The neighborhood alert is a way for neighbors to communicate with each other quickly when something suspicious is going on. It’s best to choose a hard-to-forget vanity number that your community members can recall in a flash so they can call in and report things like a stranger entering a neighbor’s home, someone looking into cars or removing parts or gas from them, a car cruising slowly back and forth on the street, breaking glass and other unusual sounds or activity.
Neighborhood watch groups are organized communities that work closely with local law enforcement to prevent crime in their areas. They also provide educational programs and social activities for the community. One example of a successful neighborhood watch program is the Alice Springs Hospital in Australia, which developed a “Watch” program for and around its facility to help control theft and other illicit activity.
Residents can participate by reporting suspicious behavior to the police or by joining a neighborhood watch group. The group can monitor activity and communicate with other neighborhood residents through a website or by phone or text messages. A popular and convenient method is to use a community app such as DialMyCalls, which allows the neighborhood to send out an emergency alert in seconds to everyone.
A common way to keep a neighborhood on guard is for neighbors to let each other know when they will be out of town for an extended period of time. The neighbor can dial into the community’s vanity number and leave a message telling who will be watching the house, and when. Putting interior lights on timers is another simple way for homeowners to make their homes look occupied when they’re away.
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