Lower Makefield Township

Neighborhood Watch Association

Lower Makefield residents have formed the Lower Makefield Township Neighborhood Watch Association, with the goal of increasing awareness within our community of events of interest, criminal and otherwise, that affect us all.

LMTNWA is comprised of smaller individual watches, each associated with a particular development or location and headed by a coordinator.  These coordinators meet on a regular basis with Police Department Officials in order to maintain good relations with the township and also to keep abreast of all happenings in our community that we need to be aware of.

We urge all sub-divisions within our community to take part and organize their own neighborhood watch.  Click on buttons to left for informtion on How to Start or Join a Watch.

What is a Neighborhood Watch?

  A Neighborhood Watch helps bring together concerned citizens to address issues that relate to your neighborhood, and is quite simply the most effective way to reduce or prevent crime and make your community a better place to live.

Do I have to do anything?

You will need to provide certain information to your Block Captain, agree to participate in the phone/e-mail chain, and must remember to provide updated information as it changes (i.e. new work phone number).  Members are expected to report any unusual or suspicious behavior to the local police or to their Block Captain. When making a report, be sure to have all the information possible (car make & model, color, license plate, etc.) and remember to call immediately - any delay gives the criminal a chance to get away.

What information do I have to provide, and who sees it?

Each Neighborhood Watch is different and can be ‘tailor-made’ for your area. Most neighborhood watches gather the following information:

• Name (of all occupants of each home)
• Address
• Email
• Home & work phone numbers
• Age of children (with birth date for tracking purposes)
• Make, model, color, year, and license plate of all cars
• Pets
• Special considerations (i.e.  If there are people who live with you who only speak Spanish, NW needs to know in case of emergency, blindness etc.)
• ICE (In Case of Emergency) contact (this is especially good information if there is a fire, if a pipe bursts or there is an accident)

All information is kept confidential.  The Block Captains and the Neighborhood Watch coordinator are the only people who see this information.  It is necessary to keep the information current, and that means that you must notify your Block Captain whenever there is a change in the information.
 

 We have no problems now; why do we need this in our neighborhood?

You’ve all heard the old expression, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”   This holds true when fighting crime.  Why wait until there have been a few break-ins or some mailboxes smashed?  By pulling together as a group, you can keep your neighborhood safe. 

Do I have to go to meetings?

No, you do not have to attend the meetings, but it is a good way to get to know your neighbors.  The meetings are held to inform the neighborhood of the current problems in and around the township, and to discuss different safety topics.

Does it cost anything to belong?

There is no mandatory cost.  Voluntary donations are collected when needed to cover the cost of paperwork, flyers, etc.  A token amount of $5 per house once a year is usually enough to cover all expenses.

How is a Neighborhood Watch different than an Association?

An Association has rules and regulations, which everyone must follow.  A Neighborhood Watch is voluntary.  Most Associations involve annual dues.  Neighborhood Watches donations are voluntary.  A Neighborhood Watch is strictly a safety precaution/crime prevention tool used to make your neighborhood a safer place to live.

For more information Contact Us