The Nature of the Block Watch Program
by David Brian Wahl
by David Brian Wahl
(The following article was written by myself in October 2010 for all Block Watch Captains in Police District 3)
One of the most important things to realize about the Block Watch program is that it is truly a “grassroots effort” in crime prevention. Even though the Block Watch program is endorsed by the Milwaukee Police and other law enforcement agencies, and even though there is a Citywide Block Watch Council and District Block Watch Councils to provide some structure to the program, the fact is that all the real effective actions are done at the local “neighborhood” level. Manned by volunteers from the bottom up, the
program works best when organizedat the local neighborhood level, is runby the residents who live there and is“custom-made” to the neighborhood it serves. So no matter whether a particular block watch group is calleda “Block Watch Association”, a “Neighborhood Watch”, a “Block Club”, a “Neighborhood Non-Profit Association”, a “Landlord Compact” or whatever name, the program operates under the same basic principle: Neighbors are helping their fellow neighbors and the Police to help create a safe environment to live in. It is really that simple. The Block Watch program concept has proven itself nation-wide, over many years, to be one of the most effective crime prevention programs around.
program works best when organizedat the local neighborhood level, is runby the residents who live there and is“custom-made” to the neighborhood it serves. So no matter whether a particular block watch group is calleda “Block Watch Association”, a “Neighborhood Watch”, a “Block Club”, a “Neighborhood Non-Profit Association”, a “Landlord Compact” or whatever name, the program operates under the same basic principle: Neighbors are helping their fellow neighbors and the Police to help create a safe environment to live in. It is really that simple. The Block Watch program concept has proven itself nation-wide, over many years, to be one of the most effective crime prevention programs around.
