From the Greensboro Police Department:
GREENSBORO, NC (April 2, 2013) – The eye of the Neighborhood Watch Group, prominently displayed with a green and white sign, has expanded its gaze. A new partnership with the Greensboro Police Department, aptly named Apartment Watch, is designed to create a safe atmosphere with tenants of multi-dwelling housing units.
The goal of Apartment Watch is to promote safety and enhance communication between apartment managers and law enforcement in order to prevent criminal activity and raise awareness of safety issues. The brainchild of Officer Greg Bailey, Apartment Watch began in 2012; borne of a need to curb a rise in crime in Western Division. “There are many apartment communities in Western Division, but the Neighborhood Watch Program was not specifically tailored to the needs of rental units,” explained Bailey. “Mangers like the Apartment Watch Program because they receive updates on crime trends immediately. This partnership helps to pinpoint issues and solve problems before they get out of control.”
Each month, Bailey hosts a workshop in Western Division where he presents crime trends and community leaders engage in open dialogue on a range of topics including mail delivery, animal issues and subleasing. This is an opportunity for management and residents to share their concerns and provide feedback on issues that affect them. “We also work in conjunction with the Courtesy Officer Program, where police officers actually reside in the apartment complex,” said Officer Bailey, “in addition to providing CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) security surveys of the grounds.”
Bailey is glad that the Apartment Watch program took hold, and that the community is receptive to it. “The long-range goal is to create interest in other areas of the city,” said Bailey. “We want to partner with managers to create locations that are safe for renters. And that means management is in regular contact with the police department, working together to solve problems,” he said.
To qualify as an Apartment Watch Area, management must comply with several criteria on an annual basis including attendance at training classes, having a security survey, and hosting community meetings, to name a few. Once certified, Apartment Watch signs are prominently displayed as an indication that the complex is in partnership with the Greensboro Police Department.
“I am also proud to see more apartment complexes get involved with National Night Out activities than ever before,” Bailey said. “I truly enjoy developing relationships with tenants and apartment managers to encourage them to take a proactive approach to enhance the quality of life of their tenants.”
Participation in Apartment Watch helped Woodland Park Apartments identify and apprehend a breaking and entering suspect.
Lakemont Apartment tenants are educated on methods of crime prevention.
If you are an owner or manager of a complex and want to become an Apartment Watch Area, contact your Community Resource Officer. If you don’t know who your Community Resource Officer is, find out at www.gsopd.org. Visit the “Our Communities” section.
GREENSBORO, NC (April 2, 2013) – The eye of the Neighborhood Watch Group, prominently displayed with a green and white sign, has expanded its gaze. A new partnership with the Greensboro Police Department, aptly named Apartment Watch, is designed to create a safe atmosphere with tenants of multi-dwelling housing units.
The goal of Apartment Watch is to promote safety and enhance communication between apartment managers and law enforcement in order to prevent criminal activity and raise awareness of safety issues. The brainchild of Officer Greg Bailey, Apartment Watch began in 2012; borne of a need to curb a rise in crime in Western Division. “There are many apartment communities in Western Division, but the Neighborhood Watch Program was not specifically tailored to the needs of rental units,” explained Bailey. “Mangers like the Apartment Watch Program because they receive updates on crime trends immediately. This partnership helps to pinpoint issues and solve problems before they get out of control.”
Each month, Bailey hosts a workshop in Western Division where he presents crime trends and community leaders engage in open dialogue on a range of topics including mail delivery, animal issues and subleasing. This is an opportunity for management and residents to share their concerns and provide feedback on issues that affect them. “We also work in conjunction with the Courtesy Officer Program, where police officers actually reside in the apartment complex,” said Officer Bailey, “in addition to providing CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) security surveys of the grounds.”
Bailey is glad that the Apartment Watch program took hold, and that the community is receptive to it. “The long-range goal is to create interest in other areas of the city,” said Bailey. “We want to partner with managers to create locations that are safe for renters. And that means management is in regular contact with the police department, working together to solve problems,” he said.
To qualify as an Apartment Watch Area, management must comply with several criteria on an annual basis including attendance at training classes, having a security survey, and hosting community meetings, to name a few. Once certified, Apartment Watch signs are prominently displayed as an indication that the complex is in partnership with the Greensboro Police Department.
“I am also proud to see more apartment complexes get involved with National Night Out activities than ever before,” Bailey said. “I truly enjoy developing relationships with tenants and apartment managers to encourage them to take a proactive approach to enhance the quality of life of their tenants.”
Participation in Apartment Watch helped Woodland Park Apartments identify and apprehend a breaking and entering suspect.
Lakemont Apartment tenants are educated on methods of crime prevention.
If you are an owner or manager of a complex and want to become an Apartment Watch Area, contact your Community Resource Officer. If you don’t know who your Community Resource Officer is, find out at www.gsopd.org. Visit the “Our Communities” section.
