We all want to feel safe in our neighborhoods and homes but many factors around safety are out of our control. As our cities adjust to changes in society, there are many things we can do to feel more secure.

How to Build Community to Improve Local Safety

1.  Form a neighborhood watch. 

Neighborhood watch programs have been around since the 1960s and studies show that areas with these groups see a reduction in crime. While organizing a neighborhood watch group may sound overwhelming, the organization runs quite smoothly once in place. Volunteer Street Captains work as liaisons between their neighbors and the neighborhood watch and gather resident information to create contact lists and phone trees to be used when important information needs to be shared. Neighborhood watch signs also serve as a great deterrent to potential criminals entering the area. When they see that neighbors are coming together and reporting unexpected activity on their streets, they realize there is a higher risk of getting caught in the act. 

We are excited to announce that Carey Hughes Homes has recently started a neighborhood watch group in the Murrayhill community. Please message us if you live in the area and would like to be added to our mailing list. A kick-off meeting held in June featured a presentation by the Beaverton Police Department, who listened to our community safety concerns and offered tips to increase personal and property safety. If you would like to explore starting a neighborhood watch group in your area, we would love to share our resources and process with you.

 

2.  Check with your local police department or city about available resources.

Many local policing agencies have programs in place to help reduce property crimes. For example, the Beaverton Police Department (BPD) has a “Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Home Evaluation” where a BPD volunteer will tour your home and offer suggestions to make your home and property more secure. There is also a Beaverton Police Security Camera Registration project for community members who have outdoor cameras. This allows officers to contact residents who may have footage that will assist in crime investigations about things like car break-ins and catalytic converter theft.
 
For those looking to feel more connected to their local law enforcement, volunteering is a great way to get to know the officers in your area. Many organizations also offer a “Citizens’ Academy” that allows local residents a chance to see how the police department operates and introduces residents to the different departments and what they are each responsible for investigating. CHH’s Marketing Director, Nicole Baker, participated in both the Beaverton Citizens’ Academy, as well as the F.B.I.’s Citizens’ Academy. “I appreciated how transparent the organizations were about their operations and policies. It gave me a clear understanding of who the contacts were within the departments, and the meetings used exercises and simulations that gave us a taste of what officers face every day.”

 

3.  Get to know your neighbors.

One of the goals of the neighborhood watch program is to get neighbors to interact with each other. By knowing your neighbors, their family members, their cars, etc., you will be better able to recognize unusual activity in the neighborhood. For example, if you know your neighbor’s dog only barks around strangers, a barking pup could be warning you about a crime taking place. It’s also useful to inform neighbors when you are out of town so they can keep an eye on your house to make sure you do not have any unwanted visitors.

While none of us are immune from rising crime rates, we can work with our neighbors and communities to make our areas as safe as possible. Please contact me if you’d like more information about the Murrayhill Neighborhood Watch, or tips for starting your own watch program.