Crime & Safety

5 Reasons To Participate In A Neighborhood Watch

A Neighborhood Watch not only deters crime but helps build a bond among neighbors.

If your neighborhood is fortunate enough to have a Neighborhood Watch Program, the NationalNeighborhood Watch Institute offer this advice, "Get involved."

Neighborhood Watch groups are a smart way to help protect the safety of your community, noted the institute.

According to the FBI, more than two million burglaries occur in the United States each year, one every 14.6 seconds. And burglaries aren't limited to night-time. The Burglary Prevention Council reports that more than 60 percent of all residential burglaries occurred during daylight hours. 

But not everyone can afford subscription-based home security systems that provide 24-hour monitoring. And local policing efforts are often stretched too thin for routine neighborhood patrols.

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So more neighborhoods are relying on the active participation of residents for crime prevention.

Why form a Neighborhood Watch?

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1. Since most crimes happen in isolation, a Neighborhood Watch team is employed to act as an extra set of eyes and ears when a police presence is not always available. 

2. But a Neighborhood Watch group does more than canvass its community. In most cases, involvement creates an opportunity to get to know those living in your geographical area.

3. A watch helps to open the lines of communication with local police and better overall cooperation among residents in crime prevention efforts. 

4. Participating in a Neighborhood Watch group builds confidence and encourages residents to take an active interest in one another's properties and livelihoods.

5. Most importantly, neighborhoods with active watch groups saw a marked decrease in criminal activity.

Facilitated by the Tampa Police Department, Tampa already has 155 Neighborhood Watch groups. 

However, if your neighborhood doesn't have a watch group, the Tampa Police Department can help you establish one.

Communities, apartment complexes, condominiums and mobile home parks can participate in the Neighborhood Watch program.  The recommended boundaries for a standard Neighborhood Watch Group is six to 15 blocks.

To start a group, contact the Tampa Police Department's neighborhood liaison for your area. 

If you live in west Tampa, the Tampa peninsula or Davis Island, you are in TPD Patrol District 1 and your liaison is Maryanne Hunsbergerat, 813-354-6692.

If you live north of Hillsborough Avenue or in New Tampa, you are in TPD Patrol District 2 and your liaison is Lisa Timmer, 813-931-6541.

If you live south of Hillsborough Avenue and east of the Hillsborough River (East Tampa, Downtown, Channelside, Port of Tampa), you are in TPD Patrol District 3 and your liaison is Rebecca Jones, 813) 242-3867.

A crime prevention officer will contact you and explain the program in detail.  If you are interested in starting a Neighborhood Watch group and becoming a Neighborhood Watch coordinator, the crime prevention officer will meet with you in person at your home and provide you with an application.

Once the application is completed, it will be reviewed and a criminal history check will be conducted. The crime prevention officer will contact you with the results.

To determine if your neighborhood has a watch group, visit the Tampa Policewebsite to see a list of all current Neighborhood Watch groups.


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