Neighborhood Watch

How To Start A

Neighborhood Crime Watch

COMMUNITY CRIME WATCH If you are a person who believes that a neighborhood crime watch is a waste of time and that you will never be the victim of a crime, remember . . . . . . .

EVIL Does Good, When GOOD Does Nothing. WHAT A COMMUNITY CRIME WATCH IS: The community Crime Watch is a crime prevention program which enlists the active participation of the citizens of Austin in cooperation with the Austin Police Department with the goal of reducing criminal activity in your community. The Crime Watch program is the most effective means available for keeping crime out of your community. It relies on the best crime fighting tool ever intended . . . . a watchful neighbor. THE COMMUNITY CRIME WATCH PROGRAM INVOLVES: Getting to know your neighbors and taking the time to care about them while working together in a spirit of mutual assistance. Becoming the “eyes and ears” of law enforcement by being trained to recognize and report suspicious activities in your community. Learning crime prevention strategies such as home security surveys, Personal Property Inventory Booklets, and others being implemented. WHAT A COMMUNITY CRIME WATCH IS NOT: A vigilante force working outside the normal procedures of law enforcement. A program designed for participants to take personal risks to prevent crime. A 100% guarantee that crime will not occur in your neighborhood. WHY HAVE A COMMUNITY CRIME WATCH? There can’t be a law enforcement officer on every corner, so your involvement as a citizen is essential to combat criminal activity. You and your neighbors are the ones who really know what is going on in your community. By being an active participant in the Crime Watch program, you can help save tax dollars, which would otherwise have to be used for more extensive law enforcement resources. As a Crime Watch member you help make your community a safer place to live by adopting a more observant and active attitude and as a result, become more aware of strange cars, people, and circumstances around you. This does not take a lot of time and should soon develop into a daily habit of being more aware of what is going on in your neighborhood. By cooperating with your neighbors and local law enforcement officials, you can help fight crime in your community in the most effective way . . . . . . . . . . . before it begins.

HOW TO START A CRIME WATCH The following are basic guidelines to help you establish and maintain a Community Crime Watch. STEP 1

Talk to your neighbors and friends. Ask for their participation in a small core group to take the first steps in starting a Crime Watch. Explain the need for and the value of having a neighborhood Crime Watch. Discuss the crime problems that concern you in your community. Discuss the size and boundaries of your Crime Watch cell with your neighbors.

STEP 2

Draw a complete map of your Crime Watch cell. Be sure to include all roads, houses, and businesses in your cell. Make a Block Profile sheet of residences in your Crime Watch cell that corresponds with your map. This sheet should include the names of the household members, telephone number, physical address, vehicle information, and work numbers.

STEP 3

Contact the Downtown District Representative Officers of the Austin Police Department at 512-974-DTAC and schedule for the District Representative to attend your first meeting. The District Representative will provide you with information and materials needed to maintain your Crime Watch cell (report booklets, bumper stickers, etc.). Try to select a time that is convenient for most of your neighbors and your law enforcement representative. Develop and distribute a flier to all your neighbors announcing the meeting.

DO NOT PLACE THEM IN MAILBOXES WITHOUT THE APPROPRIATE POSTAL STAMP AFFIXED!!!

FIRST MEETING AGENDA If possible, meet in the home of a neighbor to foster an informal, comfortable atmosphere. ***You may want to ask everyone to bring a food dish or drinks for refreshments*** 1. Have everyone attending sign in on a meeting roster. 2. Call the meeting to order and thank everyone for attending. 3. Have all individuals introduce themselves and where they live. 4. Inform everyone that the group needs to elect a Block Captain. Explain the responsibilities of this position. 5. Elect or designate a Block Co-Captain. 6. At this time, the Block Captain should take over the meeting and collect the family data sheets. 7. Discuss what ideas are needed to enhance the quality of life in your community. 8. Address public health issues such as illegal dumping, public nuisances, locations of sex offenders, the Vial of Life program, etc. 9. Address known hazards such as gas lines, gas or oil wells, compressors, pits, flood areas, fire hazards, etc. 10. Turn over the meeting to the District Representative. He / She will discuss the Crime Watch program, how to report suspicious activity, the fax network, Personal Property forms, crime prevention techniques, etc. 11. After the District Representative is finished with the presentation, the Block Captain should inform members that he / she will complete the block map, block profile sheet, telephone tree and make copies of them for distribution to all members as well as the District Representative Office. 12. Get with members and order Neighborhood Crime Watch signs to be posted throughout your neighborhood. 13. Thank everyone again for attending before closing the meeting.

