It’s a program which has been around in some communities for some time.
And Ventura Police Department are reviving the idea of a Neighborhood Watch program.
Ventura Police Chief Darin Schindler told KCLU that encouraging residents to take an active role in crime prevention is a way to reduce criminal activity.
He said that the goal of the program is to reduce crime through education, increased neighborhood reporting, and improved communication among neighbors.
“Many criminals are opportunists,” said Schindler. “Neighbors that are willing to communicate and interact with each other are better able to identify and report suspicious activity and safeguard their homes, ultimately preventing criminal activity.”
He added that, Neighborhood Watch does not give residents the power to take law enforcement action when observing suspicious activity, and that community members are the extra eyes and ears of the Ventura Police Department and should report suspicious activity to law enforcement.
To learn more about the Neighborhood Watch Program, please visit www.CityofVentura.ca.gov/NeighborhoodWatch.
