Start a Neighbourhood Watch

A neighbourhood watch can be a great way for a community to work together to act as each other’s ears and eyes. They can be effective to warn about crime and to minimise security and safety risks through active monitoring and/ or patrolling. It can also grow a sense of collective empowerment for a community and help to build a strong sense of community, which is essential to fight crime.

Before setting up a neighbourhood watch, understand the difference between a community policing forum and a neighbourhood watch. It will help you choose the structure that matches your goals. The key difference between the two is that a neighbourhood watch covers a smaller area – perhaps a few blocks in a suburb - and focuses on neighbours organising to report suspicious and problematic activities, to flag issues and problems for collective action and also to bring these to the attention of local police. Most neighbourhood watches opt for active patrolling in their neighbourhood, looking out for things like unsecured properties, suspicious activity, other crime risks and other problems that need attention. 

A community policing forum (CPF) on the other hand is a legally established body that is set up through the South African Police Service (SAPS). It brings together the police and local community members to improve safety, build trust, and tackle crime together.

How to go about it?

1. Do your homework – Assess the security and safety needs of your neighbourhood and think about what kind of community-driven platform, group or forum will best improve safety in your community.

2. Float your idea – Talk about your idea and plans to neighbours, to other local community groups, and your local police. Consult your local CPF if your community has one. This will help to develop your idea, get people excited about it and make sure they are keen for a watch to be started. Take down contact details of people who show interest so you can start building a strong team of volunteers.  People who are committed to taking up roles and doing their bit will be the lifeblood of keeping an active neighbourhood watch strong.

3. Call a meeting – advertise your meeting widely through other community groups, place notices at your local recreation centres/ libraries/ police station or online on community social pages and WhatsApp groups. Consider distributing pamphlets too. 

4. Be clear on what a neighbourhood watch will do – set out its aims and objectives; outline what neighbours may need to contribute be it time, donations, subscriptions and other costs. Talk about things that might be needed, like police clearance and fingerprinting for patrolling volunteers.

5. Develop a code of conduct – this explains what the watch’s responsibilities are and how members will be expected to behave.   

6. Elect members – like a chairperson, co-ordinator, secretary, communications officer and treasurer. 

7. Have a follow-up meeting with local authorities and police – once you are set-up, meet with your local councillors, other community groups and local police and invite them to your future meetings. Be prepared to attend meetings held by the police and other community policing groups. This strengthens network building and will keep you informed of crime statistics and about what is happening in your neighbourhood. 

8. Set up communication channels – set up WhatsApp groups and have a Facebook page as a way to communicate with your core members and all neighbours who choose to be involved. Consider regular pamphlet drops to update people and to reach more neighbours. 

9. Organise training – if you will be patrolling consider training that will makes members feel more confident and personally secure. This could include basic self-defence or self-protection training and basic first aid. 

10. Set up rosters and start patrolling – Design your rosters for safety first. This might mean joint patrolling or scheduled check-ins with other non-patrolling neighbours. 

11. Keep people motivated – Regular updates and report backs on successes and positive changes in the neighbourhood are important. Focus not just on crimes that have been prevented but on the effects of good neighbourliness and the way having people being visible on the streets helps prevent crime. Consider holding occasional social group patrols to get neighbours to meet each other and get more support. 

12. Consider costs – not all neighbourhood watches do patrols but if you choose to do patrols, either by foot or in vehicles, this will require some equipment and appropriate gear. You need to be highly visible and easily identifiable so you’ll need things like T-shirts, caps or jackets. If possible, try to get things like reflector vests, headlamps, flashing lights for cars and two-way radios. Think about ways to fundraise to get all these things.

13. Consider safety apps - Safety apps that have a “communities” feature allow members to alert emergency contacts, neighbours and emergency responders directly from their phone. Some of the popular apps include  Namola, Buzzer, and Safe Community.

A Neighbourhood Watch is more than just patrols; it's about reclaiming our streets, rebuilding trust, and creating a united front against crime and fear. Change starts on your street — let it start with you!