Watch group's neighborhood efforts making a difference


Neighborhood watch groups in Hampton are helping provide police with extra eyes and ears sensitive to things that may be out of place on their streets and surrounding blocks.

The program teaches participants how to make their home and neighborhood more secure in order to reduce the risk of being victimized, as well as training citizens on how to recognize and report any suspicious activity. Neighborhood watch allows neighbors to get to know each other and their routines in order to address issues that concern the safety of the entire community.

This weeks' Five Questions is with Tom Newtown, a neighborhood watch area coordinator in Old Wythe.

What is Neighborhood Watch?

Neighborhood watch is a nationwide crime prevention initiative run in conjunction with the police and the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development. The police believe that a vigilant community is a vital element in the fight against crime. Under the auspices of Neighborhood Watch, individuals around the country work together, alongside the police and local authorities, to prevent crime and make communities feel safer.

There are local neighborhood watch associations throughout the country and area coordinators are likely to communicate with these as well as maintaining communication with the local authorities, such as police.

Can you tell me about some of the neighborhood watch efforts in Hampton?


The community policing that has been initiated along with neighborhood watch residents has greatly helped with crime in Olde Wythe. 

The Little England community is starting up their neighborhood watch program based on our success. We are trying to get Merrimac Shores online with neighborhood watch too. If we get them involved then we will have almost everything from the Newport News line to downtown Hampton covered on the south side of Kecoughtan. Then we will start a campaign to get our neighbors on the other side of Kecoughtan motivated to start a neighborhood watch program.  

What happens on a neighborhood watch?

Ensuring the success of a plan may well take considerable effort on the part of the area coordinators, block captains and all the neighbors in the community. Holding regular meetings and being prepared to talk to members of the local community about the plan and its aims will help a plan thrive. The ethos of neighborhood watch is not just to prevent crime but to bring a real sense of community to an area.

Members are encouraged to help the elderly or others who may feel isolated and fearful within their homes. Members are not expected to patrol the streets of their neighborhood, but just to become more aware and watchful of their surroundings.

How can someone join a group or create one for their neighborhood?

Generally, the person who sets up a plan will become its area coordinator. In Olde Wythe we have five area coordinators. Common duties of a Neighborhood Watch Area Coordinators include:

•Promoting participation in the plan by encouraging members of the community to be vigilant and to report any crimes promptly by communicating with block captains.

•Encouraging the use of methods which deter crime and protect homes and property.

•Ensuring that an eye is kept on vulnerable householders.

•Passing on information and tips to block captains and others in their area.

•Providing members with neighborhood watch and crime prevention literature and other items such as neighborhood watch stickers and incident report forms.

•Inviting people who are new to the area to join the plan.

How can people contact you for more information about neighborhood watch?

For additional information or to address issues, please call Tom Newtown, area coordinator, 224-9314 or my emailing More information about the national neighborhood watch program can be found at

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