BLOCK CAPTAIN’S/CO-CAPTAIN’S RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Distributing information to Crime Watch members, such as newsletters, faxes, or bulletins from the Austin Police Department. 2. Keeping the Block map updated with the current names, addresses, and phone numbers of the people in the Crime Watch cell. Forwarding any updates to the District Representative Office. 3. Keeping track of persons living in each house, their profession, work number, and any peculiarities of those individuals such as medical problems. 4. Coordinating all activities for the cell such as meetings, block parties, etc. 5. Insuring that any major incident that takes place is immediately reported or that 911 has been called. 6. Notifying other cell members of any incidents or reports from Austin Police Department via a telephone tree. 7. Greeting new neighbors that move into the community and educating them about the Crime Watch program. Provide them with any materials needed and update the Block map. 8. Participate in any training programs provided by the Austin Police Department regarding Crime Watch activities. 9. Assigning (if necessary) work such as Secretarial duties for meetings, fundraising projects to purchase items for the cell (signs, engravers, videos, etc.). 10. Locating and marking any Neighborhood “Safe Houses” for children in the community.

CRIME WATCH MEMBER’S RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Learning your neighbor’s names and being able to recognize them and their vehicles without any hesitation. 2. Keeping personal Block map, family data sheets, and telephone tree in an easily accessible place and continue to update them with any new information. 3. Attending all Crime Watch meetings. 4. Implementing security measures suggested by your law enforcement officials. 5. Properly identify all of your property using the guidelines suggested in the Personal Property Inventory Booklet. 6. Keeping an eye on your neighbor’s homes and reporting any suspicious activities to the Austin Police Department Police as well as your neighbors. 7. Teaching your children crime prevention and about respecting law enforcement. 8. Not taking any risks to prevent crime or trying to make an arrest. It is more important to have a good witness. 9. Testifying in court if you are a witness to a crime. 10. When planning on leaving for any length of time, having the mail and newspapers picked up or stopped. 11. Notifying your Block Captain and neighbors that you are going away so your home can be watched while you are gone.

FAMILY DATA SHEETS It is important that you share as much information as you can with your neighbors about yourself so they can recognize when something suspicious is occurring at your home. This can be accomplished by using the Crime Watch Family Data Sheet. The data sheet is designed to list all members of the household, their ages, telephone numbers, emergency contacts, medical problems, vehicles, and any special training that may be of use in an emergency situation. The Family Data Sheet will be kept by the Block Captain to assist him or her in preparing the Block map and profile sheet for distribution to members and the District Representative’s Office.

THE BLOCK MAP The block map gives you a visual perspective of your Crime Watch cell. It is an easy reference for who lives in your community and is used to explain the layout of your cell when reporting an emergency situation to 911 or a law enforcement dispatcher. The block map is to be completed by the Block Captain and distributed after the first meeting. The block map ought to include information such as: house color, address, resident’s name, telephone number, and any distinctive or identifying landmarks around the residence. You may also want to use symbols to indicate things such as alarms, dogs, work schedules, etc. Your block map should be kept in a place that is easily accessible to the family, yet safe from strangers. THE BLOCK PROFILE SHEET This is a more detailed record of your Crime Watch cell’s composition. It should include the following information: Names of household, mailing address, 911 address, home phone number, work phone numbers, emergency phone numbers, fax numbers, E-mail address, work schedules, vehicle information, health information, and block skills. This should be kept with your block map, and shared with a trusted neighbor/Crime Watch member.

