Federal Public Safety Initiatives

In 2002, USA Freedom Corps was created under President Bush’s initiative to build a culture of service, citizenship, and responsibility in the country. USAonWatch was established under Citizen Corps as an expansion of the Neighborhood Watch program to empower citizens to become directly involved for the purpose of homeland security. Following the hurricanes of 2005, a new initiative for emergency preparedness and service swept the country. Neighborhood Watch groups are a way for law enforcement and citizens to work together in disaster preparedness efforts.

Under a grant awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, and under the auspices of the National Sheriffs’ Association, Community Safety Institute has developed a Neighborhood Watch Toolkit for use in training law enforcement personnel to reach out to communities in organizing new NW groups and revitalizing existing groups. The NW Toolkit contains a wealth of training materials, including CDs, handbooks, tools and templates for use by law enforcement and citizens in their NW efforts.

This NW Toolkit, designed to be utilized by local law enforcers, block captains, and NW volunteers, features NW basics, volunteer essentials, program ideas and promising practices as well as key training components and functional tools that can form the basis of NW activities and organization. Neighborhood Watch’s new role in terrorism and focus on partnerships with groups such as Citizen Corps have been highlighted, and a wide variety of community safety initiatives are presented.