Neighbourhood Watch (NW)

What is Neighbourhood Watch? It is a program aimed at reducing crime in the community. It involves neighbours working together, alert to the potential of crime and willing to look out for one another’s interests. Working together through Neighbourhood Watch (NW), communities can help combat crime before it starts.

The success of the program relies on the involvement of the community to be aware of, and follow the program, plus a number of volunteers to be 'block captains'. The block captains job is to act as a liaison between the residents within their area and the Cornell NW Area Coordinators. It is not a huge time commitment or a lot of work. If break-ins, acts of vandalism or other situations occur, the block captain reports the incident to the the NW Coordinator who then alerts the Police and other Block Captains if required.

Does Your Street Need a Block Captain?

The CRPA would like to urge local residents to get involved in the Neighbourhood Watch (NW) Program. The CRPA does not currently have the resources, nor the manpower to distribute timely information to 1700+ homes in Cornell. Our website, while a current source of information, is not used regularly by everyone. While a Canada Post mail-out may seem like the next best thing, delivery can take up to 3 weeks. NW has the potential to be a much more effective and quick system for alerting the community.

The following streets have block captains.

If you are interested in being a NW Block Captain please email info@mycornell.ca to volunteer.

Safety Tips & Advice from Neighbourhood Watch
and York Region Police

Car Safety
Always lock car doors whenever parked, especially at night. Locking both garage doors is a further deterrent to crime. Also, don’t leave valuables in your vehicle, but if you must, remember to store them out of sight.

Laneway Lights
Did you know that homeowners are required by law to keep their laneway lights operational? This is an important crime deterrent as well, keeping cars and people safe. Remember to replace your burnt out bulbs. Some lights are controlled by switches inside homes, so ensure that the switch is in the “on” position so that when the sun goes down, your laneway lights come on.

Stay Alert
Keep a watchful eye on your property and your neighbours, look out the window if you are up at night. If you see any suspicious activity in the neighbourhood, no matter what that may be, call the police at 905 881-1221.  Next, contact your Block Captain.

Travel Safe
When walking at night travel in pairs. Always check the back seat of your car before getting in. Lock your car door after you get in and drive away. Do not sit alone in the car making phone calls etc.

Online Forum Use
Avoid including information in online posts that may encourage crime in our community by exposing security weaknesses. Refrain from pointing blame to an individual by naming names or including license plate numbers. If there are details that you feel the community needs to be aware of please contact York Region Police, Cornell's Neighbourhood Watch, or a member of the CRPA.

Keep Informed
Read our Home Safety Tips for more information on how you can protect your home. Visit the York Regional Police’s website for more safety advice.

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