Police in North Chicago have launched community watch groups across the city as part of a new crime prevention strategy, saying that it enables residents to play a direct role in making the community safer.
The North Chicago Police Department announced the launch of community watch groups on Wednesday.
North Chicago Police Department Management Analyst Freddrick Diez said the program not only enhances community safety but also “fosters a sense of unity and responsibility” among residents, giving them a direct role in making their neighborhoods safer.
“Crime Prevention in our communities is not just a responsibility of law enforcement but a shared one between law enforcement and private citizens,” Diez said.
The impact of law enforcement on crime prevention is significantly enhanced when citizens work alongside them, Diez added.
The department said studies have shown a substantial decrease in burglaries, drugs and other related crimes in communities with active community watch programs.
Diez said the shared responsibility reinforces the need for more residents to participate in crime prevention.
Each community watch group is tailored to serve a particular area and each group will decide the best way to function based on the degree of involvement by the resident volunteers.
The City of North Chicago has five active community watch groups throughout the city in which monthly meetings are held to discuss crime trends, police service calls data and community issues and to plan community events, receive citizen watch group training and provide strategies for crime prevention and safety.
“The most significant components of the NCPD Community Watch Group Program are police transparency and community participation. It takes a village to solve issues within a community,” Diez said.
Anyone who wishes to initiate or join a community watch group within the city is asked to contact Diez at 847-596-8724 or [email protected].