The Neighborhood Watch Program was created for citizens to work with local law enforcement officers to detect and prevent crimes in their neighborhood.  To start a group:

  1. Call the Escambia Sheriff’s Office, Community Orientated Policing Unit at 436-9494 to schedule a time to have a representative come to your neighborhood to set up the program and to provide necessary training for the members.
  2. Locate a meeting location for your first meeting and distribute flyers to the meeting to every household in the neighborhood – including people who may be creating problems. This will alert them that neighbors will be working with law enforcement to reduce crime in the neighborhood.
  3. Sign up members to participate in the program. All members are required to have a background check.
  4. Select a captain to act as the liaison between your members and the Escambia Sheriff’s Office.

 

Watch for Suspicious Behavior in Your Neighborhood – activity that does not fit the norm of your neighborhood.  For example: a strange vehicle in the area.

Have a list of homeowners and/or renters.
Have a system in place informing your Neighborhood Watch chairman when homeowners are on vacation.
Have a list of people who are known criminals.

Ways to observe Suspicious Activities
Home Observations - Everyone can observe their neighbor's yards to make sure nothing out of the ordary is taking place
Automobile Observations - This allows you to cover a much larger area
Walking Observations: Set up a schedule with watch members to walk through your neighborhood.

To find out more about the Neighborhood Watch program, or to start one for your neighborhood call
 (850) 436-9494