You choose -Standard group/scheme or a Single Watch member

Neighbourhood Watch is practiced in so many ways across the country. You are encouraged set up your own Watch Scheme because its more effective and sustainable. Based on years of experience and feedback from local Peterborough Watch scheme members the small collection of residents makes neighbourhood watch work to the best advantage. Do be proud in getting people linked up as a small network of neighbours. It is not always easy with some people rejecting the notion of neighbourhood watch from time to time.

You sign up to the scheme on the national website called Neighbourhood Alert, register as a single member but to be more effective join as a small group of residents as a standard and traditional scheme. This way it enables you to be part of a neighbourhood scheme or group, where you eventually get to know each other and more able to support each other. You will have a point of contact, a coordinator.

There are different types of Neighbourhood Watch schemes with different needs, objectives and challenges. for example- high crime areas, country and rural locations with rural crime to deal with.  village schemes with low crime and a limited number of concerns by residents.

ATM Watch was launched in 2023 for the whole of Cambridgeshire, aimed at making the Watch scheme focus on the protection of crime against ATMs (public cash in the wall machines) go to the link for more information. link

A Designated neighbourhood watch is a small neighbourhood or just a few streets determined by the City Council and Police as in need to have its own neighbourhood watch. i.e. unite the people/community. It tends to be in locations with higher rates of anti-social behaviour and crime where its residents have low levels of confidence to run their own scheme.  More information on Designated schemes is available here- link

A Covert Neighbourhood Watch can be established in areas of higher levels of serious crime, serious environmental issues and higher than average fear of crime and anxiety amongst residents. Usually no street signs area displayed, no window stickers and only the coordinator knows the members. Often the coordinator would be a police officer officer/PCSO or a Council enforcement officer but not always.