Neighbors – How Well Do You Know Yours?

Local law enforcement agencies tells us that one of the best ways to deter crime in our neighborhoods is to get to know our neighbors. If you go out of town, let your neighbors know so they can keep an eye on things for you.  But, how many of us really know our neighbors?

Despite the fact that most Americans who have neighbors, which is about 93% of us, say it's important for neighbors to look out for each other's safety, a new survey from Harris Interactive found that 47% of neighbors can identify their neighbor's car, 41% know their neighbor's first name, and 27% know most of their neighbor's pets, only 24% can tell you the name of their neighbor's kids. Another shocking finding in the survey is that only 34% of Americans said they felt comfortable asking their neighborsto keep an eye on their home while they go on vacation.

The question is: Do you trust your neighbor enough to keep an eye on your home?

For information on setting up a neighborhood watch, Contact Yakima County Crimestoppers at 1-800-248-9980 or http://www.crimestoppersyakco.org/

 The Yakima Police Department at 575-6197 or http://www.ci.yakima.wa.us/services/police/police/pages/blockWatch.htm

or the Yakima County Sheriff's Office at(509) 574-2500 or  http://www.yakimacounty.us/sheriff/