TELEPHONE TREE This sheet is designed so that each home in the Crime Watch cell is contacted about any suspicious activity that is occurring, or general information that needs to be communicated to the entire watch group. The telephone tree provides a way to quickly communicate with every member of the cell. Each person on the sheet is designated to call 1-2 homes until all homes have been notified as to what is happening. It is important to keep calling the homes you are assigned, until they are contacted or the emergency is over.

DESIGNING YOUR TELEPHONE TREE: List the Block Captain in the top block and fill the other blocks in with the rest of the Crime Watch members. When new members join the program, their names are added at the bottom of the phone tree.

USING THE TELEPHONE TREE: If the nature of the call is an emergency, call 911 first and report what is occurring. If it is not an emergency or you have already called 911, then contact the person at the top of the list (Block Captain). It is the Block Captain’s responsibility to make sure the initial caller has contacted 911 (if necessary) before calling others on the phone tree. During an emergency situation the District Representative’s Office will contact the Crime Watch Captain, who will then begin the notification process utilizing the phone tree. EXAMPLE: Evacuations, Manhunts, Immediate or Potentially Dangerous incidents. When contacted by someone on the tree, write the message down so you are sure of the information you’re passing on, then call the household(s) directly under you. If you are unable to reach those directly below you, contact the homes next in line. Continue calling those homes that weren’t contacted until they are reached. The homes at the bottom of the tree are to call the individual at the top to indicate that they have received the message. This closes the loop of communication. NOTE: It is a good idea to practice calling on the phone tree to work out any glitches in the procedure. You can also use the phone tree to notify your cell members of Crime Watch meetings.

FAX & E-MAIL NETWORK/BULLETINS The District Representative’s Office has a method in place for getting information out to the registered Crime Watch cells utilizing the Austin Police Department’s website (www.ci.austin.tx.us/police/dtac.htm). Upon receiving information that needs to be broadcast to Crime Watch members, the District Representative’s Office posts CRIME ALERTS and has the information available to each Crime Watch cell, which is then relayed to all members via the telephone tree. This method of communication can be vital in the event of a lost child or attempting to locate burglary suspects or other criminal activities, as well as a way to provide information regarding con-games or scams that are operating in the area. Any member of a Community Crime Watch cell who has an e-mail address can give the email address to the District Representative’s Officer, who will enter it into the CRIME ALERT emailing list. Upon receiving a CRIME ALERT from the District Representative’s Office, the Crime Watch member would utilize the Telephone Tree to broadcast the information throughout the Crime Watch cell. MAINTAINING YOUR CRIME WATCH PROGRAM Hold and attend Crime Watch meetings with your neighbors on a periodic basis. Your District Representative can teach you about local crime trends and provide information on various topics of interest. Look after your neighbors’ homes when they are away, and ask them to look after yours. This includes picking up mail or newspapers. Don’t leave signals that say “no one is home.” Be alert to unusual or suspicious behavior in your community. Call the Austin Police Department if warranted. Write down descriptions of suspicious persons and vehicles involved. Remember, your job is to report crime. The responsibility for apprehending criminals belongs to the Police. Above all, get involved. It is the most effective way to reduce or prevent crime and make your community safe. REMEMBER: You do not have to have an Austin Police official present to have a meeting. The success of your Crime Watch program relies solely on you and your neighbors. The District Representative’s Office will help support your program in any manner it can. There are videos and materials available on different topics at the District Representative’s Office to help you with your meetings and programs, including: 1. Stranger Danger 2. Drug Awareness 3. Gang Awareness 4. Domestic Violence 5. Senior Citizens Safety 6. 911

7. Gun Safety 8. Alcohol Awareness 9. Home Safety 10. Burglary Prevention 11. Sexual Abuse 12. Theft Prevention

13. Car-jacking 14. Telephone Fraud 15. Conflict Resolution 16. Operation I.D.

NEIGHBORHOOD CRIME WATCH ACTIVITIES The following are some of the kinds of programs and activities that may be incorporated in your Crime Watch cell. Just think of how beneficial they would be for your own community. 1.

