Facilitating a Neighborhood Watch

BSPA-STAKEHOLDER GROUPBENICIA STATE RECREATION AREASAFETY AND SECURITY

Neighborhood Watch• What to do / What not to do• #1 – Eyes and Ears, not law

enforcement• #2 – Using your eyes and ears• Practice observation skills• Recognize suspicious activity

• #3 – What and how to Report• #4 – When to and when not to call

911From Neighborhood Watch Manual, USAonWatch – National Neighborhood Watch ProgramNational Sheriffs’ Association and Bureau of Justice Assistancehttp://www.usaonwatch.org/assets/publications/0_NW_Manual_1210.pdf

Neighborhood Watch• Observation Skills –

recognizing suspicious activity• Physical setting• People• Specific items, what is

important• Routines

Neighborhood Watch

• Emergencies• Medical• Fire• Accident

• Urgent Situations• Fight• Crime

• Suspicious Activities– Loitering– Peering into cars– Strange odors– Tampering– Multiple persons

working in unison and exhibiting suspicious behaviors

• Emergencies vs. Suspicious Activities

Neighborhood Watch• When to call 911• Medical emergency (examples:

chest pain, extreme shortness of breath, uncontrolled bleeding)

• Motor vehicle accident• Fire• When a life is in danger• Crime in process

Neighborhood Watch• When Not to Call 911• The power is off• Asking for directions to the hospital• Asking for telephone numbers of

others• Requesting to speak with a particular

officer• Inquiring as to the time and day• Inquiring about community activities

and locations

Neighborhood Watch• Not 911, who to report to• Suspected crime, not life threatening• Police hotline (Benicia)

• Suspicious behavior• Police (Benicia)

• Immediate hazard (such as a predator animal or broken tree limb that may fall on people)• Police (Benicia)

• Non-urgent observation (hazards)• Calif Dept of Parks and Rec

Neighborhood Watch• What and how to report• Capture relevant information• Prioritize urgency• Contact and communicate• File report

Neighborhood Watch• What and how to report• Capture relevant information, Emergency

Information Example or Explanation

Type of incident Fight, car accident, auto burglary in progress, etc.

Time element In progress or at what hour

Exact location Park name, nearest entrance, identifying landmark

Weapons Seen or implied

Subject’s/s’ description Head to toe; height, weight, gender, skin tone

Vehicle description Color, make, model, license plate

Subject’s/s’ location or direction of travel

Neighborhood Watch• What and how to report• Capture relevant information, Fire

Information Example or Explanation

Exact location Park name, nearest entrance, identifying landmark

Fire size Feet by feet, acres (1 football field equals about 1 acre)

Fuel type Grass, brush, trees, buildings

Exposures Persons or buildings threatened?

Slope Flat, moderate, steep

Rate of spread Slow, moderate, rapid

Wind hazards Speed, direction

Other Electrical wires down, hazardous material

Neighborhood Watch• What and how to report• Capture relevant information – Medical

EmergencyInformation Example or Explanation

Cause of injury Fainting; fall; bike vs. pedestrian, bike vs. dog, bike vs. bike, bike vs. vehicle, vehicle vs. vehicle; bite or other injury caused by a dog, etc.

Type of injury Severe chest pain; head, arm, back injury; severity of bleeding; puncture wound; abrasion; etc.

Victim status Conscious or unconscious, breathing or not breathing, alert or incoherent, bleeding, complains of pain, etc.

Exact location Park name, nearest entrance, identifying landmark

Victim ID Number of victims, full names, dates of birth (or approx. ages), sexes

Any actions you have taken

Unusual circumstances

e.g. other subject/s involved? Hazards (e.g. electrical wires down, hazardous materials)

Neighborhood Watch• What and how to report• Capture relevant information• Prioritize urgency• Life at risk emergency• Emergency, not life threatening• Urgent situation• Non-urgent

• Contact and communicate• File report

Neighborhood Watch• What and how to report• Capture relevant information• Prioritize urgency• Contact and communicate• Phone list

• File report

Phone ListPriority

Type of call Number

Highest

Emergency 911

  Benicia Police Emergency

745-3411

 Lowest

Benicia Police Non-emergency

745-3412

Neighborhood Watch• What and how to report• Capture relevant information• Prioritize urgency• Contact and communicate• Phone list

• File report (near future – web reporting)

• On-line collection of reports

Questions?

• And thank you for caring enough to devote some of your time to this effort.

• http://protectbeniciastateparks.com/pdf-tmpFiles/7-11-2012_StakeholderMtgPwrPnt.pdf