Title: Home Security Neighborhood Watch Word Count: 651 Summary: A neighborhood watch program has excellent benefits for all participants. Thieves and other encroachers are less likely to enter into a home in an area with neighborhood watch program. All the areas who join the program carry sign which demarcates their participation and if a thief does try to enter into a home, the neighbors have a good chance to notice this and inform the police immediately. No wonder then that a neighborhood watch program is always on top of any burglary p... Keywords: home security, neighborhood watch program Article Body: A neighborhood watch program has excellent benefits for all participants. Thieves and other encroachers are less likely to enter into a home in an area with neighborhood watch program. All the areas who join the program carry sign which demarcates their participation and if a thief does try to enter into a home, the neighbors have a good chance to notice this and inform the police immediately. No wonder then that a neighborhood watch program is always on top of any burglary prevention and protection agenda. To participate in a neighborhood watch program is an inexpensive method to protect your home. You merely have to devote sometime to look after your immediate neighborhood and the goings on – your neighbors will do likewise too. So the program is mutually beneficial. Most neighbors of course unofficially do keep a watch around. If you find that your area still does not have a neighborhood watch program, it could be a good idea to walk across and discuss with some of the neighbors to start one. And if they are also aware of the benefits of the program, it could be that they will happily participate in the program. To get into this program, there are some basic steps that you have to take and some requirements must be met. Firstly, you must inform the local police and meet their representative. The police representative, who is usually a specialist in crime prevention and home security will then explain the various organizational aspects of the program, give you critical tips on home security and prevention of crime. This representative will also provide you with the watch sign. You need to choose a chair for your neighborhood watch program also. Once your area has started the neighborhood watch program, the group must motivate everyone living in the neighborhood to participate. The more people join the program actively, the safe the neighborhood becomes. To make the program more effective, meet the neighbors and know about each other. Information like their daily schedules, emergency contact numbers, cars and other valuables kept outside should be shared. In case you are leaving home on vacation or for a long time, keep your neighbors and the watch coordinator informed about it. One of the very good ways to make the neighborhood watch program more effective is to participate in neighborhood watch training programs. There are several organizations which offer expert training on security and burglary or crime prevention. The first thing to do would be to contact your local police or local government offices to know where and when such training sessions are on. If they are not organizing such programs themselves, they will surely guide you to able and efficient organizations who are indeed conducting such trainings. These programs, seminars and sessions are always conduction by people who are experts on crime/burglary prevention and home security. Not only do you learn from experts but you can also transmit the information to others in your neighborhood, and interact with other participants and learn more. If you find your area is not participating in these neighborhood watch programs, you can volunteer yourself and attend these valuable learning sessions. Your local police department is an excellent resource for valuable information on security and crime prevention. These resources include information on other neighborhood watch programs, access to educational information, security guides and valuable advice on how to improve your own neighborhood watch program. There is a plethora of crime prevention information available with the police. They share this with you. There are several national bodies which provide assistance to neighborhood watch programs, from where you can also access more education and knowledge. With all these proactive participations, you, your family, your home and your neighborhood becomes a far better and safer neighborhood to live in. Chances are that neighbors will be supportive and be active participants in the neighborhood watch programs in your area.