The Business Watch and Neighborhood Watch programs are organizations of concerned citizens working together to reduce crime in their community. Watch groups bring neighbors and businesses together with the police to mutually identify and resolve problems that effect their neighborhood.

Neighbors are trained to identify, observe, and report any suspicious activity taking place within or around their community.

We know that watch programs increase the quality of life among residents. Watch groups create a sense of community and pride by forming a unified group of citizens dedicated to improving their neighborhood.

Benefits of Watch Organizations:

1. Deters criminal activity.
2. Creates a greater sense of security and reduces fear of crime.
3. Builds bonds with neighbors; people look out for one another; it stimulates neighborhood awareness.
4. Reduces the risk of becoming a crime victim; it reduces the physical, financial and psychological cost of crime.
5. Instructs residents on how to observe and report suspicious activities in your community.
6. Addresses quality of life issues and mutual interests in your community.
7. Provides a mechanism for information exchange between the public and police.

The Kent County Sheriff Department will assist you in organizing either a Neighborhood or Business Watch program in your area. The telephone number to call is 632-6221. A trained professional will work with you in setting up the program.

>> View the Neighborhood Watch Handbook
>> View the Business Watch Handbook