BECOME INVOLVED!

MAKE AN EFFORT... Become acquainted with your neighbours.  Speak to them about the Neighbourhood Watch program.

How to Join a Watch

  1. Does your neighbourhood have a Watch?  Contact the Chairman of the Oromocto West Neighbourhood Watch at 506-446-4211 and inquire.
  2. The Chairman can tell you if there is a Watch for your neighbourhood and provide the name and phone number of the Area Coordinator.
  3. Call the Area Coordinator offering your services.

Forming a Watch...

How to start:

Contact the Chairman of the Oromocto West Neighbourhood Watch to receive an information package.

  1. Distribute the pamphlets that explain the proram to your neighbours.  Talk to them and see if they are interested in forming a Watch.
  2. Book a meeting (in coordination with the Chairman at a church or home.  Invite your neighbours.  At this meeting, your neighbours will have an overview of the Oromocto West Neighbourhood Watch program presented by the Chairman and an opportunity to ask questions.

What is needed for a successful watch:

The key elements of a successful Neighbourhood Watch are:

  1. Volunteers.  You will need a Zone Captain.
  2. Neighbourhhod occupants: participation within a Watch usually consists of neighbourhood homes, some Watches may be bigger or smaller, depending on the neighbourhood.
  3. A Watch is divided into zones to make communication easier.  Each zone will encompass approximately 7-10 homes and have a Captain and Co-captain.

Roles and Responsibilities

Outlined below are the specific duties of the Area Coodinator, Zone Captain, Co-captain and Occupant.  It is always important to remind residents to call the police if there is any evidence of theft or vandalism on their property no matter how minor.

Area Coordinator

  1. Receive and log information from Zone Captains/Co-captains.  Communicate relevant information received to other Zone Captains and Co-captains.
  2. Circulate newsletters each year to maintain interest.  There will be newsletters issued annually under the Oromocto West program that can be distributed.  Information from the newsletters can be incorporated into your own Watch’s newsletter. Some Watches also produce newsletters that are entirely their own content.
  3. Keep Captain and Co-captain lists up-to-date with the Chairman of the Oromocto West Neighbourhood Watch.

Zone Captain

  1. Communicates with neighbours in your zone to become familiar with usual house patterns, for example:
    • Coming and going
    • People at home during the day
    • When away
    • Lights left on, etc.
  2. Report information received from homeowners to Area Coordinator
  3. Communicate relevant information to occupants in the zone.

Encourage new neighbours to become involved with the Watch.

Co-captain

  1. Backup for the Captain
  2. A second phone contact in case of emergency.

Occupant

  1. Know general house patterns of neighbours, particularly in the immediate zone.
  2. Report suspicious events as they are happening; first to police, dial 911; and then the Zone Captain.
  3. You can be a good neighbour by getting involved and by being aware.  Report unusual or suspicious events to the police immediately and then to the Area Coordinator of your Watch.

Be a good neighbour...

As members of the community, we are all responsible for its protection.  Safety does not end at a property line!  If your neighbours are away and you see any obvious invitations to a burglar, do something to correct the situation.  For example:

  1. Close the garage door
  2. Pick up the mail and papers
  3. Remove snow from the driveway and footpaths
  4. Mow the lawns
  5. Park your second car in the driveway

REMEMBER...always promptly report any suspicious activity, suspicious person, or suspicious vehicle to the local police.

How to contact the Oromocto West Neighbourhood Watch:

Contact:
Melvin Vance, Chairman
Phone: 446-4211