Neighborhood Watch: What is it?
Neighborhood Watch is a citizen's involvement program where residents, in cooperation with the Bowling Green Police Department, directly participate in the detection and prevention of criminal activity.
Neighborhood Watch is an initiative that:
- Allows neighbors to get to know one another and familiarize themselves with their neighbors' routines so that any out-of-place activity can be reported to the Bowling Green Police and appropriately investigated.
- Teaches residents techniques in order to reduce the risk of being victimized at home and in public, such as safeguarding and security.
- Trains citizens on the importance of recognizing suspicious activity and how to report the activity to the local authority.
- Teaches participants how to make their homes more secure and properly mark and identify their property.
- Involves residents in other aspects within their neighborhood, i.e., issues which can be directed to other city departments.
Neighborhood Watch is not:
- A vigilante group working outside the normal procedures of law enforcement.
- A program designed for participants to take personal risks to prevent crime.
- A 100% guarantee that crime will not occur within the neighborhood.