Crime Prevention Unit
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E-mail the Crime Prevention Unit
Monthly Crime Prevention Newsletter
Mission Statement
The mission of the Crime Prevention Unit is to develop, implement, coordinate and evaluate departmental
crime prevention efforts. These efforts are aimed at protecting the citizens of Norfolk from victimization by
anticipating, recognizing and assessing the crime risk opportunity and initiating appropriate action to eliminate or
reduce the opportunity for crime to occur.
The Crime Prevention Unit offers a variety of services in order to achieve our mission which include,
but are not limited to the following:
Neighborhood Watch
 Neighborhood Watch is a powerful tool that brings citizens together to make their neighborhood a safer place
to live.
Residents are more familiar with their neighborhood than anyone and are the most qualified to recognize when something
is amiss. Neighbors work in partnership with the police department to identify suspicious or unusual people, vehicles, or activity
that may indicate a developing problem. Crime Prevention officers are available to assist with developing a Neighborhood Watch
Program in Norfolk’s residential communities.
Business Watch
Business Watch works in the same way as Neighborhood Watch, except that it is tailored to meet the needs of the
business community.
This is achieved through partnerships with various business and professional groups and the police
department.
A business watch can keep businesses within a geographical area aware of important crime trends and related information.
Civic Leagues
The City of Norfolk has more than 150 active civic organizations. Many civic league members are involved at the neighborhood
level, as well as at the state and national level. A strong civic league is important for combating crime in neighborhoods and Neighborhood
Watch is one tool that civic leagues can use to assist with these efforts. Crime Prevention officers can address criminal activity and
neighborhood concerns within the scope of each civic league, and offer education and awareness programs to assist members in recognizing and combating crime.
Security Surveys
Crime Prevention officers will inspect a residential or commercial property at no cost to the property owner. Once the inspection is complete the
officer will provide a written report that identifies areas where the owner has done a great job with security, and will make recommendations on improvements in
design elements such as locks, lighting, or landscaping where needed. Call the Crime Prevention Unit at 757-664-6901 to schedule your Security Survey today!
Safer by Design
 The Safer by Design philosophy recognizes that neighborhood environments can either encourage or discourage criminal activity. Crime Prevention officers utilize
the principles of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED), a major component of Safer by Design, to identify the design elements that make it easier for criminals
to operate. Through access control, territoriality, and natural surveillance – the ability to observe the natural surroundings, Crime Prevention officers help citizens take
corrective measures to strengthen their personal security. These are the same principles that are applied when officers conduct residential or commercial security surveys, and when
participating in the City’s Site Plan Review Committee which reviews all new construction and major renovation plans.
Environmental Crimes
Environmental crimes can have a huge impact on quality of life for a community’s residents. Investigation of environmental crimes and enforcement of environmental
codes falls on the shoulders of our Crime Prevention officers. These duties are performed in partnership with officers in each patrol division, and with other agencies throughout the city.
Speaker’s Bureau
The Crime Prevention Unit acts as the speaker’s bureau for the police department by providing a variety of subjects for presentation to citizen groups. Some of the subjects
available include personal safety, workplace violence, burglary prevention, identity theft, holiday safety and gang awareness. Contact the Crime Prevention Unit to schedule a presentation on any
of these subjects, or if you have a subject that is not listed but would be relevant to your community’s needs.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
The Norfolk Police Department and the Crime Prevention Unit recognize that not all programs are appropriate for every audience. Accordingly, the Crime Prevention Unit is responsible
for programs that are designed for specific audiences.
Police Athletic League
Youth crime has become a serious issue in our society. The purpose of the Police Athletic League is to provide recreational activities for youth as an alternative to involvement in
activities that could lead to criminal conduct or gang involvement. The Police Athletic League also seeks to foster positive and trusting relationships between police officers and Norfolk’s youth.
Police Explorers’ Post 191
Law Enforcement Exploring is a program designed to help youth who have an interest in a career in law enforcement gain insight through a variety of programs that offer hands-on career
activities. Exploring promotes the growth and development of youth through participation in these activities.
Exploring is open to young men and women who have completed the 8th grade and are between
the ages of 14 and 21. For more information contact the Crime Prevention Unit or go to http://www.learning-for-life.org/exploring/index.html
Seniors Programs
 Crime Prevention officers participate in programs designed to address the needs and concerns of our senior community. TRIAD – named because of its three-way partnership between
the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), International Association of Chief’s of Police (IACP), and the National Sheriff’s Association (NSA) – and SALT (Seniors and Law Enforcement
Together) work to increase senior citizen’s awareness of public safety concerns through education and community involvement. The TRIAD/SALT partnership also seeks to develop and manage crime
prevention projects and programs that reduce senior crime victimization in an effort to improve the quality of life of its senior citizens. The Fire Warden and Apartment Watch Community
Team (FACT) is a coalition of mid-rise residents who represent their community in matters of fire safety and crime prevention. FACT seeks to educate residents about fire safety and evacuation
procedures, as well as participates in Operation Identification (marking property to make it hard for criminals to dispose of) with the help of Crime Prevention officers. FACT members are
also active in the Norfolk Neighborhood Crime Prevention Coalition.
Crime Prevention for the Hispanic Community
 In 2006 the Norfolk Police Department launched a program designed to meet the needs of its Spanish speaking residents. Hispanic residents in Norfolk are an under-served population because of
language barriers and cultural perceptions that keep some Hispanics from trusting law enforcement officers. The goals of the Hispanic Crime Prevention officer are to reach out to our Hispanic neighbors, bridge
the gap in communicating with our Spanish speaking population, and to seek ways to positively resolve law enforcement issues. Contact our Crime Prevention Unit for more information.
Next Of Kin Registry
The Next Of Kin Registry (NOKR) is
a FREE high-speed solution to locating your Next Of Kin/Emergency Contact(s) in urgent
situations. NOKR is designed as an emergency contact system to help if you or your family member is missing,
injured or deceased. NOKR is a free service to the public as well as the Local and State agencies using the
search service. There has been no system or service of this kind in place, until now. The luxury of the Internet
is the ability to communicate efficiently across the globe at lightning speed, bringing a nation of people
together. NOKR is a front-line approach to accelerate this location and notification process.
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