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Ventana Lakes Block Watch
The following instructions are provided for Ventana Lakes Block Watch Captains and Co-Captains. If you should have any questions about these instructions, please Click Here to contact the Ventana Lakes Block Watch Chairperson. 1 – You start by create a calling tree list for your Block Watch street or area. Visit all residents on your Block Watch street and ask them if they would like to participate in the Ventana Lakes Block Watch program. Participation is VOLUNTARY. Most will say yes. Get their names and phone number along with their street address and write this information on your calling tree list. There may be a few residents who will not participate. Don't get discouraged by those who do not want to participate. On your calling tree list simply place NO INFORMATION to identify these residents. 2 – The primary purpose of block watch is to reduce crime in our neighborhood by having neighbors watch out for each other and ALWAYS calling the police when needed. Neighbors should get to know each other and get to know each other's habits, etc. If a resident sees anything that does not appear right at a neighbors home, they should 1) call that neighbor using the Block Watch Street Map, a calling tree list, or phone directory, and ask if everything is OK. And 2) if not OK always call the police. If no one answers the phone do call the police immediately. Both the Emergency (911) and the Non-Emergency ((623) 773-8311) phone numbers for the Peoria Police Department are shown on the Block Watch Street Map. Encourage everyone to ALWAYS CALL THE POLICE if they hear or see anything that is suspicious, or just isn't right. The Block Watch motto in Ventana Lakes is "We Call The Police." 3 – When first starting Block Watch on your street visit each residence, and as new neighbors move onto the street visit them, and introduce yourself. Ask if they would like to participate in Block Watch and if yes, get their name and phone number. Encourage them to do 2 above. Once per month the Block Watch Street Map can be updated to reflect current information for the street. The Block Watch Street Map should be copied at the Management Office when reissued, and distributed to every home on the street so that all neighbors have the latest information. Give a Block Watch Street Map to everyone on your street, including those residents who choose not to participate so they also can get to know their neighbors. The Block Watch Street Map will have an “Issued Date” shown in the lower left hand corner. Call Chuck Schumm to update the Block Watch Street Map when needed. This street map is a great way for neighbors on a street to get to know each other because they have a listing of all names, phone numbers, and a visual map of the street showing where everyone lives. 4 – Try to get a Co-Captain for your street to help you. A Co-Captain is not a requirement but a Co-Captain can help distribute reissued Block Watch Street Maps, and can fill-in for the Captain in the event the Captain is out of town when needed. The Co-Captain's name will also appear on the Block Watch Street Map (A star will represents the Block Watch contacts for the street on the map). 5 – The Block Watch Street Map is a calling tree that can be used by the Captain and/or Co-Captain in the event that some special Block Watch information needs to be distributed immediately on the street. An example of this is if there is a break-in at a neighbor's home, or something gets stolen out of a neighbors open garage. Theft out of open garage doors is the number one crime in Ventana Lakes. If something happens that everyone on the street should know about, the Captain and Co-Captain can get the word out to raise the awareness on the street by calling the residents and informing them about what happened. A special "Block Watch Flash" may also be issued for distribution to the homes on the street. 6 – An important roll of the Block Watch Captain and Co-Captain is to keep neighbors on the street interested in Block Watch and aware of what is going on around their homes and their neighbors' homes, and that they should always call the police if they suspect anything is wrong at a neighbors' home. Ventana Lakes is relatively crime free so there is a tendency to become complacent. Crimes do happen here, so we need everyone to keep an eye open watching for anything that may not be right and to immediately call the police. In Ventana Lakes please always CALL THE POLICE. 7 – Inform neighbors to call the police and DO NOT investigate or take matters into their own hands. This should always be the case but because we are an older adult community, all residents are of an age and physical condition where they should not be challenging anyone. Call the police and let the police do the investigation and take the required action. The Peoria Police Department has met with us and they have said they want to be called. 8 – The Block Watch Captain and Co-Captain should attend (if you can) a Block Watch Meeting once per month on the last Saturday of each Month at 9:00am at the Association's Management Office. CLICK HERE for a list of the Block Watch meeting dates. The meeting will usually last from 1 to 1-1/2 hour. At this meeting we discuss any crimes in the community and any questions the Block Watch Captains may have. This meeting is primarily for Block Watch Captains and Co-Captains, but anyone from the community is welcomed to come and participate. 9 – Inform everyone that crimes in Ventana Lakes are largely crimes of opportunity. Open garage doors (Front door or side door), autos parked outside unlocked or with windows down, and front yard figurines and ornaments seem to be the opportunity criminals are looking for in Ventana Lakes. Ask everyone to keep the garage doors closed when not in the garage. If a car must be parked outside keep them completely locked-up with all windows raised. Many people will open the garage door slightly to provide ventilation through the garage. Tell them to open the garage door no more then 3 inches. Do not open the garage door so much that someone can slip under it. The police have told us that when the garage door is opened partially for ventilation and opened so much that someone can slide under the door that this is ideal for a criminal because they can get into the garage by sliding under the door and take their time looking around to steal what they want because no one can see them from the street. It is known that thieves drive through communities like ours, 2 men per car, and when they see an open garage door with no one around they pull-up in front of the house, the man in the passenger seat runs in and steals what he can find, runs out, and they drive away in less then a minute. 