Neighborhood Watch a Good Tool For Getting Folks Together (Republic, Mo. Class)

 


Here is an example of something Republic residents can register for and make a tangible and positive difference in their neighborhood.

A free Neighborhood Watch Training for residents of the City of Republic begins with a meal at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at the Republic Police Department, 540 Civic Blvd, Republic, Mo. The training runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Officer Roger Stewart will be the class instructor.

The meal will be provided by University of Missouri Extension for those that pre-register.

This training is the first step toward having a Neighborhood Watch on your block.

Registration must be done online at http://extension.missouri.edu. Search for Neighborhood Watch and register your attendance.

Neighborhood Watch is a voluntary civilian program to reduce crime and increase community engagement. Working with the Republic Police Department, citizens learn when and how to report suspicious activities, assist in property identification, conduct home security surveys, and implement home security measures and precautions. 

A Neighborhood Watch program has proven benefits. The risk of crime is reduced because participants are taught to take preventative measures to decrease the likelihood of becoming a victim of crime.

Communication between the neighborhood and the police department is crucial. Part of the Neighborhood Watch program is learning how to identify and report suspicious activity. You will also learn to provide the police with the information that they need to resolve the issue.

Neighborhood Watch Programs are designed to keep participants apprised of trends in criminal activity so that they will be better prepared to prevent it from occurring in their neighborhood.

Criminals know that if a neighborhood has a Neighborhood Watch sign posted, the neighborhood is not an easy target. It is a notice that the neighborhood is organized and does not tolerate criminal activity in the area.

Neighborhood Watch promotes getting to know your neighbors and their patterns. You will learn to be aware of activities that do not fit regular schedules. This means that you can feel more secure about your property when you are away.

Neighborhood watch participants can address other issues that concern their neighborhood or community. Examples could be fire prevention and/or child safety.

Neighborhood Watch teaches citizens how to help themselves by identifying and reporting suspicious activity in their neighborhoods. In addition, it allows citizens to make their neighborhoods safer and improve the quality of life.

All Neighborhood Watches share one foundational idea: that bringing community members together to reestablish control of their neighborhoods promotes an increased quality of life and reduces the crime rate in that area.

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