If you make a conscious choice to take action when needed for the protection of people and property, doing Crime Watch is about these three things:
- Being willing to call 9-1-1.
- Being observant.
- Being in communication.
Being In Communication
This is about the third Crime Watch fundamental, being in communication. In other posts we have covered the two other fundamentals, being willing to call 9-1-1 and being observant. You can review that info in the L Streets News Crime Watch Tips Archive:
Most of us have to work at being good active communicators, however if the goal is something like safety for ourselves and others it may be a bit easier for us to do. Here are some things that may help you be a better and more active communicator when it comes to Crime Watch:
- Get to know your neighbors that live around you. At least share contact info. Then you can let each other know if something is happening after the 9-1-1 call that you've made.
- Remember that it's not "being nosy" to be familiar with your neighbors' habits and vehicles — instead, it alerts you when something is out of the ordinary.
- Let your neighbors know if you'll be away and the best way to get in touch with you. Remember to make sure they know if someone is dropping by to check up on your place while you're away or house sitting.
- Don't think about it and try to decide if you should make a 9-1-1 call. Just make the call. Don't worry that you're bothering the police or about being wrong if your suspicions turn out to be unfounded. Think about what might happen to people or property if you don't act.
- Social Media like Facebook and Nextdoor L Streets are two ways you can be a be a part of a community that is larger than just the L Streets Neighborhood and at the same time communicate with all that are there participating from the L Streets. Know that sometimes there is a lot of "noise" to filter out and that everyone there has their own opinions and version of things, but social media can be a valuable source of information about what is going on around us.
About getting to know your neighbors. That may be easier said than done. If it is difficult for you it may help to think of it in another way, "If my barn is on fire I don't care who helps me put it out." Now our L Streets "barn" is not on fire, but hopefully you get the gist of that sentiment. The Crime Watch version could be, "If a criminal is after me or my property I don't care who calls 9-1-1."
