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One of the most effective tools in fighting crime is the active participation of people who want to get involved and who want to do something to reduce crime.
The Neighborhood Crime Watch Program is an attempt to involve you in crime prevention. We will teach you to observe and report any suspicious activities in your neighborhood and call the Sheriff's Office. A deputy will respond and deal with the situation appropriately.
The first step to take is to call our North and Central County offices at 688-3970 or the South County 278-2644, extension 3970 and speak to a member of the Crime Prevention Unit.
One of our deputies will go over all the details and will come to your neighborhood to visit with everyone interested in participating. If you will contact the Crime Prevention Unit, we will make an appointment to visit with your neighbors.
If you see or suspect a crime is taking place call 911 immediately.
If it turns out you are wrong, think of how bad you would feel if you were right and didn't do anything. Suspicious activities are those such as:
- people loitering in front of a house when no one is home
- someone entering a back yard for no apparent reason
- property being removed from a neighbor's house when you know they're not home
- broken windows when you know your neighbor is out of town
- an occupied car parked for an unreasonably long time
- a car driving unusually slow through a school area or park
- anyone engaged in what appears to be a crime
If you will call our office at 688-3970 we will send you a Home Security Checklist. Some quick ideas: good lighting around your house; shrubs which don't obscure windows; deadbolt locks; glass doors secured; garage doors kept closed; valuable engraved with your driver's license number; and if you are on vacation, try to have your house maintain an "occupied" appearance.
Crime Prevention Practitioners are available to meet with homeowners groups to discuss methods for securing their residences. Discussions will involve physical accessibility, lighting, types of locks, types of doors, windows, and alarm systems. Topics will also include proper marking of personal items and security of those items within the home. Request for special topics will also be addressed with proper notification, so that we can develop a program to fit your needs.
One month advance notice is usually required to have a deputy attend meetings.
In the six years since we established the C.O.P. program, it has grown to over 4,200 volunteers and is one of the largest volunteer programs of its kind! Each volunteer patrols his or her own neighborhood and is in constant contact with the Sheriff's Office. When a C.O.P. member sees a crime in progress or some indication that something isn't right (such as a garage or window open when the homeowner is out of town), they immediately call our Office on their cellular telephone we provide. A Deputy is dispatched to handle whatever situation develops. The C.O.P. members also check up on those who are homebound or living alone.
You may already be familiar with Neighborhood Crime Watch program from your community's participation or the signs you see throughout Palm Beach County. Neighborhood Crime Watch is a network of neighbors trained by the Sheriff's Office to spot suspicious activity or suspicious people in their community. It is another way for people to keep an eye on homes in their subdivision or association and to help prevent a crime before it takes place.
As with all our programs, Neighborhood Crime Watch participants are urged to call us immediately if they see suspicious activity in their neighborhood and we will send one of our deputies to investigate the situation further.
Keep Your Home Safe From Crime
What is The Neighborhood Crime Watch Program?
How do I organize a Neghtborhood Crime Watch?
What kind of activity should concern me?
Is there anything I can do right now to make my home safer?
Citizen Observer Patrol
Neighborhood Crime Watch
WHAT IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD CRIME WATCH PROGRAM?
HOW CAN I ORGANIZE A CRIME WATCH PROGRAM?
Can I really prevent my home from being burglarized?
By taking a number of steps you can significantly reduce the odds of being a target of burglary.
I wish to have my house/business checked for proper locks, window latches, etc. Whom do I call?
The crime prevention unit conducts security surveys at no cost. In the north and central part of
Palm Beach County call (561) 688-3970, south county (561) 278-2644 extension 3970.
Even if my house is burglarized I have insurance.
Please don't look at insurance as crime prevention; besides, you will never be able to fully
replace the items lost either in terms of their cost or other sentimental value to you.
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