Who would have thought that the efforts of a small group of women who were concerned about the growing rape problem in their community would ultimately evolve into a crime prevention organization that is now celebrating its 30th anniversary? Perhaps no one could have predicted the success of the Citizens’ Crime Watch of Miami-Dade, especially considering the serious challenges it’s had to face throughout the years.

Located in an area marked by great ethnic diversity – where South American, Caribbean, Central American, Cuban, and Haitian cultures converge – the Citizens’ Crime Watch of Miami-Dade has had to tackle everything from language barriers to negative conceptions of law enforcement that were carried over from volunteers’ native lands.

Many of the volunteers hail from countries in which law enforcement is not held in high esteem, so the fact that these individuals are now working hand in hand with law enforcement personnel has been considered a major accomplishment.

Beyond cultural issues, the group has also had to win the confidence of the community. When the group was first formed in the early 1970s, the media wasn’t quite sure what to make of it.

A review of some of the headlines during the group’s infancy provides a clue: “Women Vow Street War” (Miami Star, December 13, 1974); “Vigilantes Battle Rape” (Miami Herald, January 29, 1975); and “Nosy Neighbors Guard Against Crime” (Miami Journal, March 12, 1975). In fact, when the group first formed to help police solve crimes in the community, members, themselves, called the group the Vigilantes Neighborhood Crime Watch.

Over time, of course, the group has evolved and community, but also has partnered with has not only demonstrated its merit in the local police departments, elected officials, the media, and community businesses.

These partnerships have enabled the group to help play a role in reducing crime throughout
the area. As a result of its efforts, residents don’t feel hesitant about calling the police when they see something suspicious or something they believe could affect the quality of life in their neighborhood, which is key in keeping communities safe.

As a result of the partnerships formed between volunteers and law enforcement, Citizens’ Crime Watch of Miami-Dade was able to enjoy a long list of accomplishments during the previous calendar year, including:

• holding nearly 430 NW meetings in Miami-Dade districts and municipalitiess
• coordinating 540 new NW meetings
• distributing over 67,000 pieces of crime prevention literature to the community
• participating in the National Night Out 2004 event, which reached over 17,000 residents
• coordinating 37 senior crime prevention programs
• coordinating more than 20 Identity Theft presentations/workshops
• organizing numerous monthly training meetings for police and citizens
• participating in a variety of countywide events, such as Bicycle Rodeos, Safety Fairs, Health Fairs, Red Ribbon Week, and October Crime Prevention Month events.

In addition, has also reached out to local businesses, working closely with them and forming partnerships to assist in crime prevention efforts.

This has proved to be a vital step, as many of the communities are surrounded by commercial areas. Examples of this collaborative effort include:

• the Outback Steakhouse’s annual sponsorship of the organization’s Youth Crime Watch Awards Luncheon and its National Night Out Awards Luncheon.
• a recent “eyes and ears” training session with local business, Truly Nolan, teaching employees who are out in the community
• a partnership with local television station, CBS4, to man the station’s phone banks when they have needed volunteers
• a partnership with Habitat for Humanity, implementing Neighborhood Watch as a prevention tool in Jordan Common, one of the communities the organization serves.

This NW has since become one of the most active and helped the community to become of the most crime-free in the area.

These partnerships and commitments from law enforcement and local businesses over the years have certainly played a role in the success of Citizens’ Crime Watch of Miami-Dade.

However, it is the dedication and tenacity of volunteers that has enabled the organization to grow and meet the many challenges that have emerged throughout the last three decades. While the language spoken at NW meetings may vary from one to another, the mission has remained the same: to reduce and ultimately eliminate crime in communities throughout the Miami-Dade region. Because of the hard work and endurance of its volunteers, the Citizens Crime Watch of Miami-Dade is accomplishing that every day, block by block.

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