 | Officer Heather Frazier
is a five-year veteran of the Wichita Police Department. She is currently assigned to the Community Affairs Section as the Neighborhood Watch Coordinator. Prior to filling this position, Officer Frazier served as a second shift Patrol Officer in the Patrol North Bureau. Officer Frazier is actively involved in many events and organizations that promote children. She and her husband (who is also a police officer) enjoy spending their free time with their two dogs Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson. You may contact Officer Frazier at (316) 268-4101. |
Wichita Police Department
2003-02-01 08:16:00
Neighborhood watch
ANSWER: Neighborhood Watch is a crime prevention program, which enlists the active participation of citizens in cooperation with law enforcement to reduce crime in their communities.There cannot be a law enforcement officer on every corner, so citizen involvement is essential to combat crime. Neighbors know best what is normal in their neighborhood, so they are usually the first to notice when something is out of place. Working together they can help fight crime before it begins. How can you start a neighborhood watch?The first thing you need to do is talk to your neighbors and make sure they are interested. Gather information from those interested and start a block map and a phone tree (explained below). The next step is to call the Wichita Police Department Neighborhood Watch Coordinator at 268-4101 and set a time and place for your first meeting. Your meeting can be held in a variety of places, just make sure the accommodations are suitable for your group. Examples of meeting places include living rooms, yards, local police substations or libraries. I have found that meetings held in the neighborhood with at least two weeks notice, and a reminder in writing by phone or a sign in the area, are the most successful. The first meeting is primarily a gathering to share information about your neighborhood and the people who live there. Frequently the Community Policing Beat Coordinator and the Neighborhood Watch Coordinator will be present to hand brochures and explain crime prevention programs. This is the time to begin thinking about things you can do to improve the safety of your neighborhood. Every block needs at least one Captain to help keep things organized and receive a mailer approximately twice a year. Block map This is a map of the area of your Neighborhood Watch. It helps by giving a visual perspective, and can be especially helpful in neighborhoods that have a lot of courts and circles, or few entrances or exits. Phone treeThis is simply a list of neighbors and their phone numbers. Be sure to include work and cell phone numbers. The phone tree is utilized when someone wants, or needs, to get information out to the entire Watch quickly. The first person calls two houses or until they get a hold of a person, not an answering machine, then the next person continues until the information is out to everyone.What do block watchers need to do?Block watchers need to look out for one another. Now that you know your neighbors they are also your friends, and friends keep each other safe.Everyone needs to report suspicious activity such as cars in the area driving slow, or repeatedly, down your street; they could be casing the neighborhood. It is a good idea to let your neighbors know when you are going out of town and give them an emergency contact number. There are burglars that will first knock to see if someone is home then kick the door in. When you hear loud sudden noises look around for a few minutes. Most burglaries happen during the day, and average less than three minutes. Your job is to report crime, leave the apprehension of the criminals to law enforcement officers. Here are a few helpful web sites: http://www.wichitapolice.com/, USAonwatch.org, and NATW.org
