Neighbourhood Watch frequently asked questions

Neighbourhood Watch is a community based crime prevention program. It aims to reduce preventable crime. It does this through education and by building community relationships with communication. 

Neighbourhood Watch aims to:

• Minimise the incidence of preventable crime.
• Deter criminal activity by increasing the probability of apprehension.
• Reduce the fear of crime.
• Encourage regular communication between neighbours.
• Increase the reporting of crime and suspicious behaviour.
• Improve the level of personal and household security through education.
• Support the crime prevention activities of WA Police Force.

We support residents, local groups, local governments, local police, and other community members and organisations to create safer, friendlier and connected neighbourhoods.

WA Police Force are the custodians of the Neighbourhood Watch program in Western Australia. Police fund a full time coordinator and the operational requirements of the program.

A police officer on patrol may not know what is normal in your street. They may not recognise a stranger in your yard.

You and your neighbours are in a position to observe and report anything of a criminal or suspicious nature to Police.

For example, as we go about our daily routines, we have the opportunity to casually observe the neighbourhood. 

Such observations may be useful in keeping children away from vacant houses, reporting abandoned cars, or alerting neighbours and police to suspicious persons in the area.

These examples are few, but it is important to realise that criminals find it difficult to operate in areas where people take an active role in preventing crime.

Neighbourhood Watch works through mutual cooperation and communication between neighbours.

By communicating with your neighbours you can share important information that will help make your community a safer place.

For Neighbourhood Watch to be effective, each resident must take an active role in home security improvement and observation.  

Be observant and aware of the comings and goings in your street, apply security precautions and report all suspicious and criminal activities to police.