Pikes Peak Crime Stoppers: Neighborhood Watch

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Between break-ins, car thefts and other crimes, keeping your neighborhood safe can be a challenging task when done alone.

To help keep communities safe, that's where Neighborhood Watch comes in.

According to the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD), there are more than 500 active neighborhood watch groups in the city.

The groups cover over 400 neighborhoods, with more groups being added each year.

Police say they have "hundreds of examples" of Neighborhood Watch communities directly assisting in the arrests of criminals.

CSPD says Neighborhood Watch communities report crimes daily by phone or email via their 'Block Captains'; a person trained to notify dispatch immediately of a crime.

They add that many arrests have been made stemming from a Neighborhood Watch group reporting on suspicious activity in their neighborhood.

Dan May from from Pikes Peak Crime Stoppers says burglaries, motor vehicle theft, or burglary of a motor vehicle are the most common types on crimes they hear about from Neighborhood Watch groups.

May adds Crime Prevention Officers receive daily requests from residents and/or communities to join programs.

To join, visit the CSPD Neighborhood Watch Program webpage.

Those interested can also contact the Crime Prevention Officer for their specific division which can be found here.

If you've witnessed a crime in your area, contact Pikes Peak Crime Stoppers at (719) 634-7867.