​Our Beginning


The Town of Waco in cooperation with the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department began the Waco Community Watch Program in March of 2022. Our community was experiencing an alarming increase in crime and the effects are being felt by everyone from our neighborhoods to our local businesses and even by our churches. It’s time that we, as a community, make a stand.

The Community Watch program is a highly successful effort that has been in existence for more than forty years in cities and towns across America. The program consists of a group of people living in the same area who want to make their neighborhood’s safe by working together in conjunction with local law enforcement to reduce crime and improve their quality of life.

Neighborhood watch groups have regular meetings to plan how they will accomplish their specific goals and assign responsibilities to group members. Neighborhood watch is homeland security as the most local level. It is an opportunity to volunteer and work towards increasing the safety and security of our homes and businesses throughout our community.

 Reasons for a Neighborhood Watch Program:

Basic Crime Prevention
Practice crime safety measures that eliminate opportunities for criminals. Encourage others to join in crime prevention efforts. Aid others when they become victims of crime. Work for a better and safer neighborhood through protecting and honoring the rights of others.

Disaster Preparedness
Learn skills for to prepare for man-made and natural disasters. Local, states and the federal government do a lot to prepare for disasters but citizens have to be ready to care for each other. Encourage citizen involvement in preparation and planning.

Build a Stronger Community
Get to know your neighbors. In our fast-paced world we don’t spend enough time learning about our neighbors. Watch groups give community members a reason to get together and talk about making their community a better place. Neighborhood Watch activities are a fun way for community members to get to know each other while making a difference.

 
The Background of our Program:

 We began discussions on starting a program back in 2020 before the Covid lockdowns and the program had to be pushed out until 2022. The first Community Watch meeting was held on March 10th and our numbers have steadily increased since then. Local graphic artist Jimmy Carpenter designed our Waco Community Watch logo. Letters have been sent to every household in the Town of Waco announcing the program to create interest. Letters have been sent to every business in the Waco community asking them to be a part of the program and asking for their support with funding. Letters have been sent to every church in the Waco community asking that pastors mention the program to their congregation.

 Community Watch meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at the Waco community center and the meetings are open to the public.


We Operate on Donations:

 Through donations, we have purchased window decals to be displayed in participating homes and businesses and we have purchased 12’ x 14’ Community Watch signs that are displayed on all the streets in Waco.

Currently developing a brochure on our program to use as an information and recruitment tool.

We have set up a private Facebook “Waco Community Watch” group page that is open to anyone in the Waco Community to join. The page is being used to share information on issues related to suspicious activity and other crime related information within the community. We also developed an email group for citizens that are not on Facebook where we share the same information that we share on the Community Watch Facebook page.

 

How we are working to make our program a success:

 

Recruitment of community participants


We make an effort to get out and speak with groups, community organizations, businesses leaders, churches and schools to generate interest.

 Neighborhood Watch Skills

 Observation skills: Beginning to recognize what is normal around you is the first step in recognizing what is not normal.

 

  • Pay attention to Physical settings – Specific locations, time of day, day of week.
  • People – What do they look like? (Height, weight, ethnicity, gender, etc.)
  • Specific items - How many are there? What is important?
  • Routines – Did you notice any recurring patterns or routines? How often do they occur? Who is involved?
  • Clothing description is important but look for things that can’t be changed like skin or eye color, tattoos, scars, mole.
  • Observing vehicles is important. Identify the make and model (Ford, Chevrolet, Honda, Volvo, etc.) types, and color. Look for any specific features or noticeable damage. Try to get the tag number and write it down.


 
What is suspicious activity?

 Suspicious activity can refer to any incident, event, individual or activity that seems unusual or out of place.

 Examples include:

Stranger loitering in your neighborhood or a vehicle cruising the streets repeatedly.
Someone peering into car windows
High volume of traffic going to and coming from a home on a daily basis
Strange odors coming from a home
Open or broken doors and windows at a closed business or unoccupied residence. Someone tampering with electrical, gas, or sewer systems without an identifiable company vehicle
Person arriving or leaving from homes or businesses at unusual hours
Signs of forced entry or tampering with a security system.

 

Know What and How to report:

 There are four general categories to consider when determining what to report.

  • Suspicious activities
  • People and vehicles
  • Illegal activities
  • Unusual events or incidents or dangerous situations


 To report suspicious activities, crimes in progress, or possible terrorist activity, simply:

  • Call 911
  • Tell the dispatch staff what happened and the exact location
  • Provide detailed description of individuals or vehicles
  • Remain on the phone and stay calm
  • Be prepared to answer follow-up questions


 If you feel the situation isn’t an emergency use the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department Communications non-emergency number 704-484-4822


Home Security Survey
The following checklist can help you access the security of your home and identify weaknesses that can make your home an “Easy target” for criminals.

 From the Curb

  • Are house numbers visible from the street for emergency responders?
  • Does the overall appearance of your home give criminal’s information about you that would assist them in victimizing you?
  • Don’t let mail or newspapers accumulate.
  • Don’t leave outdoor lighting on continuously when you’re away.
  • Are all fence gates locked to make it more difficult to enter your yard?
  • Does your garbage give away recent new purchases? (TV, laptop boxes, etc.)
  • Do you have lawn care equipment stored under carport?


 Landscaping

  • Are shrubs and trees trimmed to give a clear view of your home?
  • Are shrubs and trees trimmed to avoid concealing intruders?


Outdoor lighting

  • Do you have adequate exterior lighting?
  • Do you have true security lighting operated by an electric eye or timer?
  • Do you have motion sensor lighting? 


 Garage Doors

  • Are overhead garage doors fitted with locking device?
  • Is the garage door closed at all times?
  • Do windows in the door prohibit viewing of the interior of the garage?


Windows

  • Are your windows locked?
  • Is there access around a window unit air conditioner?


 External Doors

  • Are all exterior doors either metal or solid wood construction?
  • Are door frames strong and tight to withstand some degree of force?
  • Are doors with outside hinges pinned to prevent easy removal?
  • Are all external doors equipped with deadbolt locks?
  • Are sliding glass doors pinned to prevent being pried open?
  • If there’s a door leading from the garage to the interior of the home, is it secure as an external door?


Do You Have Exterior Cameras?

  • Are they aimed at doors or windows?
  • Do you have them set to alert you in real time?
  • ​


 
Cleveland County Sheriff’s Dept.

Emergency – 911

Non-emergency – 704-484-4822

 
Waco Community Watch  

John Barrett – 704-718-8475        townofwaco@gmail.com

Tracy Chichester 607-267-1679   prefcycl@gmail.com


Flavio Halis 

 

 

The Waco Community Watch Program is open to anyone in the Town of Waco and all the surrounding communities. If you are a part of the Waco Community Volunteer Fire Department fire district, you are considered a part of the Waco Community Watch coverage area. This includes the communities of Mary's Grove, Washington, Buffalo, New Prospect, and the Moss Lake. Contact us for more information. 

704-435-3923

​Town of Waco

North Carolina

We meet on the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 pm at the Waco Community Center. The meeting is open to the public. 

Type your paragraph here.