Neighbourhood Watch is about local people working together to create safe, attractive and friendly places in which to live. Places where crime is less likely to happen and people are less likely to turn to anti-social behaviour.

It’s about looking out for your neighbours and for them to look out for you. There are no barriers regarding age, race, class and religion – it’s about making sure that no one feels alone, frightened or vulnerable in the place where they live.

Here in Devon and Cornwall

There are numerous Neighbourhood Watch Schemes all over Devon and Cornwall. Some are based in heavily populated areas and on housing estates with lots of members whilst others bring together a smaller group of homes in a hamlet or spread across a rural location. There is equally no template for how to run a scheme and each scheme is individual to its community’s needs, in size and how it operates. Meeting regularly or simply linking by phone and email.

Schemes must be run by a lead Co-ordinator but often there are Deputies or a group of Co-ordinators if the location requires more focused attention. Either way the lead Co-ordinator will gain support through the network of local DaCCWA Watch Offices which are normally based in nearby Police Stations. It is the Co-ordinator’s role to get people working together and make sure things get done. They also liaise with the Police and act as a voice for their scheme members.

Our Watch Offices are there to advise Co-ordinators over how to get the best from their efforts, help them with marketing the benefits of Neighbourhood Watch and support the set-up of new schemes.

Although Neighbourhood Watch is all about helping to cut crime and reducing the fear of crime, its equally about helping to combat loneliness, caring for the more vulnerable members of our communities and improving the social atmosphere and our community spirit by bringing people together with a shared goal.

DaCCWA has a wealth of knowledge and experience of how to run successful Neighbourhood Watch Schemes and many of our Watch Office Leads also run their own schemes so there’s always plenty of advice and support available. 

Benefits of joining

• You will be part of a recognised and fully-supported way to help reduce crime and the fear of crime in your community.
• You will become more knowledgeable about your own security whilst also understanding the benefits of looking out for others.
• You will be linking with other like-minded people who care, and who especially consider those who may be lonely, more vulnerable and who are frightened by crime.
• You will have a link with your local policing team and appreciate the benefit of reporting crime.
• You will have access to Devon and Cornwall Alert (early information regarding crimes or suspicious behaviour).
• You might even be eligible for a discount on your home insurance.

Where to start

We've put together a useful guide on How to set up a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme. This is definitely a good place to start before coming back to us with specific questions or you can complete an Application Form and get that back to us so we can help get you started. Here's some guidance too on who you can ask to support your application.

How to join

It’s free to join a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme so if you would like more information about joining or setting up a scheme in your area, please contact us using the Contact Form.

If you would like to start receiving the DC Alert messaging service now, please register on the Devon and Cornwall Alert website.