Being a Good Neighbor Developing and Implementing Community Watch Programs

1. Being a Good Neighbor Developing and Implementing Community Watch Programs WasteExpo 2013 New Orleans, LA May 20, 2013

2. Welcome to WasteExpo 2013 • Monday Educational Seminars Welcome Reception (6:30 p.m.) • Tuesday EIA Awards Breakfast (7:30 a.m.) Exhibits Open (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) Educational Seminars • Wednesday Exhibits Open (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) Educational Seminars EREF Charitable Auction • Thursday EIA and FILA 5K Fun Run (6:30 a.m. registration) Exhibits Open (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.)

3. Goals of today’s presentation: • To help participants understand how relations between waste haulers* and law enforcement can be developed and strengthened to benefit the communities we serve. • To help participants think about creative community relations as a way to enhance their value within the community. • Provide participants with the tools needed to easily develop and implement a community watch program. * Private and public.

4. Today’s Plan • Review law enforcement objectives • Discuss opportunities to develop a positive relationships with law enforcement • Describe the benefits of positive relationships with the community National Crime Prevention Council

5. Today’s Plan • Discuss step-by-step action items to develop and implement a program • Review some tips for success

6. Experiences with the police

7. There are about 700,000 police offices in the United States. What is the police #1 job?

8. The basic mission of the police is to prevent crime and disorder.

9. Crime Prevention…the #1 job of law enforcement officials • Deterrents to crime: • Patrol • Punishment (fines, imprisonment, probation, etc…) • Education and Community Programs • Neighborhood Watch • Weed and Seed • McGruff • Crime stoppers • All programs that build bridges and enables residents and law enforcement to communicate, collaborate, and work together to build safer, more caring communities.

10. We can easily be part of this! • Community crime prevention efforts reduce polarization that sometimes exists between police and citizens. • Share a common goal!

11. Community Watch Dual purposes: • Crime prevention – By enlisting truck drivers and helpers from the solid waste and recycling industry to serve as an extra set of eyes and ears in the community. • Community Relations - Show the community that we care.

12. By the numbers… Law Enforcement • Approximately 700,000 sworn officers. Waste Hauling and Recycling • Approximately 367,800 workers. Combine = more than 1 million workers in communities throughout the United States everyday!

13. Who will benefit from partnerships to make communities better and safer? EVERYONE! • Schools • Government • Youth • Community • Police • Business

14. Working with Law Enforcement • Community Watch programs • Waste Watch (Waste Management’s program) • Neighborhood Watch • Business Watch • Amber Alerts • Safety Programs • Inviting police to safety meetings with drivers • Defensive driving programs • Slow Down to Get Around • Specialized training • Accident investigation • Mechanic training

15. Community Watch Provides support for resource-constrained police departments by incorporating civilian volunteers so that law enforcement professionals have more time for frontline duty .

16. Easy Steps for implementing a Community Watch program: • Review information packet. • Contact local law enforcement and emergency management personnel. • Train drivers, dispatchers and all other employees who will participate in the program.

17. Easy Steps to implementation a Community Watch program: • Send letter to elected officials to explain the program. • Issue news release to local media about your efforts. • Celebrate successes. • Provide news about local heroes to local papers.

18. Tools to get you started The following materials have been developed to support the implementation of your Community Watch Program: • Frequently Asked Questions • Sample letters to municipal officials and customers • Sample News Release

19. FAQ: What is a Community Watch Program? • Community Watch is a crime prevention and community safety initiative. • Enlists the active participation of Solid Waste Industry route drivers and helpers who coordinate with law enforcement and emergency services to report crime or emergency situations that they may see. • Community Watch does not require capital investment or additional resources. •  The purpose of the Community Watch Program is to provide the community with extra "eyes and ears.”

20. FAQ: How Does It Work? • Drivers, helpers, supervisors and dispatchers are trained to recognize and report suspicious activities in the communities that they serve. • In addition dispatchers are trained on procedures for reporting incidents to local law enforcement or emergency services agencies. • Drivers or helpers witnessing an emergency situation or suspicious activity radio the problem or threat to dispatch, which, in turn, contacts the appropriate authorities.

21. FAQ: How does it work? • Drivers and helpers only act as an extra set of “eyes and ears” to the local police. • Drivers and helpers should not get physically involved with any activity they report or the apprehension of any suspicious persons.

22. FAQ: How do I develop this program locally? • Get support of management/ownership • Contact the local police/sheriff • Set up a meeting to kick off the program • Stress to all employees that this is a voluntary program and that we do not encourage any employee to take any personal risk to prevent crime or ensure the safety of another.

23. FAQ? What type of training is required? • Work with local law enforcement representative(s) to design a training program specific for your community. • Training is very simple and should take no longer than 30 minutes. • Review examples of suspicious situations and explain how to report such incidents to the proper authorities. • Specific topics may include preparing accurate descriptions of suspicious individuals and using proper emergency reporting protocols.

24. Pre Meeting • General Manager should appoint a coordinator who will interface with law enforcement. • Establish guidelines to encourage responsibility and participation. • Contact law enforcement representatives to request their participation at the meeting. • Develop a kick-off meeting agenda.

25. Kick-off Meeting • Invite and involve all employees. • Encourage law enforcement attendees to actively express views regarding the importance of this program. • Stress that your organization and each of its employees has a stake in the well being of the local community. • Review the FAQs and SOPs for the program.

26. Types of Incidents • Accidents • Fires • Burglary • Missing persons (children and adults) • Illegal disposal

27. Post Meeting • Publicize the program, internally and externally. • Openly post reminders for drivers and helpers . • Regularly review procedures for observing and reporting suspicious activity with employees.

28. How can I promote the program? • Be creative. • Design a logo for your program. • Place decals on trucks. • Use flyers in customer billing statement. • Letters. • Social media. • Media coverage.

29. Strategies for Effective Communication

30. Promoting your program • Develop organizational marketing materials • Websites • Social Media • Brochures • Fliers/handouts/fact sheets • Truck Decals • Ads in local papers • Cable channel access

31. Promoting your program • Media assistance • Public service announcements • News releases • Hero recognition • Social Media • Direct Marketing

32. Should accomplishments be recognized? • Yes! • It is important to reward and recognize the contributions of our drivers and dispatchers. • Acknowledgement should be quick!  • Driver safety meetings are a great time and place to celebrate accomplishments. • Media awareness 

33. Recognition • Safety Meeting or Staff Meeting • In front of his/her peers • Annual recognition of all heroes • Letter of recognition • Tickets/Dinner • Jacket • Decal on truck • News media story • City Counsel

34. Tips for Success • Make a big deal when a “hero” emerges. • Celebrate • Reward hero • Recognize his/her actions • On-going promotion of the program • Make sure you tell the media (it’s a great story) • Let loose with the humility

35. Questions

36. Presenter Contact Information Will Flower willflower419@gmail.com 480-399-0444

37. Additional Resources • National Crime Prevention Council (3 web sites): • www.ncpc.org -- main website • www.bytecrime.org -- cybercrime website • www.mcgruff.org -- website for children • www.WillFlower.com/writings • Copy of this PowerPoint • Copy of the Community Watch Implementation Plan