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What is the USA Freedom Corps?
The USA Freedom Corps
is a White House initiative to increase opportunities for citizens to get involved
in strengthening America's communities and sharing America's compassion around
the world, through volunteerism. The
USA Freedom Corps includes
Citizen Corps
along with two previously existing federal service organizations,
the Peace Corps and the Corporation for National and Community Service.
What is the Citizen Corps?
Citizen Corps,
a vital component of
USA Freedom Corps,
was created to help coordinate volunteer activities that will make our
communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to any
emergency situation. It provides opportunities for people to participate
in a range of measures to make their families, their homes, and their
communities safer from the treats of crime, terrorism, and disasters of all kinds.
Citizen Corps
is comprised of four programs:
Neighborhood Watch (NW)
and Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS)
in partnership with U.S. Department of Justice,
Medical Reserve Corps (MRC)
in partnership with Department of Health and Human Services
and Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
in partnership with DHS.
What is USAOnWatch (UOW) / Neighborhood Watch(NW)?
USAOnWatch (UOW) was created by the National Sheriffs' Association, in conjunction
with several well-known federal agencies, to advance this cause by encouraging
the initiation and/or revitalization of
Neighborhood Watch
programs throughout the country. One of the oldest and best known
crime prevention concepts in history,
Neighborhood Watch
was created to unite law enforcement agencies, private organizations,
and individual citizens in a massive effort to reduce residential crime. USAOnWatch
is used not only to promote NWs, but also record the number of NWs started.
We encourage you to
learn more
about these programs and their history
What is the National Sheriffs' Association role in the USAOnWatch/Neighborhood Watch program?
The National Sheriffs' Association is the founder of the
UOW/Neighborhood Watch program,
serves as the primary contact, and oversees the program.
We invite you to learn more about the
National Sheriffs' Association online.
Is the National Sheriffs' Association a government agency?
No. The National Sheriffs' Association is non-profit organization dedicated
to raising the level of professionalism among those in the criminal justice
field.
How do I start a Neighborhood Watch?
To begin a NW, merely form a small planning committee of neighbors to discuss
the needs of your community, gage the level of interest and potential problems,
decide on a date and place for an initial Neighborhood Watch meeting, and contact
your local police department or sheriff's office, and notify them of your interest
to start a NW. You will then be assigned a crime prevention officer who will
attend your first meeting. It's that simple. For more information and
educational materials
related to starting a Neighborhood Watch or to register your Neighborhood
Watch in the National Neighborhood Watch Database, click onto the
Register / Start Watch on this website.
How do I join a Neighborhood Watch in my community?
First, search the National NW database
to find your local law enforcement agency, and call to find out if there is
a Neighborhood Watch in your neighborhood. If there is a Neighborhood Watch in
your neighborhood, simply attend a meeting and sign up to volunteer. If there
is not Neighborhood Watch in your neighborhood, talk with your local law enforcement
agency about starting a new NW.
What are the criteria for starting a Neighborhood Watch?
In order to create a Neighborhood Watch in your community, you must have established
a partnership with a law enforcement agency. For information on the criteria
for starting a NW, go to the Resource Center on this website.
Who can participate in a Neighborhood Watch?
Members of local communities and representatives from businesses, government
agencies, and a variety of organizations can participate in a
Neighborhood Watch
once they have established a partnership with their local law enforcement agency.
Who Trains Neighborhood watch volunteers?
A crime prevention officer assigned by your local police department or sheriff's
office supplies initial training of volunteers. In addition, you will find all
of the materials you will need on starting and operating a Neighborhood Watch on
this website.
Where do I obtain materials to start a Neighborhood Watch?
Materials that can aid you in starting a Neighborhood Watch can be downloaded from the
Resource Center located on this website.
Can businesses or corporations start Neighborhood Watches?
Yes. For more details, go to the
Resource Center
on this Website and
download the brochure on Starting a Business Watch.
If your company is interested in becoming a corporate partner, the
Outreach Program
section on this site includes information on Corporate Initiatives for Community Safety.
You may also contact the National Sheriffs' Association at (703) 836-7827 or email
Info@USAOnWatch.org.
Can I reproduce textual materials I find on USAOnWatch.org?
Yes, as long as you are distributing these materials in a medium other than
the Web. You are welcome to use these materials in handouts or newsletters,
for example. The following rules apply to reproduction of USAOnWatch materials:
Is there a Neighborhood Watch National Awards program?
Yes. A description of our
Awards Program,
including guidelines for entering, are available on this Website.
How can I link to the USAOnWatch.org (UOW) Website?
UOW invites links to our website. We encourage you to visit our
terms and conditions for linking Page.
Can I use the USAOnWatch logo?
For information on the use of the USAOnWatch logo, please click on
Link to Us
at the bottom of this page or contact us by
email.
Can I put a USAOnWatch ad banner on my Website?
For information on banner ads, please click on
Link to Us
at the bottom of this page, or contact us by
email.
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© Copyrighted 2008- This website is funded in part by the National Sheriffs’ Association, through a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse, the web site (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided).
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