Semilong Neighbourhood Watch
About Our NHW

Why Semilong needs a Neighbourhood Watch scheme?

Almost every week that goes past, Semilong Northampton is mentioned in the media. Whether its for burglaries, car crime, drug related crime, or though extremely rare, for violent crime. Indeed, the crime statistics for our area, Castle Ward in Northampton, shows that the crime rate in our neighbourhood is HIGH.

Does this make Semilong a bad place to live?

No, not at all. Semilong is a great place to live. It has great local shops, garages, schools, and parks. In fact almost everything is located either here or within easy travelling distance.

So what can Neighbourhood Watch do about crime?

Neighbourhood Watch is a proven way of reducing crime. It is based on a simple but very effective idea, that residents looking out for each other not only deters people from committing crime, it helps residents, particularly the elderly or the more vulnerable, to feel safer in their own homes or whilst going about the neighbourhood.

Neighbourhood Watch also provides a good framework for the police and the community to share information to prevent crime and to detect who is responsible if a crime does happen.

Is Neighbourhood Watch just about crime?

No, far from it. Neighbourhood Watch helps to bring neighbours together. For example, despite living in the same street, sometimes for years, how many of us can say we know who lives two doors down or in the house opposite? Yet these neighbours are the ones who are often readily on hand to look out for you or to help in an emergency.

Surely in this day and age, no-one cares?

Definitely wrong. When we started to talk to people about Neighbourhood Watch, we heard some pretty distressing incidents of crime, but we also heard of some great instances of neighbours pulling together and taking care of each other. Semilong is full of residents who care and want to look out for each other.

Semilong Neighbourhood Watch

That is what the Semilong Neighbourhood Watch is for, to provide the framework where police and residents can communicate with and help each other better and for residents to look out for each other..all to prevent and detect crime, improving the Semilong Northampton area and making it safer for all.

Benefits of Neighbourhood Watch

• Free Community Messages received by email.
• Crime alerts given to you by your street co-ordinator.
• You may qualify for cheaper insurance (depending on your insurance company).
• You can purchase forensic property marking kits at a special rate negotiated by Northamptonshire Police through your Community Watch Liaison Officer.
• Crime is more likely to reduce as criminals tend to be put off by Neighbourhood Watch signs. Instead targeting areas where residents are not formed into a crime aware group. Residents and visitors will feel safer.
• Community cohesion can improve (a better and friendlier neighbourhood)
• Neighbourhood Watch Signs will be displayed. Warning Criminals.
• Free crime prevention literature and advice can be obtained for street members.
• A dedicated phone number will be given to neighbourhood watch members to report all suspicious activity to Northamptonshire Police.