Heather's Corner: Is Your Neighborhood Safe Enough? Here's How You Can Help.

On the Oro Valley Police Department ("OVPD") link through the Town of Oro Valley's website, there is a wealth of information on how you can participate in keeping the community safe. One example of this is the Neighborhood Watch Program. Any neighborhood can start one and it is not only supported by, but highly suggested from our police department to get your neighborhood involved in one.

The Neighborhood Watch program is free and open to all participants in a variety of geographical settings such as a block, a group of homes, businesses, a park. Members "learn how to make their homes more secure, watch out for each other and he neighborhood and report activities that raise their suspicions to the police."

Once your neighborhood has decided to get involved, you will meet with an OVPD Community Resource Officer to discuss the program and go over any questions. Future meetings, also held by a Resource Officer, will go over crime statistics in your area, how to recognize and report suspicious activity, and the importance if your involvement in protecting your community.

Responsibilities of members include learning neighbors' names and vehicles, displaying Neighborhood Watch signs in your home, and keeping a copy of your Neighborhood Watch map and phone tree in an accessible place to alert neighbors. A minimum of two activities per calendar year must be conducted in order to remain active in the program. These can include but are not limited to neighborhood yard sales, Halloween house decorating parties, progressive dinner parties, etc.

I don't know about you but I've always loved to see those Neighborhood Watch signs. There is something so empowering about knowing there are eyes on the look out for shenanigans in the area. I never knew how some neighborhoods were privy to that program and was thrilled to find out it is available for any neighborhood. What a great way to meet your neighbors, have them keep an eye on your house while on vacation, or to know neighborhood support is just a phone call away.

Click here to learn how to start watch program for your neighborhood.
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Heather Nenadovich has lived in Oro Valley a total of five years. She has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Arizona. Her husband is Canadian so she is a hockey fan by default and so are her two very clever children. When not being a mommy, she enjoys hiking in Catalina State Park, hand building pottery, and gardening. Her favorite things about living in Oro Valley are the towns recognition of art and culture, their commitment to preserving nature and the Christmas parade. (Also anything from GMG Chinese Bistro.)