can vary in size. A volunteer resident Co-ordinator supervises the scheme and liaises with the Police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
, they receive information and messages to keep them in touch with activities, and some have marker kits, alarms and other security items, which are available to members. It must be recognised that the scheme is a community initiative, which is supported by the police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
, not run by them, so success depends on what the members make of it.
The Police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
can't deal with the problems and issues arising from crime and anti-social behaviour
Anti-social behaviour
Anti-social behaviour is behaviour that lacks consideration for others and that may cause damage to society, whether intentionally or through negligence, as opposed to pro-social behaviour, behaviour that helps or benefits society...
alone; they need the help of the whole community. Neighbourhood Watch provides a way for local people to play an important part in addressing this balance and making their communities safer.
The Co-ordinator
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
who will help clarify what is involved and the initial steps to take. Whilst each crime prevention co-ordinator may develop specific procedures, the following are suggested as the main duties which co-ordinators will need to manage.
- Encourage vigilance amongst scheme members and actively encourage the early reporting of suspicious incidents to the policePoliceThe police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
. - Receive crime information from the Neighbourhood Watch messaging system and distribute these messages to scheme members.
- Encourage scheme members to be aware of and put into practice crime prevention measures, such as property marking and security devices.
- Keep a check on vulnerable households and provide advice to members about dealing with callers at the door.
- Circulate newsletters and other relevant information to scheme members.
- Welcome newcomers to the neighbourhood and invite them to be part of the scheme.
- Supply each scheme member with Neighbourhood Watch and crime prevention literature, such as Neighbourhood Watch window stickers and incident report cards.
These are the main tasks which would be expected of a co-ordinator, tasks will vary according to the needs of each individual neighbourhood.
Ward & Area Coordinators
Some larger communities will also appoint Area and/or Ward Coordinators forming a hierarchy who sit above other coordinators. The roles of the Ward and Area coordinators are not necessarily authoritative (may vary around the country), but they provide structure and cohesion for larger and more active watch schemes. These are typically more active roles to assist the other coordinators, organising coordinator meetings and neighbourhood meetings as well as being an extra link to the local PolicePolice
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
. Like all other coordinators these roles are completely voluntary and therefore unpaid.
Most of these senior roles are taken by people who are in their 50's, 60's and 70's. Although they bring experience and maturity to Neighbourhood Watch some may identify it as a weakness as there is a lack of participation from younger generations.
The Neighbourhood & Home Watch Network
The Neighbourhood & Home Watch Network is funded by the Home Office and was established in 2007. It is the official website for Neighbourhood Watch (sometimes known as Home Watch) and its website is http://www.ourwatch.org.uk. The site includes news, resources and contact information for the Neighbourhood & Home Watch Network and for regional Neighbourhood Watch representatives.Criticisms
Neighbourhood Watch schemes have not been universally welcomed. Criticisms include:- Limited demographic represented in the community
- Used as a means of reducing policing cost by employing residents to undertake what may be considered police work
See also
- Neighborhood WatchNeighborhood WatchA neighborhood watch or neighbourhood watch , also called a crime watch or neighborhood crime watch, is an organized group of citizens devoted to crime and vandalism prevention within a neighborhood...
—US organisation - Neighbourhood Support—NZ organisation
- Neighbourhood Watch messaging systems
External links
- Neighbourhood and Home Watch Network (Official NHW site for England & Wales)
- UK Neighbourhood Watch Trust
- nwinfo.co.uk Independent and non-commercial resource for Neighbourhood Watch and Communities
- Crimestoppers
- Crime Concern
- National Community Safety Network (NCSN)
- The Home Office
- Victim Support
- My Street Neighbourhood Watch Organisation
- Website of Neighbourhood Support New Zealand (equivalent to Neighbourhood Watch)
- Link to Community Patrols of NZ, another form of Neighbourhood Watch in NZ
External local NHW websites
- Broadwalk.org Bristol's premier Neighbourhood Watch
- BromleyNWA.org.uk LB of Bromley Neighbourhood Watch
- South Ribble Neighbourhood Watch Association (Lancashire)
- Sherwood and Mapperley Park Neighbourhood Watch Association (Nottinghamshire)
- Nottinghamshire's Neighbourhood Watch portal
- Cumbria Neighbourhood Watch Association