THE NEIGHBRHOOD WATCH PROGRAM

·         Creates a greater sense of security, well-being, and reduction in fear of crime

·         Reduces the risk of being a crime victim

·         Trains you how to observe and report suspicious activities

·         Helps you get to know your neighbors and their regular patterns so you know when something is unusual

·         Provides greater access to information on criminal activity

·         Provides on-going training on how to protect yourself

·         Addresses issues of mutual interest by getting together with your neighbors on a regular basis

·         Tells criminals that; (a) you are not an easy target, (b) they are probably being watched, and (c) you have taken steps to deter crime in your neighborhood

The Westbury NWP is alive and going. Many of our residents are already getting involved and are participating in the program. But we are still missing many of our neighbors’ important participation to make this a successful program – “Making Westbury a Safer Community”.  It is very easy for the neighbors to think this is just another NWP that will have no impact in our community. Well, it has been proven of the contrary. Just this week a group of neighbors recognized a suspicious vehicle that matched the description of a suspect that has been invading surrounding areas in Alpharetta. Although this situation turned out to be a false alarm, we learned a lot of how to improve the program and the communication among our neighbors. Some of the lessons learned were:

1.      It is imperative that we have every resident contact information to verify suspicious activity around a resident

2.      We need to have a better and organized process to inform/notify a Block Captain of a suspicious activity in a particular street

3.      Not every situation demands a call to the 911 emergency line

4.      In no way a neighbor should confront a suspect or make the suspect know you are watching him/her

5.      We realized the important of the Block Captain to know and to be familiarized with his neighbors

6.      How important is to train our residents on how to make this program a success

For these reasons we have decided to distribute this NWP update to inform and train our neighbors on how this program will work going forward. First we like to start with the following areas:

Reporting a Crime or Suspicious Activities:

1. Determine if it is an Emergency

·         Emergencies require IMMEDIATE police/fire/ambulance response such as a life or death situation or property is in the process of being stolen or jeopardized

·         If it is NOT an emergency, contact your Block Captain first to inform him/her of the suspicious activity on your block

·         If it IS an emergency, call 911

2. Be ready to inform your Block Captain or the police with proper information

·         You need to inform the; WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, and WHO

·         How and Why are very important, but many times you don't know the answers

Ø      WHAT? Be specific as possible about WHAT is happening

Ø      WHEN? Is it happening NOW? Is it about to happen? How long ago did it happen?

Ø      WHERE? Give specific address and directions to help the responders find the incident quickly

Ø      WHO? Provide quick descriptions of who is involved

 Tips on How to Observe:

1. Knowledge

By knowing who belongs in our neighborhood, their hours of work, and their automobiles, you can observe what is happening and become suspicious of anything that does not fit your neighbor's habits.

2. Secrecy

Observe as secretly as possible. Do not make the suspicious person aware that you are watching them. Look out for your neighbors and be the eyes and ears of our police. Remember, you are the eyes and ears, not the strong arm of the law. DON'T CONFRONT A SUSPECT...call your Block Captain or 911 if it is an emergency.

3. Observe at Home

Determine which locations are best for observing normal and suspicious activity. Ideal locations are upstairs windows, windows that face the street, and windows that allow you to observe your neighbors areas.

4. Observe on Foot

Observe your surroundings as you walk, job, or take your pets for a walk. Be alert to anything unusual taking place in the neighborhood.

5. Observe in your Vehicle

This takes you further from home and you must rely on your knowledge of suspicious activities and sounds. Be prepared to contact your Block Captain or the police if you recognize anything suspicious.

6. Be Prepared

Have binoculars, cell phone, flashlight, paper and pen readily available.

7. At Night

When observing at night, don't look directly at what you are observing. Look to the side, above, or below the subject and your vision will be clearer than looking directly at the subject.

8. Trust your Judgment

Recognize and understand what you are observing. When your instinct tells you something is wrong or about to happen, contact your Block Captain or 911 if it is an emergency - don't hesitate.

9. Notes

Write down immediately what you see, including the time. If you remember something later, add it to your notes. Record the suspect's description and activity, license plate number, description of the vehicle, and other important notes.

10. Practice

You will learn a great deal in your Neighborhood Watch Program. Practice what you learn!

 Recognizing Suspicious Vehicles

An occupied vehicle parked for a long period of time

Possibly casing the neighborhood

A vehicle driving around the property repeatedly

Possibly casing the neighborhood, operating as a point for drug dealing, a sexual offender waiting for their target, or a get-away vehicle

Strange vehicle loaded with valuables

Possibly burglary in progress

Vehicle parked with engine running

Possible get-away vehicle for burglary

Departing from a location at night without lights

Possible burglar, assault violation, or robber

Driving recklessly or committing other serious traffic violations

Possible stolen vehicle or get-away car

Vehicle in unusually bad condition with signs of recent accident, broken windows, or bullet holes

Possibly involved in drive-by shooting or hit and run accident

Business being conducted out of vehicle

Possibly selling stolen articles or drugs

Over-loaded vehicle parked or driving on property

Possible burglar

Persons removing mechanical parts or accessories from vehicle

Possible stolen vehicle

Someone being forced into a vehicle

Possible kidnapping, assault, or attempted rape

Odd property seen in vehicle such as TVs, stereos, weapons

Possible stolen property

Locked vehicle that someone is trying to forcibly enter

Possible theft of vehicle or contents in progress

Older children or adults not from the neighborhood loitering or bicycling randomly or repeatedly without a purposeful destination

Possible theft

REMEMBER, this is a communication channel. NEVER confront a suspect.

We will like to remind our neighbors to please complete the Family Data Sheet delivered with the first communication. If you don’t have a copy, it is also available at the Westbury internet web page - http://westburyhoa.org/nwp.html . It is imperative that every homeowner complete this datasheet and deliver it to the Block Captain as soon as possible. This information will remain private and will only be used to contact the homeowner in the event of an emergency.

Following is the list of current Westbury Block Captains, your first line of communication.

Gabriel Santos

Neighborhood Watch Program Leader

Upper (585 – 660) Sheringham Lane

Jay & Tracy Vorhees

Lower (500 – 580) Sheringham Lane Block Captain

Kat Bertram

Lower (100 – 235) Westbury Lane Block Captain

Block Captain TBD – please contact Gabriel Santos in the meantime

Upper (240 – 345) Westbury Lane Block Captain

Block Captain TBD – please contact Gabriel Santos in the meantime

Hendron Place Block Captain

Todd & Laurie Greenberg

Ballentree/Eastbourne Block Captain

If you are a homeowner of the Upper Westbury Lane or the Hendron Place and you are interested in becoming a Block Captain, please send an email to nwp@westburyhoa.org. Thank you.