What is Neighbourhood Watch?

Neighbourhood Watch is one of the most successful crime prevention initiatives in the UK. It has been built on the simple principle of members of the public working together along with the police to combat and reduce crime within the community.

Neighbourhood Watch not only works towards reducing burglary and car crime, it is also about creating communities who care and look out for each other. Not only does it bring neighbours together for a common aim, but it can make a genuine contribution to improving their lives. The activity of Watch members can create a new community spirit and a belief in the community’s ability to tackle and solve their own problems.

Neighbourhood Watch schemes also help the community to keep a check on people in the neighbourhood who are more vulnerable; Children and young people, the elderly and the frail. The police, local councils and other community and voluntary organisations all support Neighbourhood Watch.

How does it work?

Every one who joins a Neighbourhood Watch scheme plays an important part in making their neighbourhood a more safer, friendly and pleasant place to live. One of the most important things scheme members do is to look out for activity in the neighbourhood that seems suspicious or unusual and then report it to the police.