Neighborhood Watch has proven to be one of the most effective ways to prevent crime, attend to home and personal security, and address fear within neighborhoods. It is the single largest organized crime prevention project in the nation. It has proven to be especially effective in keeping residential burglary rates down.

Neighborhood Watch forges strong bonds among residents, and creates a sense of community and pride by forming a unified group of citizens dedicated to improving neighborhoods. These residents become the eyes and ears for police officers.

The City of North Plains Neighborhood Watch was started by Mayor Cheri Olson in 2003.  Informational meetings are held at Jessie Mays Community Hall. Some of the meetings the community has had are: "Recognizing Child Molesters," "ID Theft," "Home security: reporting crime, carjacking, car clouts and ID Theft," "Elder Safe", and "Crystal Misery" on the epidemic of methamphetamine use.

Please contact your Police Department to learn more about Neighborhood Watch. If there are programs you would like to see offered, please contact Interim Police Chief Tim Thurber at (503) 647-2604.

What is Neighborhood Watch?  (PDF file)

Neighborhood Watch is:

• Learning about the people and activity patterns on your block, and how to recognize suspicious individuals, vehicles, and out-of-place behavior.
• Making the commitment with your neighbors to report suspicious activites to the police.
• Making your home as secure as possible against intruders.
• Marking and photographing all of your valuables to reduce the likelihood of theft and to increase the chances of having stolen property returned to you.
• Establishing an ongoing communication network to discuss ways of mutually working together for the betterment of your block, your neighborhood, and the community.

These components form the basis of the Neighborhood Watch Program.  Individually, each aspect will help to make your block safer.  By implementing all five you will achieve maximum protection and security against neighborhood crime.

Share this information with your neighbors.  Remember, the more familiar you are with each other and crime prevention techniques, the safer your block will be.

One of the most important aspects of Neighborhood Watch is getting to know your neighbors.  Whether it is better to do so at a block meeting or one-on-one is up to you, but it is important that you share information about the composition of your households and activities.  By doing so you make it easier for your block members to recognize and respond to any suspicious activities in your area.  To "profile" your block, share with each other the following information:

• Names of household members
• Address
• Phone Numbers (include work numbers)
• Cars (Makes, Models, Colors, License numbers of family cars)
• Pets (Does a barking dog indicate an intruder?)
• Medical problems (note so the most appropriate response may be made in an emergency)

Make a block map of your network and distribute to your block participants.  Discuss "weaknesses" of your area (for example, visibility of houses by neighbors, areas of high daytime vacancy, residences with vacancy due to vacations, etc.)

Keep your block map in a safe but accessible place (example, in phone book or desk).

Remember, the more information you share with each other, the better protected you will be.  The more you know about the activities on your block, the better your chances of preventing a crime in your neighborhood.

If you would like to start a Neighborhood Watch in your neighborhood, please contact your Police Department at (503) 647.2604 or email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .