About NW

About Neighbourhood Watch

Ethos

Neighbourhood Watch is one of the biggest and most successful crime prevention schemes ever. It is about getting together with your neighbours to reduce local crime and disorder and make your neighbourhood a safe and better place to live, work and play.

Community spirit and good relations are principles at the heart of Neighbourhood Watch. Neighbourhood Watch aims to bring local people closer together who share common goals to tackle crime and disorder and to keep an eye on each other's property.

Purpose

The original function of Neighbourhood Watch, when it was established by the police in 1982, was to tackle household burglary. This remains a primary function of Neighbourhood Watch, particularly in Bexley as burglary is one of Bexley Borough Police's priorities. Nevertheless, Neighbourhood Watch is not only about crime prevention, it also aims to foster 'good neighbourliness' and a strong community spirit.

Operational Structure

Each Watch usually covers one street and has one Street Coordinator and possibly a deputy. Bexley is split into 17 wards. Police Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs), NW coordinators and NW office volunteers work together to highlight and improve crime and disorder in their local area. The Management Committee is also there to support NW Coordinators and volunteers.

HOW IT WORKS

The London Borough of Bexley is made up of 17 Wards and Neighbourhood Watches are grouped by the Ward their street/s are in. Generally, a Watch contains one street or, if a long street, then part of it. Likewise, if it is a shorter street, there may be more than one in a Watch. Each Watch has one or more volunteer Coordinators which Residents are able to make contact with regarding issues such as crime and anti-social behaviour. Coordinators are supported by the Neighbourhood Watch Office, based in Bexleyheath Police station. We are an independent organisation and work closely with police Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs). There is one SNT team per Ward, made up of a Sergeant, PCs and PCSOs. Neighbourhood Watch is a network that enables better communication between residents, Coordinators and the police teams.

THE BENEFITS

Neighbourhood Watch is a long-established and well known Organisation with a good reputation. Some reasons to be part of it -

• Neighbourhood Watch brings residents together, providing a sense of Community and strength in numbers
• It is run by volunteers that are passionate about improving their local community
• It enables a two-way flow of local information, key messages, alerts and crime prevention advice relevant to your local area
• Less crime and Anti Social Behaviour as a result
• Coordinators receive a weekly summary of information to share with their Watches, broken down by Ward
• Free door and window stickers are made available to residents and Neighbourhood Watch street signs put up in participating streets, all proven to reduce the chance of crime.  

We are looking to recruit new co-ordinators and deputy co-ordinators.
You can register your interest by completing a simple form, link below.

If you would like to volunteer to join an existing watch or start a new one please click VOLUNTEER and complete the required fields on that page, or scan the QR code below.

Join Us

If you wish to become involved please download and complete a BBNWA Application Form and post or email it to us at the address shown.

Above ALL it is FREE to join.