Block Watch is all about neighbours helping neighbours. Households, apartments or condominiums on a block form a communication chain aided by a map of names, telephone numbers, and addresses.
In Vancouver, the Block Watch constable and civilian coordinator support each team, with area-specific crime statistics and training opportunities available. Participants not only watch out for suspicious activities to reduce the likelihood of crime, but also connect with and look out for one another.
Vancouver residents continually rate the Block Watch program as one of the most important crime prevention programs VPD offers.
Block Watch History
The Block Watch program was initiated in Seattle in 1974, with participating homes seeing a decrease in residential break-ins of between 48-62%.
Surrey was the first municipality in B.C. to start a Block Watch program, which has now spread the length of Greater Vancouver and through several communities across the province.
Chief Adam Palmer encourages you to learn more about
the Vancouver Block Watch Program.
Block Watch in Vancouver
The Vancouver Block Watch program started in 1989, and in 2019, celebrated its 30th year as a VPD community-based crime prevention program.
The program currently has 400 active Block Watch groups. That adds up to 700 community leaders, called captains and co-captains,
who have involved 7,300 of their neighbours.
That's 8000 extra pairs of trained eyes and ears
across Vancouver who are looking out for each other and their neighbourhoods.
Join or start a Block Watch today and help the VPD reach its goal of having a Block Watch on every block.
Why Join or Start a Block Watch Team?
direct access to a police officer to assist with your neighbourhood crime and nuisance issues
opportunity to invite a police officer to do a security assessment walk-about in your neighbourhood and/or complex
participate in specialized training to recognize the body language and other situational identifiers that enable you to confidently identify and report suspicious activity to police
learn what a property crime thief will say to you if they have just scoped your home or condo and what to do when they leave
learn techniques to make your house, condo or townhouse less noticeable to a property crime thief
receive weekly crime statistics detailing property crime incidents by block, and weekly crime hot spots that will indicate dates and times so you know what is happening in your neighbourhood
better connection with your neighbours, leading to a greater sense of community
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Block Watch is all about neighbours helping neighbours. Households, apartments or condominiums on a block form a communication chain aided by a map of names, telephone numbers, and addresses. 
