Crime Prevention

Yadkin County Community Watch Programs

Community Watch Programs offer Yadkin County citizens the ability to work with law enforcement in the prevention/reduction of vandalism and crime. These programs have been proven to be both efficient and cost effective to the community. Community Watch works because it is a partnership between law enforcement, residents and the businesses of Yadkin County. Teamwork is the key principle to the success of these programs.

Why Start a Community Watch Program?

Community Watch is important because it utilizes the key component of the community, its residents and businesses in prevention of crime. The people who are regularly in an area are those that are most familiar with what is “out of place” or “different”. By being aware of their surroundings and the particulars to the environment, these people are the key factor in making quick contact with law enforcement when there is an issue of concern. This enhances law enforcement response to particular situations.

How to Start a Community Watch Program

  1. Contact your neighbors. Door-to-door, brochures or phone calls.
  2. Contact us about starting a program. Call us at (336) 849-7810, or email the Community Watch Program.
  3. Schedule a meeting with your neighbors. We will come to meet with you in your place worship, a private home, a fire department or another location.
  4. We will provide information through a presentation and share information, materials and technical advice.

Community Watch Activities

  • Operation ID – a program for enhancement in the recovery of stolen property. We will assist you with engraving personal property with a number unique to you. Should an identified item be stolen, recovery is greater and provides a better chance of return to the owner.
  • Community Clean-Up – a program to coordinate the clean-up of a neighborhood and get neighbors to know one another as they make the community safe and get it a “facelift”.
  • Victim Assistance – if a neighbor becomes a victim, we will work with you to help that person in the most appropriate manner.
  • Community Watch Signs – purchase and placement of Community Watch signs that help identify your community involvement in this program.
  • Safe House – the establishment of a community “safe house” as a place for children to go in a situation where they may become frightened or threatened.
  • National Night Out – this is a national program where neighborhoods come together on a particular night in August each year to celebrate their work to stop crime in their community.
  • Other Awareness Programs– if your community or neighborhood has a specific crime problem that they would like to “target”, we can help. Here are some examples of specialized programming that we can provide:
    • Drug Abuse Prevention
    • Sexual Abuse Prevention
    • Child Abuse Prevention
    • Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design
    • Not on our list? - Tell us what you need!

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