Neighborhood Organizations

The Office of Community Services is responsible for providing neighborhood organizations with training, outreach and project planning, as well as other services which may be required for their continued success. In addition, the Office of Community Services provides updates on programs being developed and planned from other parts of the state and across the country. This office also collaborates with other government agencies in an attempt to assist neighborhood organizations with their ongoing projects and goals.

Neighborhood Block Watch

The Neighborhood Block Watch Program is one of the finest programs available with respect to involving citizens in the crime prevention process. By utilizing this program, citizens become the "eyes and ears" of the police department. Citizens become involved by watching their neighborhoods and reporting suspicious activities. Block watches are organized and individualized for various neighborhoods. These watches can be effectively used for apartment buildings, businesses, or single- and multi-family neighborhoods.

To start a Block Watch:

1. Organize a core group of at least five people in your neighborhood. Set up

an agenda and an action plan.

2. Write to Lieutenant William Chapman, Community Services Division, BPT

Police Department, 1395 Sylvan Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06606, stating

that you want to start a Block Watch and include the number of people

involved and the tentative date and time of your first meeting.

3. Representatives from Community Services will come to your meeting and

Neighborhood Watch - Citizen Patrols

Citizens involved in the Neighborhood Watch Program take to the streets. Participants of this program walk in groups of three or more people, extending the "eyes and ears" of the block watch. The goal of this component of the Neighborhood Block Watch is to establish a positive "presence" in the neighborhood, thereby reducing the opportunity for criminal activity. The participants of the program are trained to observe the activities and report any suspicious activity to the police department. We do not advocate that the participants of the Citizen Patrols act as police officers.

Neighborhood Reclamation Programs

The Office of Community Services realizes that it is important to try to ensure a better quality of life in our neighborhoods. This can be accomplished by establishing partnerships with neighborhood groups in an attempt to reduce the fear levels of residents. Some of the projects that have been undertaken thus far include boarding up abandoned property which is sometimes used for criminal activity, increasing lighting on streets in an attempt to reduce criminal activity, distributing surveys in the neighborhoods to find out what issues are concerns to the residents, neighborhood clean-ups, landscape designs, researching traffic patterns, neighborhood block watches, graffiti removal, and security surveys. For more information regarding Neighborhood Reclamation Programs, please call 576-8258.

Security Surveys

On request, a home or business is inspected for deficiencies in security. Approximately one week after the initial inspection, a report is given to the business or home owner. This report outlines ways in which the owner can increase safety and security and, thereby, reducing the risk of burglaries. For more information regarding security surveys, please call 576-8278.

Community Group Presentations

Personnel from the Office of Community Services are available to speak on a variety of topics including crime prevention, drug education and awareness, and gang resistance. These presentations are adapted for children, adults and seniors. For more information, please call 576-8278.

The McGruff Program

The McGruff Program is a national crime prevention program which features the McGruff character, who employs the "Take a Bite out of Crime" theme to present his message. The McGruff character is available for appearances throughout the city. For more information, please call 576-8278.

Operation I.D.

Operation I.D. is a program that is designed to mark personal property by engraving it with an identification number. A sticker is available that can be placed in windows, warning thieves that the property can be traced. For more information about Operation I.D., please call 576-8278.

Operation "CAT" - Combat Auto theft

Operation CAT is a program that employs the use of a highly visible decal. The decal is placed in the vehicle and it states that the vehicle can be stopped by the police between the hours of midnight and 5:00 am to confirm that the vehicle is not stolen. This program has been implemented in many communities throughout the country and has proven to be a good deterrent to auto theft. For more information regarding Operation CAT, please call 576-8278.

Auto Etching

Personnel from the Office of Community Services etch the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the automobile on the windshield, as well as on all other windows of the vehicle. This facilitates police officers in identifying stolen auto parts. A registered list is maintained at the Community Services Office. For more information about the Auto Etching program, please call 576-8278.

Senior Crime Prevention

This program is specifically designed for the senior population of the community. The goal of the program is to inform seniors of the types of crimes they are most likely to encounter and to learn how best to protect themselves from crime. For more information about Senior Crime Prevention, please call Police Officer Verna Kearney at 576-7014

D.A.R.E. Program

The Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program is taught in all of the elementary schools in the City of Bridgeport. Six police officers assigned to the Community Services Division are responsible for teaching this program. In 1995, the program was extended to the ninth grade in a pilot program at Central High School. For more information regarding the D.A.R.E. Program, please call Officer Roger Reid at 576-8278.

G.R.E.A.T. Program

The Gang Resistance Education and Training Program is another program that is taught by six officers assigned to the Community Services Division. This is a pilot program which is taught to students at the seventh grade level. For more information regarding the G.R.E.A.T. Program, please call 576-8278.

The Repair Shop Program

The goal of the Repair Shop Program is the restoration of self-esteem, pride and positive attitude to high risk youth. This is accomplished through the use of artwork – showing the important of artwork and its relationship to a better quality of life. This is a highly structured and supervised program, providing a safe environment for high-risk youth. For more information regarding The Repair Shop Program, please  Police Officer Pamela Stewart call 576-8278
PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY BEING REDEVELOPED.   FURTHER INFORMATION WILL BE POSTED SOON.