Sheriff Non-Emergency Phone Number: (209)468-4400

Neighborhood Watch is one of the oldest and most effective crime prevention programs in the country, bringing citizens together with law enforcement to deter crime and make communities safer.  Help our community be a safer place by looking out for each other!

Past Meeting Notes | 21 things your burglar won’t tell you | Service Calls (Coming Soon) |

Personal Safety Tips for Home

• Don’t allow strangers into your home, even if they are hurt or say they need help. Keep the door locked and call the police for them.
• Don’t advertise that you live alone.
• Don’t be afraid to call law enforcement to inves- tigate suspicious circumstances, unusual people, or strange noises. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
• When you move into a new home or apartment, change the locks if you own it or ask the manager to change them if you rent.
• Don’t leave notes on your door announcing when you will be home.
• Keep outdoor lights on at night.
• If you arrive home and your door is open or things appear to be out of place, don’t go in. Leave and call 911.
• If you are accosted by a robber, follow his or her instructions.
• Don’t argue or attempt to fight with your assailant.

Automobile Safety

• Always park in well-lighted areas. Always be alert to people just sitting in their cars.
• If you are alone at a shopping mall, ask a secu- rity guard to escort you to your car.
• After checking around your car, enter it quickly and lock all the doors. Teach your children to enter and exit the car quickly.
• If your car is bumped in traffic, don’t get out of the car. Use your cell phone to call 911. Many times carjackers use this technique so that they can overpower you and steal your car.
• The last thing you should do is argue or fight with a carjacker. You could be seriously injured or killed. It isn’t worth it.
• Never agree to be kidnapped. Either drop the keys or throw them away from the car as far as you can. When the carjacker goes for the keys, get out of there as fast as you can.

Personal Safety Tips for the Street

• Don’t walk alone during late-night hours. Walk in groups whenever you can—there is safety in numbers.
• Let a family member or friend know your destination and your estimated time of arrival or return. That way, the law enforcement can be notified as quickly as possible if there is a problem.
• Stay in well-lighted areas as much as possible. Avoid alleys, vacant lots, wooded areas, and shortcuts or secluded areas.
• Wear clothes and shoes that give you freedom of movement.
• Don’t talk to strangers.
• If you are wearing headphones, don’t turn up the volume so high that you cannot hear outside noises.
• Never hitchhike or accept rides from strangers.
• If someone or something makes you uneasy, avoid the person or leave.
• Don’t display expensive jewelry in public.
• Know the neighborhoods where you live and work.
• Check out the locations of police and fire stations, public telephones, hospitals, and restaurants or stores that are open late.