Home Watch
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Home Watch is one of the best examples of how the police and community can work together to prevent crime. It involves a group of residents getting together to make their neighbourhoods a better and safer place to live. Home Watch, known in some areas as Neighbourhood Watch, is the largest voluntary organisation with 10 million schemes nationally covering an estimated 100,000 households. In Greater Manchester, we have over 5,000 schemes registered.
Home Watch schemes can:
- Help reduce crime and the fear of crime
- Bring a community together as never before
- Encourage people to share crime prevention advice and activities
- Build a two way communication with the police
- Improve the quality of life in their neighbourhood
- Help residents feel more secure in their own homes, particularly the elderly and vulnerable, by reducing the fear of crime knowing that neighbours and friends are nearby keeping an eye out for them.
They are community initiatives that are supported by the police but are owned and run by their members. Each scheme is run in a way that best suits the needs of the members, this can be as formal or informal as the members decide. The coordinator will receive information from the watch scheme administrator to share with scheme members, and the neighbourhood policing team will be on hand to deal with any crime and disorder issues.
How do I set up a Home Watch scheme?
Consult with your neighbours to determine the possible interest in your area.
- Appoint a local co-ordinator - they provides the link between the police, other partner agencies and the members of their scheme.
- Arrange a launch meeting. The Watch Scheme Administrator will lead on this and very often is supported by the Neighbourhood policing team. This meeting will explain how Home Watch works and provide advice.
Contact your local Neighbourhood Policing Team to find out where your nearest Home Watch scheme is.
The Neighbourhood and Home Watch Network
This group of Regional Neighbourhood & Home Watch representatives meets at national level from across England & Wales. The network represents all Home Watch & Neighbourhood Watch members across England & Wales. It is the body which engages with the Home Office and other parties on the National Strategy Group for Watch Issues, at the strategic level.
The National Neighbourhood & Home Watch website has lots of up to date information and ideas, as well as links to other Neighbourhood/Home Watch organisations, training kits, and crime prevention advice.
