What is Neighborhood Watch?
The Montebello Police Department believes in community policing. The department strives to work with the community to prevent and report crime and improve quality of life. The Neighborhood Watch program helps to accomplish that goal by creating better communication between the police department and the community they serve. This allows the police department to better listen to the concerns of the community and create long term solutions to problems. This is done by utilizing resources from the Police Department and other city departments such as Code Enforcement, the Building Department, the Planning Department and numerous other community groups. Neighborhood Watch also enables the Police Department to share information with the community about how they can prevent crime and be prepared for emergencies.
Want to Start a Neighborhood Watch? Get Started in 5 Easy Steps.
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We're here to help. Contact the Montebello Community Relations Unit (CRU) to schedule a meeting and learn about starting a Neighborhood Watch. The CRU can be reached at (323) 887-1342. An officer will help you plan your first meeting and conduct a presentation to teach your neighborhood about crime prevention, communication in your neighborhood and how to report suspicious activity in your area.
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Come up with a date, time and location for your first meeting. Consider the weather and make sure the meeting place is accessible to people with disabilities.
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Time to talk to your neighbors. The CRU can provide a flyer to distribute in your neighborhood with details for your first meeting. Try to get names, phone numbers and emails to start getting everyone connected.
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Meeting time. Get to know your neighbors and discuss your concerns. Prioritize your concerns and come up with plans to address them. Determine how you want to stay connected with your neighbors for future communication.
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Keep it going. Schedule regular meetings to discuss new concerns and talk about the progress on other issues. The CRU will always be happy to attend and provide guidance on any neighborhood issues you have.
Need a New Neighborhood Watch Sign?
The City of Montebello is now offering an opportunity to replace old signs and install new ones where needed. The city has purchased signs that are available to order at the building department. The signs are $35.00 and installation by the Streets Department is FREE. These signs can used to replace old signs or install new signs at a location of your choice. If a new sign post needs to be installed, that is also FREE. Please fill out the form and bring it to the Building Department counter in City Hall (1600 W. Beverly Blvd., Montebello, CA 90640). A city staff member will review the form and then send you to the Finance Department for payment. Once the payment is complete, bring the form back to the Building Department counter and they will schedule the sign installation.
Click here to download the Neighborhood Watch Sign Request Form.