Compose and distribute a local Crime Watch newsletter throughout your community to keep your friends and neighbors updated on crime trends, prevention tips, or any other information you would like to make available. Your District Representative is available to assist you with ideas and information, if needed.

2.

Have a home security survey performed on your house, to help detect and prevent your home from being burglarized. Upon successful completion of a survey, you may be entitled to a home owners insurance discount. To have a survey done, contact the District Representative’s Office at 512-974-DTAC(3822).

3.

Welcome new members in your community and encourage them to join the Crime Watch cell.

4.

Set up a special watch or escort for senior citizens or other potential victims.

5.

Develop a Vacation Watch program to keep an eye on your neighbors home, when they are away for any extended period of time.

6.

Place a special reflective sticker or some other kind of identifier on your personal vehicles to identify yourself as a member of your Crime Watch cell. This will also help your neighbors better recognize you as a “friend” who belongs in the community.

7.

Contact the local newspaper or media for public attention regarding the crime prevention efforts in your community.

8.

Post Neighborhood Crime Watch signs on street corners and other conspicuous locations, letting the would-be criminals know that your community is an active Crime Watch cell and that they are being watched.

9.

Participate in filling out a Personal Property Inventory Booklet and mark your valuables, so they can be more easily recovered, if stolen.

10.

Start a neighborhood patrol in your community.

11.

Get to know your community. You should know things such as who lives where, what vehicles belong to which house, work schedules of the families, etc.

12.

Remember . . . the criminals are counting on you having a complacent and uncaring attitude about your neighbors and friends. If you show them that you care about your community and are watching out for it, the bad guys will go somewhere else for an easier target.

REPORTING SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITIES WHAT IS A SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY? A suspicious activity is an event taking place that is out of the ordinary or should not be occurring. Knowing your neighbors, their habits, and the composition of their households will make it easier to recognize and report any suspicious activities occurring in your community. HOW TO OBTAIN A SUSPICIOUS PERSON’S DESCRIPTION When describing a suspicious person or suspect, you need to be as complete and detailed as possible. Each time you list a different identifier, you will greatly narrow down the pool of possible suspects. Ideally, a person should be described as follows: 1. NAME

Always give the person’s name, if known.

2. RACE

White, Black, Hispanic, Asian.

3. SEX

Male or Female.

4. AGE

Use their date of birth or estimate age as close as you can. If you cannot guess a number for age, use terms such as: Teenager, Middle aged, etc.

5, HEIGHT

Estimate suspect’s height by comparing him/her to yourself or someone you know. Use terms such as: Tall, short, average, etc.

6. WEIGHT

Estimate suspect’s weight by comparing him/her to yourself or someone you know. Use terms such as: Heavy, thin, average, muscular, etc.

7. HAIR

Note the color of the hair, its length, hair style, and any headgear worn. Also note any facial hair, if worn.

8. EYES

Note the color of the eyes and any characteristics such as: Bloodshot, watery, etc. Note if the person is wearing any type of eyeglasses or sunglasses.

9. CLOTHES

Note the color, type, style, condition of the suspect’s shirt, pants, coat, shoes, etc. Note if the suspect wearing any jewelry and what type.

10. MARKS

Note if there are any scars, tattoos, amputations, deformities, etc., as well as their location.

