Press Release

In July of 1993, the Mobile Neighborhood Watch program was established. Articles of incorporation were written and the program became registered with the State of Utah as a non-profit corporation. A well structured set of by-laws were developed as well as policies and procedures to guide the operation of actual patrols. A coordinator’s Council was established with a Executive Director, Asst. Executive Director, Administrative Assistant, and a Training Coordinator. Area Coordinators were elected to represent a patrol area.

Since the Community Councils were already established, it became apparent that working within this frame work would well suit the fledgling Mobile Neighborhood Watch Program. 

Over the last 5 years, the program has grown and expanded into every part of the city, with established mobile neighborhood watch groups in Capitol Hill, Avenues, South Central, East Central, Central City, Jordan Meadows, Fairpark, Rose park, Sugarhouse, West Pointe, Parleys, Glendale, Poplar Grove, Raintree, Peoples Freeway, and Fulton Street Business Watch. 

There are over 1,300 people who have been trained and involved in Mobile Neighborhood Watch.  

Joining Mobile Neighborhood Watch 

Community Oriented Police acknowledges that the whole community is responsible for policing, not just the police. This approach encourages the unification of the community and the police in a equal partnership, working together through effective problem solving. In Salt Lake City, the Mobile Neighborhood Watch Program is one such approach that holds tremendous promise for empowering its resident to work with the police to effectively combat crime problems in the community together. 

In order to provide a reduction in liability problems and to ensure a viable organization the following is required: 

• Background investigations on volunteer applicants 
• Extensive and ongoing training of volunteers - Liability waivers completed by volunteer participants 
• Guidance on program’s policies and procedures
• Strong citizen organization 

The real key to success of this program is strong adherence to the goals of Community Oriented Policing: A mutually beneficial partnership between the community and the police. 

Chief Chris Burbank continues to support The Salt Lake City Mobile Neighborhood Watch Program with department funds and resources. 

Contact us at 801-799-3333 or write us at: 

Salt Lake City Police Department 
c/o Mobile Neighborhood Watch 
315 East 200 South 
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 

Salt Lake City 
Mobile Neighborhood Watch 
Board of Directors 

Dan Holland, Executive Director 
Tammie Nigh, Assistant Executive Director 
Jordan Smith, Secretary, 799-3440 

Other Mobile Watch Involvements 

DUI Saturation Program 

The Salt Lake City Police Department Motor Squad, Utah Highway Patrol, Mobile Neighborhood Watch, and MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) have joined forces in getting the drunk driver off our streets. Because of these efforts over the last year and a half, we have had only 1 DUI fatality in the year of 1997, and over four hundred arrests for DUI’s and related incidents.

These saturation’s are held on a monthly basis in different areas in Salt Lake City. For information please contact the Salt Lake City Police Department at 801-799-3312.

Special Neighborhood Project 

The Police Department and the Mobile Neighborhood Watch volunteers go into problem areas with a specially equipped van and work together on such problems as vandalism, gang and drug activities, car strips and prowls, burglaries, and truancy. This program has been extremely effective in fighting crime in the neighborhoods. 

Disabled Parking 

Members of the Mobile Neighborhood Watch team are trained to monitor disabled parking violations and issue valid parking citations. Since implementing this program, over 4,000 tickets have been issued, and freeing up officers to work on more serious crimes.