NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH COMMUNITY TRAINING Partners National Sheriffs Association

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH COMMUNITY TRAINING

Partners National Sheriffs’ Association Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U. S. Department of Justice

Suspicious Activities are… Suspicious activity can refer to incidents, events, individuals or circumstances that seem unusual or out of place. Remember: A quick and accurate description of events, vehicles, and persons can make all the difference in apprehending a potential criminal. Any type of activity or circumstance that seems unusual should be reported.

Reporting Suspicious Activity For emergencies or crimes in progress call 911 For non-emergencies 456 -3400 Like panhandling, parking complaints, noise, suspicious vehicles/persons.

Observation Skills http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Ahg 6 qcgoay 4&feat ure=player_embedded

Observation Skills What to observe: Physical setting Specific location, time of day, day of week People What do they look like? How are they acting? How many of them? Specific Items What are they important? Routines Did you notice any reoccurring patterns or routines? How often did they occur? Who was involved?

Observation Skills

Observation Skills Store Robbery Number of Robbers Descriptions Number of Witnesses Weapons Style (shotgun, handgun, rifle), type (revolver, semi-automatic), caliber (9 mm, . 45) Environment Inside, outside, day, evening, etc… Other Details

Observation Skills

Suspicious Activity http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=p. Wxz. Nct. BVt. Y&fe ature=player_embedded

How to observe people and vehicles Stay calm and remain alert to your surroundings Begin with the basics Move to specifics Broaden your perspective Add details

Begin with the Basics - People Gender Race Age Number of individuals involved

Move to specifics - People Height Weight Clothing Hat Shirt Pants Shoes Hair and eye color Facial hair

Broaden your perspective - People What other events are occurring? Who else is affected? What is the overall situation?

Add details - People Vehicles Witnesses Location Direction of travel Outcome of the incident Damage caused Individuals injured or killed

Practice http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=ub. NF 9 QNEQLA& feature=player_embedded

Begin with the Basics - Vehicle Make Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge, VW, Volvo, Lexus, Honda, Nissan, Mercedes Model Maxima, Caprice, Navigator, Cutlass, Escape, Accord

Move to specifics - Vehicle Body style 2 door 4 door Hatchback Convertible Four wheel drive Color Overall appearance Clean, dirty, primer marks

Add details - Vehicle Damage Bumper stickers Signs or lettering Phone numbers Company logos

Improving your observation skills Be patient and take your time Pay attention to your surroundings

Reporting Activity

Improving your observation skills Note the environment Observe the entire scene Be aware of people’s reactions

Post-Observation Actions If possible, write down your observations as soon as possible Record the date and time If activities appear to be unusual, suspicious or illegal, call for assistance and take the appropriate action according to your agency’s policies and procedures

Reporting Suspicious Activities If an incident, individual, vehicle or circumstance seems out of place, unusual, or makes you feel uncomfortable, do not hesitate to call the police and report it. Let law enforcement make the decision on what response to take. Your responsibility as a concerned citizen is to help the police help you.