HOW TO OBTAIN A VEHICLE’S DESCRIPTION When you observe a suspicious vehicle in your community, it is very important that you obtain the BEST DESCRIPTION of that vehicle. You must be as accurate as you can in describing the vehicle, so the Austin Police Department will be able to locate it and the suspicious person(s) involved. You can remember a vehicle description by learning the word CYMBAL. Associate each letter of this word with these values: C = color Y = year M = make B = body style And L = license plate

EXAMPLE:

C = red Y = late 80’s M = Ford B = 4 door passenger car L = TEXAS 123ABC

COLOR

Try to be as specific as you can regarding the color. EXAMPLE: If you see a car that is red in color and you know it is the shade of “Fire Engine Red”, make a note of it. Also describe any two-tone or multi-colored vehicles as best you can.

YEAR

If you don’t know the exact year model of the vehicle, estimate as best you can.

MAKE

What is the brand of the vehicle? Ford, Chevy, Dodge, etc.

BODY STYLE

Note if the vehicle is a pickup, passenger car (sedan, station wagon, etc.) or van. Note the number of doors (2 door, 4 door)

LICENSE PLATE

This is the most important information needed for the vehicle. You should write down the plate number before anything else. If you cannot get the whole number, a portion of it is better than none at all. Also be sure to write down what state the plate is issued from.

ACCESSORIES

Note if the vehicle is equipped with any accessories such as: Running boards, toolbox, under/over sized tires, tinted windows, etc.

HOW TO REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY: Upon observing a suspicious person or vehicle: A. Write down all the available information possible in a booklet. B. Is the person/vehicle posing an immediate threat or involved in a crime in progress? If YES. . . . Contact the Austin Police Department immediately by dialing 911. If NO. . . . . Determine whether or not an officer needs to be sent to the scene. If YES . . . . Contact local law enforcement by calling the non-emergency number. (311) 1. Give your name and identify yourself as a member of your Crime Watch cell. 2. Give all the necessary information to the dispatcher. 3. Keep a watch on the suspicious activity if possible and update the dispatcher on any changes of the situation. If NO. . . . Utilize your notes booklet to obtain all the necessary information and forward it to your Block Captain, who will send it to the District Representative’s Office. This information will be cross-referenced through the computer system to determine if the person or vehicle has been previously reported by another Crime Watch cell or law enforcement officer. If the person or vehicle has been previously reported, it may be further investigated to determine if said subject is involved in any potential criminal activity. Your information may not always turn out to effect an arrest, but do not get discouraged: You might be the key factor in solving a string of burglaries or some other criminal conduct. WHEN DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT TO CALL THE AUSTIN POLICE REMEMBER . . .

WHEN IN DOUBT, CALL IT IN UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE SHOULD YOU TAKE ANY PERSONAL RISKS OR ATTEMPT TO APPREHEND A PERSON WHO IS COMMITTING A CRIME. YOU WILL BE OF MOST VALUE AS A GOOD WITNESS.

AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT CRIME WATCH FAMILY DATA SHEET

Adult Male:

Adult Female:

Address:

Phone:

Child 1:

Age:

School:

Child 2:

Age:

School:

Child 3:

Age:

School:

Child 4:

Age:

School:

Other Occupants: VEHICLES License Plate #

Year

Make

Body Style

His Employment:

Phone:

Hours:

Days Off:

Her Employment:

Phone:

Hours:

Days Off:

Emergency Contact:

Address:

Home Phone:

Work Phone:

MEDICAL OR HEALTH PROBLEMS: Name:

Condition:

Name:

Condition:

Name:

Condition:

Special Training / Skills:

Color

BURGLARY/THEFT PREVENTION TIPS 1.

Display your house number where it can be easily seen from the street during the day or night.

2.

Keep all shrubs and bushes trimmed (especially around doors/windows) to deny the burglar a hiding place.

3.

Replace all locks when moving into a new home.

4.

Use your locks!!! An unlocked lock is not a lock. Habitually close and lock all doors, windows, and garage doors at night or when you are away. Dead bolts are recommended for exterior doors.

