Neighborhood Watch typically begins with an organizing meeting in the home of a neighborhood sponsor. Public Affairs Officers provide information on how to make individual homes harder for burglars to break into; in crime prevention this is called, "target hardening."

The Officers also discuss when and how to call the police:

• What kind of activities should be reported as suspicious?
• What kind of information will Police Dispatchers need to make sure officers are prepared to recognize suspicious people when they approach or arrive in the neighborhood in response to a call?

Finally, the Officers discuss how to build a sense of community so neighbors come to know each other and can look out for each other. The community learns how to maintain the neighborhood so that visitors know that the residents care about what happens there.

When you have that sense of community, as the Neighborhood Watch signs say, "Suspicious activities will be reported to the Police."

For more information on Neighborhood Watch:  https://staysafe.org/starting-and-growing-a-neighborhood-watch/

For more information about sponsoring a Neighborhood Watch in your City of Yuma neighborhood, contact (928) 373-5000.