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| Neighborhood Watch |
Last
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September 3, 2008
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VOLUNTEER TODAY!
It is important that residents are always aware of their surroundings and how they can prevent crimes from occurring. Franklin Farm, in conjunction with the Fairfax County Police Department, invites you to become a member of the Neighborhood Watch program. By working together, residents can effectively reduce crime in our neighborhoods.
The success of the Neighborhood Watch program depends entirely on the involvement of citizens in Franklin Farm. By giving a small amount of your time to observe and report suspicious activities in your neighborhood, you can prevent another crime from happening. Don't assume the occurrence of vandalism or delinquent behavior around your neighborhood will be resolved without your active participation. If anything looks "out of the ordinary" or you hear unusual sounds in the open space areas, please call the non-emergency police immediately at 703-691-2131. If you witness a crime taking place, call 911.
| Weekly Crime Reports | Crime Line Newsletter | Prevent Home Burglaries |
| Help Stop Vandalism | Home Security Checklist | Guide for Protecting Your Home and Property |
| Suspicious Reporting Guidelines | ||
Join the Fairfax County Police Department in preventing crime in your neighborhood by becoming a member of the Neighborhood Watch program. Neighborhood Watch began in 1979 and has flourished steadily, with hundreds of community-based programs established throughout the county. The success of Neighborhood Watch is due to the cooperative involvement of police and citizens. By your donating just a small amount of time to observe and report suspicious activities, we can band together to effectively reduce crime in our community.
The objective of Neighborhood Watch is to organize and train residents to be alert to potential crimes in their neighborhoods and keep watchful eyes on their neighbors’ homes. Residents can operate a “passive” neighborhood watch, whereby residents throughout the community agree to be alert to suspicious activity in the neighborhood and to report such activity to the police. Patrol of neighborhoods is not necessary but can be accomplished by a cellular telephone-equipped vehicle or foot patrol. If you, as a volunteer, observe and report any suspicious or unusual activity, the police can provide a prompt response and investigate any reported incident.
In addition, police officers
will assist you in developing security measures for your own home. Receiving
a free home security survey and taking property identification measures will
help you prevent a burglar from choosing your home as a target.
In Franklin Farm, Jill Odom is the coordinator of the Neighborhood Watch program. You can contact her at jill_odom@hotmail.com to volunteeer your help and arrange to attend a training session. Training sessions basically consist of teaching residents how to be alert to their environment, learning how to report activity to the police, and establishing a coordinator or point of contact for the program.
Aside from local newspapers, citizens can download weekly crime reports and other crime information from the Fairfax County Police Web site. These reports are published at the beginning of each week. Franklin Farm is under the Fair Oaks District, Station 8.
View the latest Crime Line newsletter from the Fair Oaks Police Station (scroll down to the Fair Oaks Crime Line section for the latest issue). The Fairfax County Police Crime Prevention Unit would like to remind you that crime prevention is as simple as three steps: detect it, report it, and prevent it! Remember, the non-emergency police number is 703-691-2131. MEMORIZE it or put it in your cell phone.
How to Prevent Home Burglaries [Top]
REMEMBER: A thief wants to take the path of least resistance. Your participation in Neighborhood Watch provides the most resistance.
What You Can Do to Help Stop Vandalism
The following story highlights what can be accomplished when citizens and the police department form a partnership to help rid their community of crime and enhance their quality of life.
On January 24, 2003, a Centreville resident called the non-emergency police number to report a suspicious person. He observed two males with flashlights looking into cars who left in a described vehicle. After responding officers located the vehicle. The suspects attempted to flee and were later picked up. The follow-up investigation revealed the vehicle was stolen, and the youths were charged with Grand Larceny and Vehicle Tampering. They are believed to be involved in other like cases in our district.
This successful arrest was achieved due to the outstanding efforts of the alert citizen and the community policing skills of the officers involved.
The Fairfax County Police encourage residents to begin Neighborhood Watch foot patrols or window patrols. Remember to trust your instincts -- if it doesn’t seem "right" to you, it isn’t. Call the police and report it. Neighbors know what is "right" on their street and can take the first line of defense against vandalism by reporting anything they see or hear that is suspicious to them. The caller does not have to verify that what they are reporting is correct. That’s a job for the police. All you have to do is call the non-emergency police number and provide a description over the phone as soon as you spot something suspicious. Timing is important. Please do not wait several days afterwards to make a report -- call right away. An officer may not come out immediately, but the information has been recorded, and the computer keeps track of the trends.
Help stop vandalism! If you’re not sure about something, make the call. If your mailbox gets broken or your house gets egged or your car gets broken into, report it to the police by calling the non-emergency phone number (703-691-2131). Remember, the individual calls help solve the big-picture problems!
If you’re interested in starting a Neighborhood Watch for your street, please call the Foundation office at 703-620-6230 and plan to attend the next Neighborhood Watch Training Session. Training sessions are only one hour. Please call the Fair Oaks Police Station (703-591-0966) for information
The Franklin Farm Foundation - 12700
Franklin Farm Rd - Oak Hill, VA 20171
Phone: 703-620-6230 Fax: 703-620-9021
E-Mail: foundation@franklinfarm.org
Map of Franklin Farm Map
of the foundation office at the above address
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