Neighbourhood Watch

Neighbourhood Watch schemes work on the principle that local communities are more aware than anyone else of what is happening in their community.

Residents work with the the Police via a computerised message passing system, called Ringmaster, to warn or seek advice about local crime.

Good schemes encourage the community to:

Care about each other and the safety of the community
Establish a good liaison with the Police and other agencies
Help to improve the local environment
Work together

Schemes can be very individual and need to be approached quite differently. For example, it may depend on the geography of the area, the type of people living there, their lifestyles and how much they are prepared to commit to their own scheme. In some areas an entire road will be involved, in others one or two householders work hard at their schemes and try to recruit others.

The main guidelines are that the community informs the Police about crime and any concerns or suspicions relevant to their area. The Police will inform members of crime in their area, and provide information on how to protect their own and their neighbours' property.

Once a scheme is set up, then it may be steered in a variety of ways by the co-ordinators and members. The scheme may be run on its own, or be incorporated into a residents' association, dealing with wider issues. Many schemes regularly hold events such as summer barbecues and supervised fireworks parties.

People of all ages are welcome, and this helps to pull the community together even more. Youngsters are encouraged to become involved in distributing messages, and being aware of situations when playing out. Older people feel safer in their homes knowing that the people around them care. People at home all day can keep their eyes and ears open, whilst those at work can contribute through the use of photocopying facilities for example.

It is worth remembering that it costs nothing to join Neighbourhood Watch in the Borough of Bracknell Forest. In fact, you could save money through reduced household contents insurance. The time involved is up to you, but on a basic level, a co-ordinator should expect to spend about 10 minutes a week, whilst a member uses less time than that. However, Neighbourhood Watch can be effective against household burglaries and related neighbourhood crime.

If you are interested in finding out more, including Car Park and Senior Watch (dealing with Bogus callers), then contact the Watch Administrator on 01344 823488, who will either visit you without obligation, or put you in touch with your local scheme co-ordinator.

For more information, please see the National Neighbourhood Watch Association website.