Community Services
The Community Services Section manages crime prevention and educational programs offered by the department including the Explorer Program, Block Watch, Crime Free Multi-Housing, Citizen Police Academy, National Night Out, Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) as well as conducting residential and business security surveys. This Section is tasked with many support functions which are vital to the success of Community Oriented policing and the establishment of partnerships with the citizens of Prescott, in an effort to proactively address crime and related issues and improve the services offered by the Prescott Police Department.
To learn more about Community Service's programs, click on the links below:
- Yavapai Silent Witness
- Volunteer Program
- Crime Prevention through Environmental Design
- National Night Out
- Explorer’s Post #778
- D.A.R.E.
- School Resource Officers
- Bicycle Patrol
- Block Watch
- Business Watch
Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED)
The goal of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design, or CPTED, is the creation of a safer environment. This law enforcement community science has four basic principles:
- Natural Surveillance
- Territoriality
- Access Control
- Activity Support
Natural surveillance is the process of designing an area, such as your
yard, so it may be better viewed by neighbors or passersby. This may
include pruning bushes around doors and windows to allow for maximum
viewing by neighbors. Since both of these areas are entrances into your
home, you would like to keep them uncluttered and viewable to the
public.
Territoriality is the application of plants and structures that create
delineation between your property and public areas. First, this
principle creates a sense of ownership and second, aids in readily
identifying intruders. An application of territoriality is the
installation of a hedge behind your house that borders your backyard and
the alley. The hedge clearly defines your property while providing a
tangible barrier to the alley. A person who entered your yard is obvious
to both you and your neighbors.
Access control is the function of limiting availability to your
property. Since most burglars try to be discreet when breaking into a
home, this makes their profession a bit more challenging. Planting a row
of yuccas or prickly pear cactus beside your fence would be dissuasion
to an intruder climbing over it. See this flyer for some examples.
Activity support is the encouragement
and placement of an activity to an area that allows for natural
surveillance. An example of this would be moving your children’s play
area from the side yard to the area behind your kitchen window so you
are able to watch them while working in the kitchen. Another example
would be the placement of picnic tables along a bike path so bikers or
walkers could rest, refuel, and view the area. The mere presence of
bikers and walkers discourages and displaces undesirables from the area.
National Night Out
National Night Out is a nationally recognized program on the first Tuesday in August of every year. This program encourages neighborhoods to participate in crime prevention programs in their area. Neighborhoods that have a strong sense of community and participate in crime prevention programs are less likely to be victims of crimes. National Night Out is also a good time for neighborhoods that have an active Block Watch Program to have their annual meeting or for Neighborhoods looking to start a Block Watch Program to get together and meet their neighbors and start a group. If you would like Officers from the Prescott Police Department to meet with your group on National Night Out, call the Prescott Police Department Crime Prevention Specialist at 928-777-1967 to set it up.
Explorer’s Post #778
An Explorer is a person who is affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America. Our advisors strive to help each Explorer understand what a patrol officer’s duties are along with building good character for you others.
Our Explorer post works as a team within the Prescott Police Department to volunteer with festivities such as: parades, parking control and numerous community events throughout the year.
As an Explorer you can participate in our ride along program where you can see how officers complete various patrol duties. You can then apply your learning skills and compete with other Explorer posts in area competitions.
Requirements:
- Must be between the ages of 14 and 20
- Be of good moral character and integrity
- Be a law abiding citizen
- Maintain passing grades in school
- Complete an interview with an adviser
The Prescott Police Explorer Post Consists of three advisors and a Sergeant. You can contact any adviser or the Sergeant of the Community Services Section for any information or services provided by our post at 928-777-1988.
D.A.R.E.
D.A.R.E. stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. This is a program taught to Kindergarten through Eighth to teach children the importance and methods for making positive life decisions, including saying “NO” to drugs and violence. D.A.R.E. also gives the Police Department a way to have officers interact with youth and form a positive relationship with them.
