What is Neighborhood Crime Watch?
Neighborhood Crime Watch (NCW) is a partnership between residents and law enforcement to improve safety and prevent crime.
What you can learn with NCW:
- Who your neighbors are and how to work with them.
- How to use a neighborhood map and roster to communicate. How and why crime happens.
- How to improve home security and personal safety.
- How to recognize and report suspicious activity.
- Active NCW groups with visible NCW signs can deter crime.
Who can participate?
Anyone who lives in Fremont can participate in NCW. You may live in an apartment or condominium complex, a townhouse or a single family home.
I’m interested, what’s next?
- Read through all the information on this web page on NCW
- Contact your neighbors to see if they are interested and ask when is the best time to attend a meeting (typically a weekday evening about 6:30 or 7:00 p.m.).
- Schedule the meeting. Call the Police Department Community Engagement Unit
- Distribute flyers to invite neighbors to the NCW meeting about a week to ten days before the meeting. The Community Engagement Unity can supply flyers.
- On the day of the meeting, give your neighbors a call or flyer to remind them.
What happens at the meeting?
- A Police representative will discuss:
- Crime in Fremont and your area.
- How and when to contact the police.
- NCW program requirements, and how and why it works.
- What you can do to make your home more safe and secure.
- What other neighborhoods are doing.
- Complete a roster of members’ names, addresses and telephone numbers.
- Select a Block Captain and an Alternate for the group.
- Decide how many signs you want and where the signs should be installed.
- Bring funds to purchase the sign(s) to the police department. The group must meet at least once a year, and maintain a current map and roster.
What is a Block Captain?
The Block Captain and the Alternate are liaisons between the NCW group and the police department. They make sure the map and the roster are complete and the NCW signs are purchased and installed. They also schedule NCW meetings at least once a year, maintain a current membership roster and map, and distribute Crime Alert Bulletins when provided by the police department. Many groups rotate the Block Captain and Alternate responsibilities.
What about the NCW signs?
Every official NCW group must have at least one NCW sign. The NCW sign acts as a crime deterrent by notifying people who enter the area that the neighborhood is watching and knows how to contact the police. The signs are purchased at the Fremont Police Department.
- Each NCW sign costs $10.50
- If there is a City of Fremont streetlight pole in an appropriate location for the NCW sign, City staff will install the sign at no additional cost.
- If there is not a City of Fremont street light pole available, the group must purchase a sign pole
and mounting hardware for an additional $36.50. Before City staff can install a sign and
pole in front of the home, the group must obtain written approval from that resident.
- If the sign is to be installed on private property, the group can purchase the sign from the Police Department; but they must install it themselves.
- When ready to purchase a NCW sign, bring the roster, map and sign funds to the Police
Department. IMPORTANT: Note the following information on the map prior to purchasing the sign(s):
- pole number (if applicable)
- pole/sign location (note the address)
- the direction the sign should face
Communication and meeting topics
Telephone rosters,flyers, emails, websites, newsletters, and apps have been used by NCW groups to communicate. While some groups have formal meetings, others prefer to be more relaxed with barbecues and block parties. However they communicate, most groups focus on safety and crime prevention. The police department is a resource that offers brochures and safety presentations on topics such as:
- Personal Safety and Crime Awareness
- Child, Teen or Senior Safety
- Halloween, Summer or Holiday Safety
- Scams or Fraud Schemes
- To obtain brochures, or request a presentation, call the Community Engagement Unit at (510) 790-6740
What other groups are doing?
Some NCW groups are actively involved in community issues such as:
- Neighborhood Beautification
- Traffic Safety
- Activities for Youth
- Emergency Preparedness (C.E.R.T)
The City of Fremont has Special Assistants who help community groups and leaders organize to solve problems and improve their neighborhoods.
What is National Night Out?
National Night Out is an annual event for NCW groups. It is held on the first Tuesday in August. Across the nation, NCW groups organize an evening activity (potluck, barbecue, block party) to promote neighborhood unity and crime prevention.
We encourage every NCW group to participate! Information regarding National Night Out is sent to Block Captains of all active NCW groups. On National Night Out in Fremont, Police and City staff participates by visiting dozens of NCW events.
