NCJ Number
96581
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 53 Issue: 10 Dated: (October 1984) Pages: 19-22
Date Published
1984
Length
4 pages
Annotation
The fundamental element of any successful neighborhood watch program is communication, as illustrated by the program in Mt. Lebanon, Pa.
Abstract
The watch group must be kept informed of events as they occur within its area and must be able to communicate suspicions and observations to the police. When the program is small, involving only 100-200 residences, communication is a comparatively easy task. As the program grows, however, the task becomes more difficult. In Mt. Lebanon, a residential community near Pittsburgh, the police department has organized groups to conform with police reporting areas or computerized grids. This organization allows for quick retrieval of information pertaining to the group that can be disseminated at meetings or as the need becomes apparent. The program began its communication chain with a telephone pyramid calling system. The crime prevention officer calls the group coordinator, who calls the block captains, who relay the message to other members within the group. As the system grows larger, the pyramid calling system becomes less and less effective. Mt. Lebanon's program grew to encompass approximately 9,000 individual homes and apartments; in 1982, the Surveyor 7 computerized telephone calling device became a part of the neighborhood watch program. Surveyor has proved to be an efficient, reliable, and cost-effective method of providing direct communications with citizens. Its uses are unlimited, and it is adaptable to police departments of all sizes. Three illustrations and one table are included.