Block Watch is all about neighbours helping neighbours. Households, apartments or condominiums on a block form a communication chain aided by a map of names, telephone numbers and addresses. Participants watch out for each others' homes and report suspicious activities to the police and each other. This communication is crucial in reducing the likelihood of residential crime.
The Block Watch program was initiated in Seattle in 1974, with participating homes seeing a decrease in residential break-ins of between 48-62%. Surrey was the first municipality in B.C. to start a Block Watch program, which has now spread the length of the Lower Mainland and through several communities across the Province.
Don't sit back – be proactive, and take part in your community. A break and enter can be prevented if criminals know there are watchful neighbours. Get involved with Block Watch now, before you have been a victim of a break and enter.
Watch Krenz on Crime as Cst. Dave Krenz gives tips
on preventing crime in your neighbourhood
Block Watch in Vancouver
The Vancouver Block Watch program started in 1989, and is managed and maintained by an civilian coordinator and
one police officer. The current officer assigned is Cst. Dave Krenz.
In 2009, Block Watch celebrated its 20th year as a VPD community-based crime prevention program. The program currently has approximately 594 active blocks participating, including 1,000 captains and co-captains
monitoring the individual neighbourhood Block Watch programs. Including all of the participating households that each team has recruited,
that's an additional 15,600 extra pairs of trained eyes and ears
reporting suspicious activity!
Why Join or Start a Block Watch Team?
studies have shown that crime is reduced in active Block Watch neighbourhoods
Block Watch teams can develop a sense of community pride and connection with their neighbours
you will learn how to better protect your home, identify suspicious behaviour and more effectively report it
active Block Watch teams have direct access to a police officer for support and guidance in dealing with your neighbourhood crime issues
you will be connected with your local community policing centre for additional support in crime prevention in your neighbourhood
receive recognizable Block Watch street signs and door and window decals to identify your block as one that reports suspicious activity to police
get connected to the Vancouver Police Neighbourhood Crime Alert Program and receive e-mails with postal code-specific crime alerts informing you of important changes in crime trends in your neighbourhood
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Block Watch is all about neighbours helping neighbours. Households, apartments or condominiums on a block form a communication chain aided by a map of names, telephone numbers and addresses. Participants watch out for each others' homes and report suspicious activities to the police and each other. This communication is crucial in reducing the likelihood of residential crime.
