Neighbourhood Watch

Helping Communities to Help Themselves...

Neighbourhood Watch was first introduced into the UK in the early 1980’s.   Since then it has proved to be a wonderful resource and asset, helping the Police and partnership organisations in their daily quest to fight and to reduce crime.

Neighbourhood Watch is a National independent voluntary organisation, which has its own hierarchy and structure, and in our County, it is administered by the Essex Neighbourhood Watch Association committee, and served by voluntary co-ordinators, who pass on information to, and from members, helping to promote community cohesion, and keeping everyone informed.

Essex Watch is an Essex Police initiative, supported by the Epping Forest Safer Communities Partnership.

One of the roles of the Essex Watch co-ordinator is to support and encourage the work and development of Neighbourhood Watch schemes across the district.

Essex Watch also encourages, supports and facilitates, the formation and development, of other ‘Watch schemes,’ which include:  Allotment Watch, Business Watch / Industrial Watch, Caravan Watch, Country Watch, Farm Watch, Forest / Park Watch, Golf Watch, Horse Watch, Junior Neighbourhood Watch, Marine Watch (Inland Waterways), Pub Watch, School Watch, Shop Watch and Speed Watch.   There are several additional initiatives which are currently being looked at, including Plant Watch (construction plant) and Trailer Watch.

All of the Watch schemes share two common aims and objectives, which are:  To ‘Keep Crime Down,’ and to ‘Help Communities to Help Themselves.’

If you are interested in joining any of the above schemes, or would like to learn more about them, please contact the Essex Watch Administrator for the Epping Forest & Brentwood Districts by telephoning 01279 621862 or by emailing colin.freeman@essex.pnn.police.uk

You can also find more information at the Essex Police Website.

Essex Police Non-Emergency Tel. No: 0300 333 4444

In an Emergency dial:  999