A neighborhood alert is a program in which neighbors work together to report suspicious activity to local law enforcement. Such programs are generally volunteer-driven and focus on observation and communication — not vigilante action. They also promote community involvement and education aimed at deterring crime.
A typical neighborhood watch program includes a street sign to inform visitors that members are actively patrolling the area, reporting suspicious behavior to police. Some neighborhoods organize groups and coordinate with law enforcement for regular meetings to encourage participation. Others take it a step further and use technology to keep residents safe. These tools are typically used for specific communities like gated communities, HOAs, apartment complexes, and business campuses. These digital reporting and alert systems work best in collaboration with home security systems to improve the overall safety of a neighborhood.
Neighborhood crime watch groups often create a tip line where residents can call in and leave messages about potential criminal activity. They can help patrollers by providing information like how many people are in a group, their age and sex, and a vehicle description. Patrollers can then make an informed decision about whether to contact police or simply keep an eye out for the group.
With DialMyCalls, you can turn a neighborhood watch into a real-time community alert system that works for your entire block. By creating a hard-to-forget vanity number that everyone in the neighborhood can remember, you can let your neighbors know about any suspicious activity in real-time. They can also let everyone know if they’ll be away for the weekend or if they’re expecting guests.