U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Los Angeles Police Department Neighborhood Watch Circular

NCJ Number
190786
Date Published
August 2001
Length
11 pages
Annotation
The purpose of this circular is to standardize neighborhood watch information presented by the Los Angeles Police Department at community crime prevention meetings.
Abstract
The circular is intended to assist police personnel who conduct neighborhood watch meetings. The circular first presents information on the nature of and the rationale for a neighborhood watch program. Suggestions are then offered for starting a neighborhood watch program. These include arranging a date, time, and place for the first meeting, what to do at the first meeting, the selection of a block captain, developing and distributing maps, and gathering and sharing information. Suggestions are then offered for maintaining a neighborhood watch program. Guidelines are next offered for reporting crime. Suggestions are offered for some "not-so-obvious" situations that may lead to crimes. They are strangers and solicitors; someone carrying property; someone going door-to-door; traffic to and from a certain residence; any vehicle moving slowly and without lights; parked or occupied vehicles containing one or more persons; an abandoned vehicle parked on the block; continuous repair operations at non-business locations; persons making a quick change of vehicles; one or more juveniles walking through the neighborhood looking into automobiles or backyards; and any person taking a shortcut through a backyard.