Table of Contents

Section I -- Organizational Requirements
  • What does it mean to be "incorporated?"
  • Why is being incorporated important for councils?
  • How do I have my council incorporated?
  • How do we obtain 501(c)(3) designation (tax-exempt status)?
  • What guidelines should I follow to be sure my council operates efficiently?
  • What type of information should be included in my council's bylaws?
  • Sample bylaws
Section 2 -- Leadership and Governance
  • I have just been elected president -- now what?
  • What can I do to become a more effective leader?
  • What are common responsibilities and duties of council officers?
  • What records should council maintain? Who keeps them? Where? For how long?
  • How do I run a meeting?
  • How can I reduce the possibility of conflict during my meetings?
  • Can I be an effective leader? What are my strengths? Weaknesses? (A worksheet)
Section 3 -- Defining the Neighborhood
  • How many and what types of businesses are located in my neighborhood?
  • How many and what types of schools, religious institutions, and social services agencies are here?
  • What types of services or charitable activities do they provide to area residents?
  • What do the residents of my neighborhood look like?
  • What do they want and need?
  • Who among them are potential council members and/or volunteers?
  • How do we organize groups in my neighborhood?
  • What are some points we should know before going door-to-door?
  • What are Block watch groups? How are they formed?
Section 4 -- Government Relations and Other Partnerships

This section includes a community-produced directory of important neighborhood contacts and resources, as well as a brochure and booklet listing key information about county and state departments and county-wide elected representatives. Also included is a segment devoted to special programs sponsored by the City of Cincinnati.

Section 5 -- Grants and Grant Writing
  • What is the Grants Resource Center?
  • How do I get started writing a grant proposal?
  • How do I determine who to ask for funds?
  • What are some do's and don'ts of grant writing?
  • What is an RFP? How do I use it to prepare my proposal?
  • What are my responsibilities if I get funded?
  • Who can apply for an Invest Merit Grant?

Leadership Manual

Defining the Neighborhood

   Neighborhood Asset Inventory
   Recruiting Your Neighbors To Participate
   Tips For Doorknocking
   Block Watchers

WHAT IS A BLOCK WATCHER?

Every citizen should be a BLOCK WATCHER . . . a concerned, public-spirited citizen who observes criminal activities in his or her neighborhood and reports that information to the Police Department. A BLOCK WATCHER'S objective is just to watch his/her adopted block and, if observing criminal or unusual activities, to report those activities with no further action being necessary.

WHY DO WE NEED A BLOCK WATCHER PROGRAM?

The security of the City and its citizens depends upon the people themselves. No police department can effectively protect life and property without the support and cooperation of the citizens it serves.

The BLOCK WATCHERS program establishes a formal network for concerned citizens to report an emergency or criminal activity to the Cincinnati Police Division. The police need your help, your eyes and your ears. Criminals are less likely to operate in areas where the citizens are alert. Our goal is to give potential criminals the feeling that everyone in the community is watching them.

THE CITY OF CINCINNATI NEEDS YOUR HELP.
ADOPT YOUR BLOCK.

HOW DOES THE BLOCK WATCHER PROGRAM WORK?

Here is how it works . . . persons wishing to become BLOCK WATCHERS should contact the Crime Prevention Officer of their local district or a member of your respective Community Council. To contact a District Crime Prevention Officer, call:

	District 1		352-3505	or	352-2978
	District 2		352-3592	or	352-3901
	District 3		352-3574	or	352-3938
	District 4		352-3576	or	352-3902
	District 5		352-3578	or	352-3903

Training sessions will be scheduled by the Police Division. We will give professional instruction so that each BLOCK WATCHER will know what to look for, how to describe what he or she sees, and, finally, how to report the incident to the police.

Cincinnati Police Division BLOCK WATCHERS are given a specific identification number which they will use when calling. The Police Communication Section will process calls from BLOCK WATCHERS in a prompt and efficient manner. BLOCK WATCHERS are to call 765-1212 to report suspicious or unusual situations. If an emergency exists, call 911.

Here is an example of a Cincinnati Police Division BLOCK WATCHER card:

BLOCK WATCHER

BLOCK WATCH NUMBER ________________

DATE  ____________________

NAME _____________________________________________________

ADDRESS __________________________________________________

CITY/STATE/ZIP _____________________________________________

TELEPHONE NO. ____________________________________________

CINCINNATI POLICE DIVISION EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
		EMERGENCIES ONLY CALL (911)
			-- OR --765-1212

Only the Crime Prevention Officer of the local District and the supervisor on duty at the Police Communication Section will have a list of BLOCK WATCHERS. The patrol officers assigned to your complaint will not know your identity. If more information is needed, the Police Communications Section will call the BLOCK WATCHER back. In this way, a BLOCK WATCHER remains anonymous.

EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
CALL 765-1212 OR 911
(Note: Remember that by calling 911 you are automatically giving your identity.)

Any time you want a Police Officer to respond to your location, call 765-1212 or 911.
USE YOUR BLOCK WATCHER NUMBER WHEN REPORTING. 

Police Officer in	      Burglary			Assault
Need of Assistance

Homicide		   Purse Snatching		Tampering with Auto

Person with a Weapon		Holdup			Vandalism

Vehicle Accident		Gunshots		Any unusual, 
							possibly, criminal,
							situation

In case of fire or explosion, serious injury, or odor of gas, call the Fire Department at 911. (Note: Remember that by calling 911, you are automatically revealing your identity and location.)

This list is not intended to include all emergency cases, but to give you a guide as to when to call 765-1212 or 911.

When calling Police Communications about an emergency, do not hang up until told to do so.

What to do if the Police do not respond in a reasonable amount of time or the dispatcher demands to know your name after advising him of your BLOCK WATCHER number: 

	1.	Ask to speak to a supervisor.				
	2.	Record the date and time of call.
	3.	Notify your District Crime Prevention Officer
		as soon as possible.

---»Other Important Numbers