Rochester Crime Watch
Neighbors who know each other, and who are trained to react, make their street inhospitable to crime.
There are many crime watch groups organized throughout Rochester, led by a Block Captain. These small groups consist of people living on one block, one street, or even in just one building.
The most important aspect of any crime watch group is to “Think small.” The link and familiarity, neighbor to neighbor is what makes a crime watch group successful.
An active crime watch team will not completely eliminate crime, but an effective group will deter crime and reduce fear in residents. It is very difficult for a criminal to walk through a strong and alert neighborhood unnoticed.
If you want to start a crime watch group or know if your neighborhood has an existing one, contact Darrel Hildebrant, Rochester Police Crime Prevention Specialist, at 281-6056. All citizens who wish to serve as a Block Captain for a crime watch group must attend a Block Captain Training Class held by the police department and fill out a Background Check form. Valuable information can be found on the Rochester Cop Talk Live website. Check it out to find Crime Prevention Tips and sign up for the free Crime Alert System.
Crime Watch Basics
- Identify the specific crime issues on your street or building
- Establish a telephone network among your neighbors
- Learn to rely on one another when traveling to and from your homes and respond effectively to a signal for help
- Establish procedures for contacting police regarding incidents and how to follow up on these incidents
- Take control of street lighting, trash, shrub trimming and other maintenance issues affecting the street as a whole
- Adopt basic home security measures including adequate outdoor lighting and clearly visible address numbers on buildings
- Learn the skills and attitudes to operate as an organized and empowered crime watch
| Attachment | Size |
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| BackgroundCheck.pdf | 333.8 KB |