5.

Do not hide keys in obvious areas, such as under the door mat or on top of the door frame.

6.

Keep your yard clean from small portable items such as tools, bicycles, etc.

7.

Alter your daily routine occasionally, to confuse any would-be burglar who may be watching your home.

8.

Use adequate lighting for your home. Using a timer on interior lights is recommended. Exterior lighting is also recommended.

9.

If you are going away for awhile, have someone pick up your mail and newspapers or have a stop put on them by the post office.

10.

Install solid core doors with rugged frames on all exterior doors.

11.

Engrave or mark all your valuables and keep a record of them in a safe place.

CAPITAL AREA CRIME STOPPERS MISSION The mission of Capital Area Crime Stoppers, Inc. is to assist area law enforcement agencies in the fight against crime in the City of Austin and Travis County. HISTORY The very first Crime Stoppers program began operation on September 8, 1976 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. By mid 1977, Albuquerque could see a significant increase in its case clearance rate of violent crimes; as well as a decrease in their rate of occurrence. In June of 1979, Austin recognized the value of such a program. Joe Jerkins, then General Manager of KVUE-24 Television, approached Austin Police Chief Frank Dyson who not only supported the idea, but immediately assigned then Sgt. George Vanderhule to begin studying the program's effectiveness in other communities. Jerkins then approached the Austin Chamber of Commerce President Bill Archer, and received the Chamber's support and endorsement. Soon after, a civilian Crime Stoppers Board of Directors was established and Austin Crime Stoppers, Inc. was chartered as a non-profit tax exempt corporation. Official operations began on October 30, 1979. Now called Capital Area Crime Stoppers to better reflect the area we service, the program offers cash rewards and anonymity to citizens who utilize the tips hotline to report information on criminal activity. If the tip leads to an arrest or charges filed, the caller may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000. OVERVIEW Capital Area Crime Stoppers, Inc. continues to be successful because it is a grassroots community action program involving citizens, media, and law enforcement - all working together to solve serious felony crimes. It encourages citizen involvement in making our community a safer place in which to work and live. Together we are making a difference! The organization is maintained by three entities: 1. The Media: Responsible for featuring the "Crime of the Week" and the "Most Wanted" in order to generate tips from their audiences. Also, the media promotes upcoming special events and fund-raising activities. 2. The Law Enforcement: Responsible for responding and following up on the tips received through the hotline. 3. The Community: Represented by a volunteer Board of Directors. Responsible for overseeing the operation and administration of funds for the program. REVENUE GENERATION Capital Area Crime Stoppers, Inc. is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization. The funds needed to operate the program are generated by individual and corporate donations. In addition, Capital Area Crime Stoppers, Inc. is involved in various fund-raising events such as Fight Back Austin, a multi-media publicity campaign. RESULTS Since it began in Austin in 1979, Crime Stoppers has assisted law enforcement agencies in solving more than 9,100 crimes, recovering more than $32,500,000 in stolen property and narcotics, and paid almost 925,000 in rewards. Each day of operation, a felony case is cleared. One a day. Every day.

Capital Area Crime Stoppers, Inc. P.O. Box 5841 Austin, TX 78768 www.austincrimestoppers.org

Telephone: Administrative - 512-452-5223 TIPS Hotline - 512-472-TIPS (8477) OR 1-800-893-TIPS (8477) Fax Number - 512-452-4262

WHO BENEFITS? THE COMMUNITY: All citizens benefit. There is a greater awareness of crime in the community and stronger contributions in solving crime, making Austin and Travis County a safer place to live.

THE POLICE: Communications between law enforcement officials and the community working in cooperation with the Crime Stoppers program.

THE MEDIA: Better media relations and cooperation between the police and community.

EVERYONE BENEFITS EXCEPT THE CRIMINALS!!!

Capital Area Crime Stoppers Hotline 1-512-472-TIPS (8477)