Community Programs

What is Neighborhood Watch?

Neighborhood Watch is an organized effort by concerned residents to look out for each other's safety and to help Hyde Park Police Officers protect people and their homes against criminals. It shows people how to cooperate with each other and with police in a common cause -- safe homes and neighborhoods.

Working together, neighbors learn how to safeguard each other's homes and reduce the risk of crime. The become more alert to unusal or suspicious circumstances, individuals and vehicles. The learn that it is better to call the police when they see something suspicious even if their suspicion proves unfounded than to keep quiet and risk letting a neighbor be victemized by criminals.

Remember, neighborhoods are made up of people who have the power to protect each other's safety. By reporting any suspicious circumstances to law enforcement agencies, members of Neighborhood Watch actually increase their own safety.

Police cannot fight crime that they do not know about. When alert citizens keep them informed, the police are far more effictive against crime and citizens have better protection and safer neighborhoods.

Join your neighbors to organize a Neighborhood Watch program in your own community. You'll be protection your own home and your own safety.

What to look for

As a member of Neighborhood Watch it will be your responsibility to call the police about all suspicious activity in your neighborhood. You and your fellow members should report any unusual situations such as:

• A stranger entering a neighbor's home or apartment that appears to be unoccupied
• Anyone looking into parked cars or removing parts, gasoline or license plates from a car
• Anyone entering or leaving a place of business after hours or loitering outside
• Breaking glass, gunshots, screams or abnormal barking dogs
• Anyone loitering around the neighborhood, schools or parks
• Anyone going door-to-door who tries to open a door or goes into a backyard
• Anyone carrying unwrapped property at any unusual time or running while carrying property
• Any vehicle cruising slowly back and forth on your street
• Any abandoned vehicle on your street
• Windows or doors recently broken at a home or business
• Anyone sitting in a parked car, especially at an unusual hour, outside a home or business

What the Police need to know

• What happened? Where? When? How? Who did it?
• If a vehicle was involved, what was its licens plate number? Color? Make? Model? Year? Which way did it go when it left?
• How many people were in the vehicle? Were they armed? What sex were they? Race? Age? Height? Weight? Hair color? Clothing? Shoes? Any unusual characteristics?
• Did they say anything?

The corner store where you shop for milk and bread should be part of your Neighborhood Watch program, even if the owner and employees live in other sections of town. They,worry about safety in the neighborhood, at least as much as you and your neighbors do. After all, an area of town where crime finds success is an area where business people will not.

Buisinesses in your area are part of the neighborhood, too, and consideration of their vulerability to crime should be a neighborhood concern. Somebody getting away with burglary of the liquor store down the street doesn't just mean the store lost money; it means crime has come to your neighborhood.

Invite local business people to block meetings and give them the opportunity to voice their concerns and offer their suggestions for improving neighborhood security. Help protect their business -- call the police if you see something suspicious or if your hear a burglar alarm ring.

Ny working together with local businesses you can make your neighborhood a safer place to live and work.

How to get started

For more information and free materials on how to organize a Neighborhood Watch program in your community, contact the Hyde Park Town Police Department at (845)229-2931 or police@hydeparkny.us. To report an emergency, call (845)229-9340.

If you are going away on vacation and your home will be unoccupied, you can ask the police department to check on it. Stop by the Police Department and fill out a Security Check form (or print the (PDF) version here.

Nuisance Phone Calls

For all the convenience that the telephone brings, many have experienced the aggravation and annoyance of harassing phone calls. The following are guidelines to reduce this type of nuisance:

• Do not admit to a stranger that you are alone. Also, instruct your children, when alone, to say that Mom or Dad is busy and to ask the caller to leave a message or call back.
• Consider having an unlisted telephone number. Avoid giving out your home phone number to strangers.
• If you are asked for your phone number on a check or credit card transaction, furnish a work phone instead of your home number. Also, if your personal checks are imprinted with your home phone, request that this be removed when reordering a new supply.
• If you must be listed in the telephone directory, ask that your address and first name be removed. Your first initial and last name should be sufficient.

• NEVER give out personal financial information or credit card numbers during unsolicited telephone calls from people you don't know.
• Don't fall for con artists who claim that you've won a prize and who ask for a credit card number for “proper identification”. Tell such callers to notify you by mail of your good fortune.
• Some organizations and charities solicit for funds by telephone. If you are interested in supporting a particular cause described by a phone solicitor, ask them to send you additional details and a pledge card by mail.

• Hang up immediately on obscene callers or strangers who ask questions regarding private matters. Many such callers are merely seeking an emotional response and will discontinue their harassment if you avoid a reaction of fear or anger.
• Allow your answering machine to screen your calls. Tell your friends and relatives that you will pick up the phone when you hear them talking into the machine. Your outgoing message should not reveal your identity or that you are away. Change the recording or use the voice of a friend, if necessary.Y
• If you begin receiving repeated harassing or obscene phone calls, make note of the date and time of each incident and the characteristics of the call. Include details such as specific wording of call, caller's voice, and background sounds. Avoid conversing with the caller or lingering on the phone, however. Chronic harassing phone calls should be reported to the police. Consider changing your telephone number and carefully screening who you provide your new number to.

Fact: Motor vehicles crashes remain the leading cause of death for children between the ages of 4 to 14 years in the United States. In 2000, 248,000 children were injured and 2343 children were killed in car crashes (Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

Recognizing that a PROPERLY INSTALLED child safety seat can considerably reduce the chances of children being killed or injured in a motor vehicle accident, the Town of Hyde Park Police Department has two specially trained and certified Child Restraint Safety Technicians. Officers Ray Bourbeau and Robert Benson will assist you with the proper installation of such safety seats. Please call the Department to schedule an appointment.