Neighbourhood Watch

Neighbourhood Watch is recognised nationally as one of the most effective voluntary organisations and the best example of police and communities working in partnership to reduce crime and the fear of crime, build safer communities and improve the quality of life.
 
Neighbourhood Watch started in 1982 and is now the largest voluntary organisation covering 6 million households with 27% of the population belonging to Neighbourhood Watch in 160,000 schemes across the country. As a national charity it is supported by the Home Office, the Association of Chief Police Officers and sponsored nationally by a number of major commercial organisations.

Gloucestershire Constabulary

Your local police service builds on this national profile by actively supporting the spread of local Neighbourhood Watch schemes, which comprise dedicated teams of volunteers who use their collective eyes and ears to pass on useful information to the police.
 
42% of households in the county are covered by 2,323 coordinators working in partnership with the police in the fight against crime.

North Cotswolds Neighbourhood Watch

The North Cotswolds NW covers an area of 250 square miles in the north of the county and is administered by part-time field officer Andy Fogden.  In the North Cotswolds district there are 220 local NW groups run by volunteer coordinators.

Our Aims:

• - To reduce opportunities for crime and to make it more difficult for the would-be thief, vandal or criminal to act.

• - To build up a community spirit so that you and all your neighbours can work together for everybody's benefit.

• - To work in partnership with the police and local organisations to raise awareness and, where possible, minimise the fear of crime.  

How do we achieve this?

Neighbourhood Watch members help to reduce crime and the fear of crime by keeping an eye on each other's properties, sharing crime prevention advice and by building a two-way communication with the police.
 
Neighbourhood Watch also helps to improve the safety of communities as a whole. Practical action can reduce the fear of crime and improve community spirit. Many members in Gloucestershire agree that being part of NW has revived/improved the community spirit in their area.  You can feel secure knowing that your neighbours are always keeping an eye on your property. You can also get lower contents insurance premiums from some insurance companies.
 
Gloucestershire Constabulary is indebted to coordinators and scheme members for providing details of suspicious people and incidents in an effort to continue the fight against crime. In support of this, the Constabulary has helped develop an automated messaging system called 'Watchword' to keep coordinators abreast of current crime trends or on occasions seeking information from them in response to descriptions of vehicles or suspects.