In recent years, neighborhoods have experienced a lot of changes. It used to be that everyone knew all of his or her neighbors. Today, most people don’t even know the people who live next door to them. This type of lifestyle enhances the opportunity for the criminal and, at the same time, increases the community’s vulnerability of becoming a victim.

The Red Bluff Police Department is committed to the concept of Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving (COPPS for short.) Together, the police department and the citizens of this community can work together to ensure the safety of everyone.

Neighborhood Watch is an active, ongoing program involving the joint efforts of the police department and the community. It’s goal is to enhance neighborhood security, heighten the community’s power of observation and to encourage mutual assistance and concern among neighbors.

Police officers can not be everywhere at the same time. The city of Red Bluff covers over six square miles, and often times there are only a few officers on at any one time. For this reason, we need your help.

Local people are in a unique position to help reduce local crime and solve local problems. You know the problem areas in your neighborhood; the house that people are constantly coming and going from with no apparent legitimate business, the neighbor who allows his trash to pile up in front of the house or in the street, the places graffiti continues to appear.

The information the police department receives from the public is what solves crime. Reporting crime and being a witness is your duty. By doing nothing when you see a crime being committed you are allowing crime to flourish.

That is why there is a need for an active partnership between the public and the police.

Contact the Red Bluff Police Department and let them know you are interested in becoming a Neighborhood Watch Block Captain in your area. We will help you plan and coordinate your meeting and discuss topics such as:

*Training citizens to make their home a safer place.

*Things to watch for in your neighborhood.

*How to develop a neighborhood action program.

*What is suspicious?

*Who do I call?

For more information about the Neighborhood Watch program contact

Sgt. Ron Spurgeon at (530) 527-8282 or by email at rspurgeon@rbpd.org.