LA MIRADA NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH PROGRAM
What
is Neighborhood Watch?
Neighborhood
Watch is a crime prevention program that enlists the active participation of
residents in cooperation with law enforcement to reduce crime in La
Mirada. The community’s active
involvement in crime prevention efforts is essential to fighting crime,
protecting property, and ensuring neighborhoods remain safe. The purpose is to create an alert citizenship by teaching
residents simple crime prevention measures, and by providing both general and
specific information concerning crime within a city. Through
the
City’s
Neighborhood
Watch
Program you can help your neighbors reduce crime and maintain La Mirada’s
reputation as one of the safest cities in the region.
Why
do we need it?
Law
enforcement patrols cannot take the place of alert residents. You and your neighbors have the power to
reduce crime and enhance the level of preparedness in La Mirada. Community involvement is essential to combat
crime the most effective way - before it begins. One of the best crime prevention tools is a good neighbor, and
together you can reduce criminal activity and enhance community safety by:
- Sending a strong
message that La Mirada will not tolerate crime.
- Combating illegal
activity by reporting it to law enforcement officials.
- Developing strong
relationships in our neighborhoods to improve home and neighborhood
security.
- Practicing personal
safety techniques.
- Participating in
communitywide crime prevention and safety activities.
What
does it involve?
Crime
prevention is a job for you and your neighbors because you are the best people
to do it. You are encouraged to develop
relationships in your neighborhood. You
and your neighbors can work together in a program of mutual assistance by
organizing groups, holding regular neighborhood meetings, and distributing the
monthly Neighborhood Watch newsletter.
- Neighborhood Watch does
not require frequent meetings.
- Neighborhood Watch does
not ask anyone to take any personal risk to prevent crime.
- Neighborhood Watch
leaves the responsibility of apprehending criminals where it belongs—with
law enforcement personnel.
How
do I get involved?
It’s
simple:
- Use your eyes and
ears and then your telephone.
- If you spot something
suspicious, call law enforcement immediately.
- To join a
Neighborhood Watch group, contact the Community Sheriff’s Station at (562)
902-2960.
HOW
TO START A LA MIRADA NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH PROGRAM
Begin
with these five fundamental steps to start and maintain an effective
Neighborhood Watch Program:
1.
First, if a current group on your block does not exist, gather a group of
neighbors who are interested in partnering with each other to keep the neighborhood
safe.
2.
The second step is to decide when, where and how often your Neighborhood Watch
group will meet. Periodic meetings help keep volunteers motivated and
organized. Without motivation and organization, volunteers may be uninspired to
participate and quit out of frustration.
3.
The third step is to build a partnership between law enforcement personnel and
residents with the help of the Neighborhood Watch Program.
4.
Next assess the needs of a given neighborhood.
Effective Neighborhood Watch programs collectively determine the public
safety issues of the neighborhood and works toward addressing them.
5.
The fifth and final step is to develop meaningful projects. Often, after a Neighborhood Watch has
addressed its original issue, members lose interest. It is important for the
group members to remain enthusiastic.
One way to accomplish this is to create and embark upon new projects so
that there is always a goal towards which the team is aspiring.
Even
with all of these steps in place, success does not happen overnight. Creating truly effective Neighborhood Watch
programs takes patience, planning, and enthusiasm. Since studies show that once
a Neighborhood Watch Program deteriorates, criminals notice and quickly resume
illegal activities, there is certainly motivation to strive towards success.
For
more information on the City’s Neighborhood Watch and Emergency Preparedness
program, please contact the Community Sheriff’s Station at (562) 902-2960.
