Information zone
Neighbourhood Watch
Residents working together to protect their homes, businesses and communities is what Neighbourhood Watch is all about. It operates as a result of members reporting suspicious people and incidents to the police and provides practical steps for householders to tackle problems through crime prevention measures and greater vigilance.
What is Neighbourhood Watch?
Neighbourhood Watch is the largest voluntary organisation in the UK with around six million members. It encourages neighbours to look out for each other and helps residents and the police to guard against crime, vandalism and many other problems in the local community. Through communication and cooperation, neighbours work together to protect their community and report suspicious people and incidents to the police.
Neighbourhood Watch schemes help to develop a greater shared awareness between police and local residents of a community's problems. They also give local people a better understanding of the practical steps that can be taken to tackle problems - either through greater vigilance, or crime prevention measures.
What is OWL?
Online Watch Link (OWL) (Opens in new window) is the system used to circulate messages to Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinators. It replaces the previous “WatchOut” system and was developed in conjunction with Hertfordshire Police. It’s an internet-based service that allows messages to be sent via email, fax and telephone.
Through OWL:
- members who receive messages by e-mail can update their own profiles and records and state how and when they would like to receive messages
- police users can obtain reports and statistics
- users can provide information and intelligence which can then be used by the police
