Why do we need the Neighborhood Watch Program?
The Amerige Heights Neighborhood Watch Program was started in 2022 to assist residents with the increase in vehicle break-ins, home robberies, package thefts, and other safety issues that had risen around the county.
How do I get my street signed up on the Program?
Talk to your neighbors on your street and decide who would like to be the Street Captain (point of contact). Once you decide, send an email to info@ahnw.net and they will assist you in organizing your neighbors into a Street Group.
How do I contact Fullerton PD?
Call Fullerton PD Dispatch at 714-738-6700 or dial “911”.
Why does it take Fullerton PD so long to respond when I call them?
The police dept only has only so many officers on duty at one time and are responsible for quite a large area. They do respond to every call that comes in. If you call PD in the middle of the day when their call load is usually lower, then can arrive within 5 mins which we have seen in the community many times. During the peak early evening hours, it can take up to 2 hours. Residents can check the “Calls for Service” webpage to see all of the calls that they are responding to. Traffic accidents, domestic abuse, home robbery, assaults, etc will take precedence over e-motorcycle, homeless and other minor issues so please be patient as they will respond.
Why should I file a police report when PD will not do anything?
Residents must call in and file a police report when something takes place so that the police dept is aware of the issue and can use the metrics to focus their attention on problem areas in the city. If the police dept does not know about the problem, they are not able to address it or focus their resources on it.
What do I do if there are homeless individuals in the community?
Residents or Street Captains can call the Hope Center Homeless Dispatch which specializes in assisting the homeless. They will send a team member to assist the individual. If you call the Hope Center outside of their normal business hours and they are closed, you can call Fullerton PD for assistance and they will respond and assist the individual.
Hope Center Homeless Dispatch 657-243-1884
Fullerton PD Dispatch 714-738-6700
My mailbox was broken into. What do I do?
When a resident’s mailbox cluster has been broken into or vandalized, please follow the steps below to report it to the Fullerton Police Dept. It is very important to file a report so that they can track the metrics for these issues. The metrics will provide them with crime trends which will then enable them to modify their patrol patterns.
Because the mailbox clusters are owned and maintained by multiple parties (residents, HOA and Post Office), please refer to the following when filing a police report:
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- Mail or packages stolen – residents file a police report for “theft“.
- Resident’s individual mail slot/lock damaged – residents file a police report for “vandalism“.
- Mailbox cluster doors damaged – HOA files a police report for “vandalism“.
- USPS master lock damaged – residents file a report for “theft” of mail and/or packages.
Residents can call the Police Dept at 714-738-6700 to file the report over the phone. They can also go in person to the police station and file it at the front desk.
After the police report has been filed, resident’s will receive an email/text to submit pictures and/or video that supports the infraction. A description of the individual, vehicle and/or licence plate will assist the dept with their investigation.
Residents might not see an immediate resolution for their individual case but the police dept has had success using the evidence from multiple incidents to solve cases. They also partner with the USPS Postal Inspectors and share evidence.
After the police report has been filled, please notify the HOA’s management team at the Clubhouse so that they can track the progress of any repairs that need to take place. You can stop by during the week or email them at amerige@actionlife.com.
There are e-motorcycles riding in the park and doing wheelies on the streets.
- If you witness e-motorcycles violating the rules of the road or demonstrating dangerous or harassing behavior, please call Fullerton PD at 714-738-6700 and report what you have witnessed.
- Then call the Amerige Heights Allied Universal cell phone (714-208-2378) and inform them of the situation. Allied will be able to follow the e-motorcyles and report to PD when they arrive on scene.
- Depending on the time of day, their call load and shift changes, it might take PD two hours to arrive for a non-threatening/non-urgent call for e-motorcycles.
- PD will still make a round through the community and usually ends up seeing them somewhere else and can then take action.
What do I do about graffiti or vandalism?
- If a resident is the victim of graffiti or vandalism on their property, please call Fullerton PD at 714-738-6700 and file a report.
- Next, notify the HOA management team at the Clubhouse (amerige@actionlife.com). They will inform Allied to watch out for this going forward. They will also notate if there is additional damage throughout the community and can have this added to the police report.
- If your street is part of the AHNW program, notify your Street Captain. They will share the details with all the other Street Captains in the community and they can then pool the resources of all the residents in the program to find video footage or other clues to assist the police department.
- Any damage caused to your home or personal property is the responsibility of the homeowner to fix.
- Any damage to the HOA Common Areas will be taken care of by the HOA.
- Any damage to city, school district or utility company property will be taken care of by the respective owners and can be submitted through the “My Fullerton” app.
My Street is not part of the program. How can I assist and help keep the community safe?
Even if your Street is not part of the Program, you can help your community by paying attention to your surroundings and reporting anything suspicious that you see. This can involve individuals that are loitering around resident’s homes/porches, vehicles that drive back and forth over the same area multiple times, individuals observing children in an inappropriate manner, etc.. The residents that make the best “eyes and ears” for the community are those that walk the community on a regular basis since they are able to pick up on trends and notice when something is out of place. If you “See something, say something”.
Has the Amerige Heights Neighborhood Watch program actually done anything?
By establishing a partnership with the Fullerton PD, the program has been successful in assisting them with many issues and in supporting the community:
- Speeding cars on Catlin St
- Tagging by Sunny Hills High School
- Spreading the word about a lost child on Starbuck St
- Coordinated the Halloween decoration vandalism that affected multiple residents with footage from 10 cameras
- Unsafe student drop-off at Fisler/illegal parking in HOA alleys
- Stop sign enforcement
- Unapproved Door-to-door solicitation enforcement
- Pedestrian/vehicle incident on Sheddon/Catlin St
- e-Motorcycle enforcement
- Illegal left hand turns during SHHS peak hours on Benchley St
- Coordinate security camera footage from residents during incidents
- Assist residents with Mailbox Cluster Theft solutions (cameras, lights, sensors)
- Held annual meetings with PD at the Clubhouse to share tips and suggestions with residents to promote a safe community
- Worked with a lighting company to offer bulk discounts to have resident’s front yard lights and sensor replaced
- The Program presented during the Oct 2024 Fullerton Safety Forum.