OH WATCH

Please adhere to these Guidelines when Patrolling for OH Watch

AIM OF PATROLS

Thank you for volunteering to keep our neighbourhood safer!

The aim of our patrols is two fold:

To be a visible deterrent to potential criminals, whose suspicious activities may be curtailed by seeing regular, highly visible patrol vehicles in the areas where they are contemplating crime. Nobody wants to get caught, so by having our patrol vehicles regularly patrolling, there is more chance that criminals will be seen, reported, and not get away with it!

To provide an “eyes and ears” service to assist the police (SAPS) in policing the area.
The more visible and frequent our patrols, the more often suspicious activities will be reported to the police, with whom we work in very close partnership and who will act on our information

BEFORE YOU START YOUR PATROL

• Register for patrols on www.ohwatch.co.za; click on “Neighbourhood Patrols” If you have done this once, you do not need to do it again.
• Go to Wizards Gardens Centre with a passport size photograph of yourself and your ID or Passport number. Mention to the Wizard shop assistant that you are there for your OH Watch ID Card and to sign the indemnity form. The shop assistant will access the OH Watch job bag and present you with an incomplete ID card. Complete the info required on the front of the ID card and hand it over with your photo. The card will then be laminated. Please ask to sign the indemnity form. You will need to pay R5.00 for your ID card. Do not go without a photo or ID or Passport Number, as your card cannot be completed without it. Please keep your ID card on you during patrols.
• Take a print-out of “Important Contacts” (from this Website) with you or have relevant numbers programmed in your cell phone.
• If you are taking your own radio, ensure that your radio batteries (2) are fully charged. Don’t forget to take the spare battery with you.
• Ensure that you have made contact with your patrol buddy beforehand and know where to meet up. One person will drive; the other will be the main observer and use the radio.
• Ensure that you have petrol in your car.
• Take your charged cell phone with you.
• Dress warmly and wear comfortable clothes and shoes.

PICK UP THE PATROL KIT

• The OH Watch Patrol Kit is kept at the Gatehouse at the Mount Nelson Hotel. When driving down Kloof Road enter the Mount Nelson Hotel on the right hand side. The gatehouse is immediately as you enter. Park your car and go into the gatehouse where you will find a trommel locked with a combination lock. Your Block Leader will give you the combination for the lock. Take out the patrol kit.
• Check that you have everything as per the check list in the patrol kit.
• Check the patrol log book to ensure you are updated with current incidents and hotspots.
• Attach the OH Watch magnetic decals to the front doors of your vehicle.

RADIO PROCEDURE

• If you are using the OH Watch patrol radio, put the radio into the charger in your car and attach the arial.
• When you start your shift, let SAPS (police) know that you are on patrol. Commence by calling in via radio. Please address SAPS ” Bravo 6” and inform them about your patrol (description of your vehicle, area covered and duration). City Bowl Armed Response also have an OH Watch Radio in their control room. You can also call them on “Charlie Bravo 0” and tell them that you are on patrol and could they standby in case you need assistance. Similarly ADT has a radio in their patrol vehicle, call sign Whiskey 4. Your Call Sign is “OH Watch Patrol”, (not your home call sign even if using your own radio).
• When you have completed patrol, please radio SAPS (Bravo 6) and Charlie Bravo 0 (CBAR) and Whiskey 4 (ADT) again and let them know that your patrol is over.
• Use Channel 1 at all times - this is the Chat Channel. The Sleep Channel is used for Emergencies only. This is Channel 2. We will only use this channel in the case of a fire in the neighbourhood or any other emergency.

THE ROUTE

• The boundaries of our area are as per our OH Watch Map in the patrol kit.
• Please stick to within these boundaries for patrol purposes.
• Vary your route, do not follow the exact same route every round you do, as this ensures that you always have the element of surprise on your side. Pay particular attention to the hotspots listed below.

Do not only patrol the main roads, include the smaller roads and cul-de-sacs.

OH WATCH HOT SPOTS

• Area around Gardens Centre; San Remo in Camp Street; Breda St; Prince St; Area around Gardens Bowling Club;Union St;Weltevreden St; Area around Lower reservoirs.

SEE SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS?

• Observe and report any suspicious activity on:

vacant stands and public open spaces
all building sites

• Check for:

gates or doors left open
suspicious characters checking out properties (“window shopping”)
people loitering or carrying unusual goods

• Radio in to Romeo Charlie BEFORE approaching the subject; describe exact location include nearest road intersection , and exact detail of what you see as suspicious.
• If you are alone do not approach, wait for ROMEO CHARLIE to arrive in their vehicle.
• Keep visible presence, i.e follow in your vehicle; drive by repeatedly; stop across the road.
• Write details in the log book as soon as possible, even if it turns out to be unsuspicious, as the same thing could happen to the next patrollers.

PATROL TRAINING 6-8pm

We recommend that you attend at least one patrol training session before going out on patrol. For the next training sessions for volunteer patrollers please see home page.

PROGRAMME

OH Watch – what is this and progress to date.
Neighbourhood Patrols – what are they and why do them?
The OH Watch Boundary and Patrol Route.
OH Watch Hot Spots
Radio Etiquette – how to speak effectively on the two-way radio?
What to look out for during patrols?
What do I do if I see a suspicious vehicle or behaviour?
The patrol kit
What to do before patrols – ID Card; Indemnity, etc

The first hour of the training session will be spent listening to OH Watch members Jonny Levin and Martin Lompa engage with us on the above agenda points. The second hour will be going out on a patrol with Jonny Levin. From picking up the patrol kit to checking out the hotspots in our area, we experience how to be an effective OH Watch patroller.

REMEMBER - OUR AIM IS TO BE VISIBLE, AND THE EYES AND EARS OF OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD

Never confront anyone!
Be observant about what people are wearing, particularly their shoes – these are rarely discarded during a getaway – because you will definitely be asked for descriptions.

No heroics, please!
You are not Rambo or Lara Croft