No matter the state, city or general area you live in, there are bound to be certain roads and blocks which many local people tend to avoid, especially in the dark and when walking alone.
Now, obviously, it would take more than a miracle to entirely clear each street of even one neighborhood of any and all vandalism, graffiti, youths causing trouble and other societal problems. However, coming together as a community can make a seriously positive difference, so with this in mind, here is how to make your neighborhood safer together.
Propose a Community Watch Group
If you and just a few of your friends and neighbors are serious about improving the security and feeling of safety in your local area, then establishing a new community watch group is the best place to start.
This is much simpler than you might imagine and essentially involves getting together with other interested neighbors to work out a basic schedule, which can encompass everything from checking if streetlights are working through the night, to taking it turns to patrol the block.
Other usual responsibilities of a neighborhood or community watch group include:
- Working in conjunction with the local police and other professionals in the community
- Leafleting and postering to raise awareness that you are part of an active community
- Creating an information network so others are aware of criminal activity in the area
- Reporting any suspicious and/or unusual behavior
Contact Local Councilors Regarding Lighting
Frankly, the stronger and more present the streetlights in your area, the less likely it is that your home will be broken into, or your business will be vandalized, and logically coming together with other concerned members of your community to ask for more light makes sense.
Contacting your local council, government or even your private homeowner’s association is a great place to start and try and encourage your neighbors to help you with your project.
Install New Technology
If there is a particular area of the neighborhood, typically around local corner stores, where teenagers and potential troublemakers hang around late at night, then one piece of technology the community would benefit greatly from is the mosquito device.
The mosquito is basically a device which emits a buzzing sound, not unlike the sound of a flying mosquito, which is played at an incredibly high frequency and is specifically designed to be heard by teenagers and younger people.
Additionally, talking to your council representative about the installation of a more comprehensive and higher quality CCTV system would also be of supreme benefit to everyone in your neighborhood.
Consider a Community Security Service
Finally, if you and your friends and neighbors are currently experiencing problems with vandalism and other criminal acts, then taking the step of considering hiring a security firm to walk the blocks at night may be the best option.
Looking into one or more of the various available fundraising for such a worthy cause will be much easier when you band together as one and could result in a much happier and safe place to live.
