watchbrighton.org.uk connects Neighbourhood Watch & Home Watch groups across the Brighton & Hove area
Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) has been in existence for over 25 years and is the single largest voluntary organisation in the country. It is overseen by the Home Office which liases with the
voluntary side through the National NHW Association and County NHW Federations. Police forces are officially responsible for approving, registering, and supporting all schemes.
This site brings news and information for the Brighton West Cluster
The Sussex Neighbourhood Watch Federation, have regular meetings at Police HQ in Lewes.
Individual schemes
are run by members through a volunteer local resident Co-ordinator,
and schemes can vary in size from just a few neighbours to a whole village. Some areas and villages also have an Area Co-ordinator.
The Police hold details of all area and local Co-ordinators following completion of Data Protection Act forms.Any resident
may join an existing scheme, or may start a scheme if one does not exist in their immediate vicinity. To start a new scheme a resident should first contact their Neighbourhood Specialist Team (NST) at their local Police station, or Police Community Support Officer (PCSO). The PCSO and Area Co-ordinator will provide advice and assistance in contacting neighbours and setting up a formal ‘Start up’ meeting. Once set up, the new scheme will be recorded by the police and the Area Co-ordinator so that newsletters, police community messages, and other information can be provided.
Neighbourhood Watch relies on the participation of the neighbours who live in the area, whether this be a close, a road, or a block of flats. NHW is a community initiative which is supported by the police, not run by them, so success depends on what the members make of it!Anonymity
Is the offenders’ strongest weapon. NHW groups take away that weapon by acting as the eyes and ears of the community, and it has been shown that NHW members are less likely to be targeted by criminals.
There are other ‘Watch’ schemes that you may join such as 'Home Watch' ‘Farm & Countryside Watch’, ‘Pub Watch’ and ‘Shop Watch’. For example, see the FarmLine website at www.sussex.police.uk/farmline,
