The basic rules of Neighborhood Watch are pretty much understood by everyone. Keep an eye on your neighbors’ property, keep lines of communications open, dial 911 in an emergency, and call the nonemergency police line for all other concerns. It’s pretty much that straightforward and simple.
Something’s Missing
Even with the proliferation of security cameras, alarm systems and video doorbells, police continue to support Neighborhood Watch. What’s little known is that Neighborhood Watch has a companion called Operation Identification (Operation ID) that is also supported by the police because it’s designed to dovetail with investigative procedures. Operation Identification Police – Search (bing.com)
How is Operation Identification Superior?
It might sound counterintuitive, but while security cameras, alarm systems and video doorbells might make you feel safer, none of them provide the vital information the police need to convict criminals. Again, it might sound unusual, but the shred of evidence the police value the most is the information that virtually nobody keeps a record of: the make, model and serial numbers of the portable valuables criminals target. Police say Amazon Ring isn’t much of a crime fighter (nbcnews.com)
Neighborhood Watch Alternative
Operation ID is a viable, police-endorsed alternative to Neighborhood Watch. In many ways, its superior to Neighborhood Watch because it provides the police with actionable information for convicting criminals. It’s not to say that we should abandon all the other strategies, it’s just that Operation ID is the added layer of security that is missing from the mix. Safety Minute 85: Operation ID – YouTube
Operation ID Modernized
Operation ID is very effective, but also old-fashioned and inconvenient. That could explain why it’s fallen out of fashion even though the police wish more people would use it. My Property ID Registry has created a police-accepted enhancement of Operation ID that is simple to order and easy to install. It’s also possible to have your Neighborhood Watch group be awarded a My Property ID Registry street sign if enough people join in. An Added Layer of Security – My Property ID Registry