10 – Block Watch Captains names and phone number will appear on the Ventana Lakes Block Watch web page. 11 – A "Block Watch Captain" Ventana Lakes identification badge will be issued to you. 12 – Any questions regarding Block Watch can be referred to Chuck Schumm. 13 - Visit Ventana Lakes Block Watch on the web at www.vlpoa.org and click on the Block Watch button. On this web site is a list of all known crimes in Ventana Lakes for the last 6 months or so. This helps keep everyone informed so individual residents' can take steps at their homes to prevent a similar crime from happening to them. Various Crimes That Have Been Experienced In Ventana Lakes Click Here to view recent crimes in Ventana LakesReminders…Keep garage doors closed at all times when not in the garage. When keeping the garage door open for ventilation, open it no more then 3 inches. Keep autos locked at all times when parked outside. Call the police if anything is observed that does not seem right. Please don't wait for someone else to make that call… How To Use The Block Watch Street Maps For Ventana Lakes Block Watch Captains And Co-Captains Block Watch Street Maps are created to give everyone on a Block Watch Street or in a Block Watch Area a visualization of the location of the homes on the street and the residents living in the homes. Using the Block Watch Street Map a resident can easily identify who is living in a particular house by looking at the map. The recommended use for the Block Watch Street Maps follows: • The Block Watch Captain for the street or area is responsible to keep the map updated and accurate. Visit each resident on the street and request that their name, address, and phone number be placed on the Block Watch Street map and that they participate in the Ventana Lakes Block Watch Program. • If you have no Block Watch Street Map contact Chuck Schumm and provide Chuck with the information you have (i.e. A calling list) so a map can be constructed for your street or area. If you do not have a calling list you should visit each home in your area and ask them if they would like to participate (participation is voluntarily) on the Block Watch Street Map. If yes get their names, address, and phone number. • If there are any changes to the Block Watch Street Map for your area (i.e. a new neighbor moves in) please call Chuck Schumm with the updates and an updated map will be reissued to you within a few days. • In the lower left corner of the Block Watch Street Map is an “Issued” date. This date lets you and the residents on the street know if they have the latest map or not. ALWAYS use the latest map. If you question if you have the latest map contact Chuck for the Issue Date on record for your Block Watch Street Map. • You do not have to wait until all the information for your Block Watch Street Map is complete. Provide Chuck with the information you have and the Block Watch Street Map can be constructed. After that, making changes to the map only requires a quick 5 to 10 minutes of editing. Remember that a map that has a few pieces of missing information (like telephone numbers) is better then no map at all. • After you receive your Block Watch Street Map go to the VLPOA Management Office and copy the map making enough copies for each home in your area to have a map. Note that in the Issue Date box is a Properties On Street number that represents the number of homes in your Block Watch area. Make enough copies, and maybe 2 to 3 more as extras, using this number as the minimum number of copies. • Distribute your Block Watch Street map to each home in your Block Watch Area. You do not have to had deliver each map to each resident, simply place them in their front door or clip them under the electrical box cover which is usually located near their front door. • As a suggestion, you should create a Block Watch News Letter (this can be typed or had printed) that can be copied onto the back of your Block Watch Street Map (one page two sided). If needed Chuck Schumm can create a news letter for you so call Chuck. • Your newsletter can introduce you as the Block Watch Captain for your Block Watch Area. It can also have helpful Block Watch Information like the information contained in the following.
Encourage the residents in your Block Watch street or area to do the following: • Use the map to identify the residents living in what homes. Use the map to get to know your neighbors. • If anything suspicious activity is seen or heard at a home on the street IMMEDIATELY call the people at the home to see if they are aware of the activity – almost all will appreciate your watching over their homes. If you get no answer call the Peoria Police Department at the numbers that appear on the Block Watch Street Map. If the activity observed is a crime, don't call the resident, but IMMEDIATELY call the Peoria Police Department by dialing 911. Tell residents that they should not wait to call the police hoping that someone else will make the call.
• If any crime of any kind is experienced at a home the resident should… 1. Call the Peoria Police Department and file a report. All crime should be reported regardless of how small it may appear. 2. Call the Block Watch Captain and inform the Captain of the crime so we can make other Captains aware of the crime – personal information like name, address, and phone number will not be given out. 3. If any information on the Block Watch Street Map is incorrect or changes, please call the Block Watch Captain and provide corrected information so that the Block Watch Street Map can be updated with accurate information. • Encourage all residents to keep their garage doors closed. Theft out of open garage doors is the number one crime in Ventana Lakes. • Encourage all residents to get to know their neighbors and to watch out for each other. We can make Ventana Lakes a safer place to live if we watch each other's place and call the police if needed. • If you have any questions or concerns regarding Ventana Lakes Block Watch call Chuck Schumm. Note that Block Watch is not here to enforce Ventana Lakes Rules. For example, if you see children in a pool that are not suppose to be there call the Management Office and not Block Watch - Block Watch will simply tell you to call the management office regardless of the hour of the day or night. Block Watch is here to help make Ventana Lakes a safer place to live by having neighbors watch out for each other and who call the police if they suspect anything is wrong or a crime is being committee at a neighbors home. 
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