For more Information on D.A.R.E. visit the D.A.R.E. website.
School Resource Officers
The School Resource Officer Program consists of officers being assigned to our local schools. The Prescott High School has one full time SRO; while the Middle Schools each have their own. The SROs have three primary functions in the schools: Counselor, Educator and Enforcement. Among other duties the SRO performs at his assigned school, each teaches law related classes to students. At the Middle School assignments the SROs have also been certified as DARE Officers; providing that service to the 6th and 8th grade levels. To qualify as an SRO, officers have to attend lengthy training and receive certification in this program. The SROs have established strong relationships with the youth while at the same time present a positive role model at the schools.
Bicycle Patrol
Selected officers from the Prescott Police Department receive 40 hours of Patrol Bicycle instruction and upon completion; are capable of working Patrol as a Bicycle Officer. The DARE and School Resource Officers have also received this training. Bicycle Officers specialize in working localized areas; on going problems in our community as well as handling security for large gatherings and events. Bicycle Officers have the capability of moving through crowded areas very quickly and have established themselves as an effective tool for keeping our community safe, while being easily accessible to everyone.
Block Watch
Block Watch is a program of neighbors watching out for each other. It is designed to enlist the active participation of citizens in cooperation with the police to reduce crime and improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods. Block Watch works when you and your neighbors use simple techniques to deter, delay and detect crime. Being aware of criminal activity can help in keeping your neighborhood safe. Promptly reporting all criminal or suspicious activity to the Prescott Police can assist you in promoting a safe and healthy neighborhood. Start organizing your neighbors by contacting the Prescott Police Department Crime Prevention Specialist at 928-777-1988.
The idea is a simple one, be a good neighbor. Neighborhood Watch (or Block Watch) is dedicated to making neighborhoods a safer place to live. The program revolves around the police working hand-in-hand with the residents of Prescott. The goal of the Prescott Police Department is to educate the citizens of Prescott as to the criminal activity in our city. Whether you live in a high crime area or not, such programs instill a greater sense of security and help reduce the fear of crime in your neighborhood.
Why Neighborhood Watch?
- Reducing the risk of being a victim of crime
- Being better prepared to react to suspicious activity
- Better informed on issues that might impact your neighborhood
- Getting to know your neighbors better
- Being able to work hand-in-hand with your Police Department
A member of the Police Department’s Crime Prevention Division will attend the first meeting. The group will introduce themselves and then learn about the Prescott Police Department. The officer will then explain how the program works and the responsibility of the neighbors. Each household will be offered Crime Prevention literature and a Block Watch sign for their front window.
At the end of the meeting the group will elect a Block Captain who will be in charge of the program and represent the neighbors. The Captain’s responsibility will be to arrange for an annual meeting, maintain a list of all members, set up and maintain a telephone tree, greet new neighbors and encourage them to be a part of the group and share information sent out by the Police Department. If the Captain decides they can no longer be in charge of the program it is their responsibility to find a new captain.
Following the meeting the City of Prescott Street Department will furnish and erect a metal Block Watch sign at each end of your block. The signs will stay in place as long as the group maintains an “active” Neighborhood Watch.
To be recognized as an “active” Neighborhood Watch group the neighbors must have at least one meeting a year, maintain the Block Watch street signs and work cooperatively with the Prescott Police Department. The program can be successful as long as the neighbors make the effort.
Business Watch
Similar to the Neighborhood Watch Program, but geared toward businesses.
The services we will be offering for our community business watch program are:
- Crime Alerts, via email or fax
- Security Surveys
- Robbery Prevention Education
- Loss Prevention, including Shoplifting, and Employee Theft Prevention
- Identity Theft, Check, and Credit Card Frauds
- Personal Safety
- Fire Safety Education
- Code Enforcement Assistance
- Various topics in Prevention scheduled at the Police Department
Objectives of the Business Watch Program:
- To encourage businesses to watch out for one another
- To provide training to local businesses in crime prevention
- To establish communication between businesses and the police department