Warwickshire Police recognises that Neighbourhood Watch schemes play a vital and important role in preventing crime and helps people feel more secure in their community. As a consequence we offer our full support to the movement.

In Warwickshire there are over 5,000 Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators with a membership exceeding 50,000 residents.

Neighbourhood Watch is one of the biggest and most successful crime prevention initiatives ever and the largest voluntary organisation in the country.

Getting together with your neighbours can prevent local crime and well-run schemes have big opportunities for crime.

• NHW can reassure those who live in fear of crime.
• Your neighbourhood is likely to be safer, friendlier, and a more attractive place when a scheme is working for you.
• NHW is an ideal way of targeting a particular problem in an area, such a burglary and car crime.
• NHW can rekindle community spirit and is a great way to get to know your neighbour.

How Neighbourhood Watch Schemes work

One of the best things about NHW is the flexibility of it. Schemes can be tailored to suit your local community needs.

The numbers of homes involved in a scheme can vary considerably. A scheme can consist of 10-15 homes, a complete block of flats, sheltered accommodation or just a couple of houses.

An easy to manage scheme for one co ordinator to look after would be between 10-15 homes. If the numbers are more than this we would recommend that scheme has additional co-ordinators.

Each scheme is a community initiative supported by the police not run by them.

The National Neighbourhood & Home Watch website contains useful information.

Website: www.mynhw.co.uk/