The Neighbourhood Watch Organization*

 

Police Liaison

 

Steering Committee

 

Area Leader

 

Block Captain

 

Watch Member

 

*  The following are guidelines only.  Each community should adapt these as necessary.  Each community may use different titles for each position - remember the name is not nearly as important as the function.

 

The duties of Neighbourhood Watch will offer very little change of lifestyle for the citizen involved.  Rather, they provide a means to meet your neighbours, as well as a vehicle for making your community a safer place to live.

The Police Liaison 

The Police Liaison is one of the key elements.  He or she will provide the expertise necessary for initiating the program and monitoring it.  They will assist in developing program guidelines, establishing target areas and supplying resource material.  They will also help establish training programs on how to identify and report criminal or suspicious activity.

The Steering Committee 

The primary function of the Steering Committee, or volunteer group, is to develop the program in a designated area and to assist in its implementation.  The Committee's duties may include:

1.    Acting as a liaison between the community and the Police Liaison.

2.    Working closely with the Police Liaison in delegating tasks to groups or individuals, to initiate the Watch areas, maintain them and monitor their progress;

3.       Providing a central depot for information and resource materials

4.       Maintaining open lines of communication with the Area Leaders, discussing the progress of the program in their area, new ideas and trouble spots.

Area Leaders 

The Area Leaders will be responsible for a specific area and will serve as the contact for the Police assigned to the Program. In some communities, the Zone Leaders themselves may also form the Steering Committee.  Their duties may include:

1.      Organizing community meetings to explain the Watch to residents.

2.      Helping to identify Block Captains and Assistant

3.      Providing information to the Steering Committee or Police Liaison, to assist in defining the Block boundaries

4.      Monitoring the progress of the program in their zone, to ensure its success

5.      Meeting with other Area Leaders in the Region to discuss the program with the aim of solving problems and initiating new ideas consistent with the guidelines of the program

The Block Captain 

The Block Captain has one of the most important functions in the Neighbourhood Watch program - supervising the Watch activities of the citizens who join Neighbourhood Watch in their communities.  The Block Captain is responsible for one city block, or similar designated territory.  Duties may include:

1.    Holding Neighbourhood Watch meetings, as required by your community

2.    Assist in welcoming new neighbours & encouraging participation in the program

3.    Serve as liaison between the Watch members and Area Leader

4.    Channel information from the Police Services, Zone Leader or Steering Committee to the citizens

Neighbourhood Watch Members

The Watch Members will be instructed in the identification of criminal or suspicious activity and the procedure to follow when reporting this activity to the police.  After they contact the police they should contact their Block Captains to inform them of the activity.  If a Member notes suspicious activity but it does not warrant a call to the police they should pass the information on to their Block Captain.