The Ventura Police Department (VPD) encourages residents to take an active role in crime prevention, reduction, and reporting by starting a Neighborhood Watch group.
The Ventura Police Neighborhood Watch Program is a crime prevention effort that relies on an active partnership between residents and the officers who patrol those neighborhoods. The goal of the program is to reduce crime through education, increased neighborhood reporting, and improved communication among neighbors.
“Many criminals are opportunists,” said Police Chief Darin 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.”
By forming a group and participating in Neighborhood Watch, residents will get to know neighbors who live nearby as well as learn how to:
- Recognize and report crimes and suspicious activities
- Better protect their homes and those of their neighbors
- Identify quality of life concerns and crime in the area and work proactively with VPD staff to solve issues
Neighborhood Watch does not give residents the power to take law enforcement action when observing suspicious activity. The Ventura Police Department does not encourage residents to “patrol” neighborhoods or put themselves at risk. Community members are the extra eyes and ears of the Ventura Police Department and should report suspicious activity.
To learn more about the Neighborhood Watch Program, please visit www.CityofVentura.ca.gov/NeighborhoodWatch.
