Neighbourhood Watch

The neighbourhood watch team members make arrangements together for their rounds of the neighbourhood. They have also learned how to handle difficult situations properly. They also work with other organisations in the neighbourhood, such as the police and the local authority to keep the neighbourhood safe.

If you want to know whether a neighbourhood watch team is active, contact your district panel or village association, or the local authority. If a neighbourhood watch team is active, we will be happy to put you in touch with the neighbourhood watch coordinator.

If you want to start a neighbourhood watch team, the neighbourhood panel or village association can help you find new participants. You could also place an appeal in your local newspaper, distribute a flyer door-to-door and/or hold a neighbourhood meeting.

A kick-off meeting will be organised by the local authority. During this meeting, you will be informed about neighbourhood crime prevention and what you can and cannot do as a citizen. The local authority will provide each participant with a summer and winter coat, a backpack and a torch. These will remain the property of the local authority; you will sign a loan agreement (opens in new tab) for this. The local authority also offers various training courses.

More information

You can find more information in the neighbourhood watch is a joint effort document and the neighbourhood watch handbook.

Neighbourhood watch participants (maximum of 15 members) can apply annually to the City of Leeuwarden for a financial contribution. This is a fixed contribution of €450 per neighbourhood watch team and €15 per participant. This contribution is used to organise activities or buy resources needed for the neighbourhood watch team.

The conditions you need to meet

• You must submit an application in advance with the applicant’s details:
  • Name
  • Date of birth
  • Address details
  • Telephone number
  • E-mail address
  • Bank account number

The application must also include a list of participants of the neighbourhood watch team showing the names, dates of birth, addresses and e-mail addresses.

• The coordinator or deputy coordinator participates in the neighbourhood watch coordinators’ meeting.
• There must not have been another application from the same neighbourhood, district or village.
• The financial contribution is only for the neighbourhood watch team and/or its members.
• You must annually account for the costs incurred.

Contact the City of Leeuwarden.