Crime Prevention Tips

Crime Prevention means reducing the chances for criminals to victimize you, your family, and neighbors. It means protecting property and teaching kids and adults to be alert and aware. It means doing things that build communities up, and stopping things that tear communities down.

Crime prevention isn't a flashy gimmick or a trendy fad. The knowledge that citizens working together can do something about crime has steadily gained momentum. Neighborhood Block Watch is now a part of the landscape. Law enforcement agencies and community groups view crime prevention as a priority. Corporations see child protection and neighborhood security as important to the interests of their customers. Many schools - from elementary grades through high school - include crime prevention units in their classes.

Q- How do I start a Neighborhood Block Watch Program?

• Talk with your neighbors to determine if they have interest in the program.
• Ask two or three neighbors to assist you by becoming co-captains.
• Discuss neighborhood concerns
• Inform them of the benefit of the Neighborhood Block Watch.
• Let them know Neighborhood Block Watch does not require frequent meetings or personal risk.
• Ask all of your neighbors for their support and participation.
• Call the Community Relations Unit of the Peoria Police Department at 623-773-7099 to inquire on the date of the monthly meeting.

Assistance:
The Peoria Police Department’s Community Relations Section would be glad to help you with any concern that you have about the Neighborhood Block Watch Program. We are anxious to have your neighborhood join with us and many other neighborhoods in our partnership for a fight against crime.

The Peoria Neighborhood Watch Advisory Board was established to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas pertaining to crime prevention as well as to promote the development of Block Watch associations and group through the City of Peoria. The Advisory Board is a liaison for Block Watch Association and the police department and serves to enhance communication between citizens and their elected officials.

 Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) Program

The Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) Program is in it’s tenth year of the City of Peoria. The program continues to be one of the main programs currently used in the United States to provide our youth with the skills necessary to resist the use of drugs or become involved with violence. During 1999, the Peoria Police Department had three (3) officers assigned to the D.A.R.E. program. These officers taught D.A.R.E. on a full time basis to about 1,600 sixth graders each week at our fifteen (15) elementary schools. In all, the D.A.R.E. officers provided information about D.A.R.E., safety and general crime prevention to more than 18,000 kids in 1999. The D.A.R.E. program is very popular with the schools and parents throughout our community.

 For more information regarding D.A.R.E. programs across the country, send E-MAIL to Webmaster@dareamerica.com

Training Program. The Peoria Police Department has received compliments from AZPOST regarding the quality and quantity of our training program. Over sixty (60) hours of in-service training was offered to sworn and non-sworn personnel during the year. During the annual AZPOST inspection, the Department exceeded AZPOST Standards and will continue to expand training, particularly in high liability areas. In 1998, the Peoria Police Department conducted in-service training in over 30 different topics conducted by and for Department employees. In addition, Department employees participated in over 40 other outside courses scheduled by the Staff Services Bureau.

The Peoria Police Department Law Enforcement Explorer Post #2999 was chartered through the Grand Canyon Council of the Boy Scouts of America in 1995. In 1998, there were twenty-three (23) young adults (ages 14 through 20) participating in our Explorer program. The Post provides law enforcement training, community service opportunities, leadership training, and social and outdoor recreational activities. The Post staffs many department and city sponsored events such as the July 4^th Celebration, the Peoria Holidaze, Getting Arizona Involved in Neighborhoods (G.A.I.N.) and spring training at the Peoria Sports Complex. The Explorers also respond to a number of requests from the community for Child ID, event parking assistance and McGruff presentations.

For information on any of the programs and services listed above, please call the Peoria Police Department's CRIME PREVENTION UNIT at (623) 773-7099.

This Page was last updated on 12/17/08
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