SCLH Neighborhood Watch History

The current system of neighborhood watches began developing as a response to the rape and murder of Kitty Genovese in Queens, New York. People became outraged that many witnesses did nothing to save Genovese or to apprehend her killer. Some locals formed groups to watch over their neighborhoods and to look out for any suspicious activity in their areas.

A group of Sun City Lincoln Hills residents met in May, 2000, to discuss and initiate plans to establish a Neighborhood Watch Program – a highly effective mutual assistance program developed by citizens in cooperation with law enforcement to reduce crime and increase security in their community. At subsequent meetings, representatives from local public safety agencies provided useful information.

During the summer of 2000, a committee of nine volunteers began to organize watch teams based on mail box locations and to meet individually with residents to gather information and to encourage them to participate and to choose a Mail Box Captain. Village Coordinators were selected to serve on a Neighborhood Watch steering committee and to appoint a general program coordinator. By the end of July 2000, 123 teams had been formed, and the process continued as the community increased in size.

Neighborhood Watch first operated under Bylaws which were adopted June 11, 2004. In June 2007, the Sun City Lincoln Hills Association requested approved groups to review their Bylaws. Neighborhood Watch reviewed and received recognition with the adoption of their revised Bylaws by the SCLH Association on October 2, 2007. In February 2008, handbooks outlining policies and procedures for Directors, Village Coordinators and Mail Box Captains were published and distributed. Neighborhood Watch works closely with Neighbors InDeed, and other organizations to provide information and support for each other. In 2017, Neighborhood Watch again revised their Bylaws for the fourth time and were approved by the SCLH Association on August 24, 2017.  In 2019, Neighborhood Watch again revised their Bylaws for the fifth time and were approved by the SCLH Association on February 27, 2020.

NW continues grow and became a 501c(3) charity organization effective May 14, 2024.

The Sun City Lincoln Hills’ 44 villages, consisting of 6,783 houses, are subdivided into 78 Neighborhood Watch Villages with A, B, C, D and E designations and 595 mail stations. It takes many volunteers to fill the positions of Director, Village Coordinator and Mail Box Captain.

Revised June 14, 2024