Neighborhood Watch

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Neighborhood Watch is an association of neighbors who contribute to the safety and security of their neighborhood by working together with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office. Together, the Sheriff’s Office and the neighborhood volunteers work to implement the principles of crime deterrence and detection while encouraging the active reporting of crimes and suspicious activity.

Neighborhood Watch is designed to:

  • Teach citizens techniques to reduce the risk of being victimized at home or in public.
  • Train citizens on how to recognize and report suspicious activities.
  • Help neighborhoods to make homes more secure.
  • Show citizens how to properly mark property to identify it.
  • Encourage neighbors to get to know each other so that any out of place activity can be recognized, reported, and investigated.
  • Develop a cohesive body of concerned citizens addressing issues concerning the entire community.

Neighborhood Watch was launched in 1972 by the National Sheriff’s Association as a vehicle for citizens to organize themselves and work with law enforcement. The concept traces its roots back to the days of colonial settlements when night watchmen patrolled the streets.

It should be noted Neighborhood Watch is not a vigilante force working outside the normal procedures of law enforcement, is not designed for participants to take personal risks to prevent crime, and participation in the program is not a 100% guarantee that crime will not occur in your neighborhood.

These documents are helpful in getting your block started with Neighborhood Watch:

Block Captain newsletters keep participants informed of issues and events related to public safety.

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2017:

View calls for service online

The Sheriff's Office has partnered with LexisNexis to share calls for service information via the website Community Crime Map. Incident data can be viewed on a map, grid, and analytics dashboard. Users can sign up for free reports that automatically email a breakdown of recent activity. CommunityCrimeMap.com helps the public get a better idea of the law enforcement activity in their area so they can make more informed decisions about how to stay safe.