October 2018
In a community it is natural for residents to work together for their mutual well-being.
Neighbourhood Watch, neighbours working together to identify and report concerns to the police, is a program particularly appropriate to condo communities.
A community working together is to be supported. Residents should be encouraged to walk through their property at regular intervals; outside a building, through stairwells and common areas. When something out of place is noticed, a neighbourhood watch program should train residents to limit their actions. Direct confrontation is to be avoided. Taking pictures or reporting what they see to security or police is to be encouraged.
It is commonly assumed that condo corporations are responsible for protecting residents from crime. The reality is that condo corporation documents may not require that condo directors take on this role. If not stated in governing documents, directors need to decide if this is a role they wish to accept along with any liability that may come with it. Directors taking on this role may feel the need to increase condo fees to provide what they deem an acceptable level of building-wide protection.
Some condo directors view their responsibility only as identified in governing documents. Others may wish to go above and beyond. Establishing a neighbourhood watch program can be a no-cost way to provide this security.
Neighbourhood watch works best in condo communities where most residents reside year-round. Many absentee owners, or those who leave their home for extended periods each year, make it difficult to maintain a neighbourhood watch.
Neighbourhood watch programs require a lot of time. It means knowing who lives in the community, who moves in and who moves out. It means having a coordinator obtain and maintain contact information – phone number and e-mail – for each resident so information can regularly be shared within the community. When a known crime is committed, sharing this information can help ensure that crime is not repeated.
Neighbourhood watch programs allow a community to be proactive with regard to crime. Small concerns and minor crimes are identified before problems begin to grow.
Everyone participating in a neighbourhood watch should understand and accept it is not intended for fighting crime. It is an organized system to observe and report so problems are resolved before they get worse.
Neighbourhood watch programs can work well with local police. Police departments may be able to provide people to speak with neighbourhood watch residents about what to look for, then how and when to contact police.
