Neighborhood Watch

The following article is copied from the Neighborhood Watch handout from the Washington Township Police Department, Community Service Unit, with their permission.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP POLICE
1 McClure Drive - Sewell, New Jersey 08080 - (609) 256-1212

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

Help your police
Protect your neighborhood
Report the unusual - immediately
We can stop them with your help!

Report any unusual or suspicious person, vehicles, or circumstances to the Washington Township Police Department - call 256-1212

How does "Neighborhood Watch" work?

"Neighborhood Watch" is a cooperative effort of the residents and the police to reduce crime in a neighborhood. It operates on the principle of neighbor helping neighbor by keeping an eye on each other's property and possessions and reporting any suspicious activity to the Police.

IMPORTANT
"Neighborhood Watch" does not require that anyone take personal risks to prevent crime but does [require] its residents working side by side to make their neighborhood safer.

There are two phases to the program

1. To make you aware of the many ways a home and property can be made safer, the Community Services Unit will show you various security devices and techniques. These can make your home, possessions and family less likely to be victimized by crime.

2. To make you "alert" to suspicious activity in the neighborhood by:

• Reporting suspicious looking persons
• Jotting down the license numbers of suspicious vehicles cruising the neighborhood.

Awareness and involvement are the key words to the success of "Neighborhood Watch". If all neighbors become involved, and you do your part, you can feel more secure knowing that your neighbors are also doing their part to protect your home and family.

REMEMBER: Be a good neighbor!

Washington Township Neighborhood Watch

Do you want to be a member of a crime fighting team?

Every citizen who cares about the rising crime rate, who realizes that the laws were made for their protection or is concerned about the growing disregard for law and order should be a member of the Washington Township crime fighting team. The Washington Township Police Department has a "Neighborhood Watch" program through the Community Services Unit. It is a real team effort with you and the police working together to prevent and suppress crime.

You can join the Washington Township crime fighting team by using your eyes, ears, and the telephone to keep your police department informed of what you see and hear.

Here is how you can help:

Dial 256-1212 if you see:

1. Strangers or strange vehicles repeatedly circling your home or place of business.
2. Anyone suspiciously removing accessories, license plates, merchandise, clothing or gasoline from a vehicle.
3. A stranger forcibly entering your neighbor's house.
4. Persons entering or leaving a business, home, store or office at unusual hours.
5. Smashed doors or windows in occupied dwellings or stores.
6. Suspicious vehicles parked with the motor running.
7. Strangers suspiciously leaving a vehicle and driving off in another vehicle.
8. Persons publicly displaying weapons.
9. Suspicious persons who peer into windows or try to open them.
10. Suspicious persons who try car doors as they walk by.
11. Strangers carrying household articles, appliances, luggage or other packages out of your neighbor's house.
12. Loiterers in dark or secluded areas.
13. Persons injured or bleeding in need of immediate medical or hospital treatment.
14. Groups of teenagers displaying weapons and preparing to fight.
15. A person abandoning a derelict vehicle on the street.
16. Someone supposedly finds a large sum of money and offers to share it with a passerby.

Dial 256-1212 if you hear:

1. A person screaming
2. The sound of breaking glass
3. Someone trying to gain entrance to your home (or call 911)
4. A call for help or assistance
5. Loud, obscene shouting, indicating a street fight or domestic violence
6. A loud explosion or gunshots
7. A call for help
8. Information or rumors of impending crimes

The person who answers the phone at either 256-1212 or 911 are trained emergency communications personnel and they can have police, fire and EMS respond to any location in Washington Township.

To quickly and efficiently have a response sent to your call, have the following information:

1. Your name, address and telephone number (and callback number if different)
2. Type of crime/incident (what you see and hear)
3. Location of crime/incident
4. Number of persons involved
5. Description of the person(s) involved (ex.: age, height, weight, build, clothing)
6. If weapons are involved or seen
7. Details and circumstances
8. Description of vehicles or license number
9. Direction of fleeing suspects

If asked to remain on the phone by the communications officer, please do unless you would be put in danger.

"Neighborhood Watch"

• It is bringing neighbors into contact with each other, again for a common purpose: to keep our neighborhoods safe
• It has created a spirit of cooperation between the law enforcement officers and the people they serve