With the recent uptick in crime in Indianapolis, Historic Meridian Park (HMP) is redoubling its efforts to create an effective Crime Watch program. To receive Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) assistance, 50% or more of the households in the neighborhood need to express interest. Former HMP Neighborhood Association board members Karla Johnson and John Carmer are chairing the efforts to develop a crime watch program.
Crime Watch is a division under IMPD’s Department of Public Safety. Citizens participating in this program become more aware of crime prevention techniques that can help lower their risk of becoming victims. This program has proven to be one of the best ways to strength communities by helping neighbors to get to know each other, developing effective communication systems, and engaging neighbors in the process of reducing crime along with the fear of crime in their communities. This is done by taking a proactive approach against all criminal activities through communication and the consistent cooperation of citizens, local government, and law enforcement.
The process to start a HMP crime watch program is simple.
First we need to identify the target area for our Crime Watch group. A Block Club is the basic Crime Watch unit and usually consists of homes or buildings facing each other on both sides of a street in a block. If there are a good number of neighbors interested in the program, a larger area can be set as a street or a whole sub-division and divided by blocks, streets, or areas, each one under a Block Captain. Once HMP has established the requisite number of homes interested in participating in the Crime Watch program, John and Karla will contact the IMPD Crime Watch Liaison for further assistance such as reviewing the basics of the program, setting up a neighborhood communication network, basic home security tips, and reporting crime.
Then we would schedule a second meeting with the IMPD Crime Watch Liaison and an IMPD Community Resources Officer who will address any questions and concerns related to area crime trends, police work, and how they relate to the Crime Watch program. At the second meeting, HMP will need to submit the roster of interested HMP households and Block Captains. After these requirements are fulfilled, HMP will complete a request for the Neighborhood Crime Watch signs which would be installed 4-to-6 weeks after the date the request is submitted to the Indianapolis Department of Public Works.
If you are interested in participating in the HMP Crime Watch program, please contact Karla Johnson at johnson.karla67@gmail.com. If you have previously responded, you do not need to respond again.