Program Mission
The PWP is established to help protect the lives and properties of the citizens of Van Zandt County through crime prevention activities while acting as the eyes and ears of the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office.
Objectives
- To assist the Sheriff’s Office through observation and communication.
- To help with the prevention and reduction of crime.
- To increase cooperation between citizens and county law enforcement officers.
- To educate citizens on crime prevention and public safety.
- To unite citizens to help manage the fate of the county and improve the quality of life.
- To improve awareness of crime and criminal methods.
- To assist in emergencies and disasters.
- To help provide a safe and secure environment for families and friends.
- To make a difference!
Scope
The PWP represents the entire county and as such operates as a non-political, democratically functioning organization within the confines of the mission of the program and the sanctions provided by the County Commissioners and Sheriff’s Office.
Primary Program Policy
The Precinct Watch Program (PWP) is a means for gaining citizen assistance for county law enforcement and to provide a mechanism for citizens to take an active part in crime prevention efforts within the county. By becoming the eyes and ears for the Sheriff’s Office citizen volunteers are an integral part of the efforts to suppress crime and improve the quality of life in Van Zandt County. This role is not a license to become a vigilante or a want-to-be law enforcement officer and PWP members understand that their primary function is to observe and report suspicious circumstances and obvious criminal activity within their area and to provide emergency or disaster assistance in time of need.
Precinct Watch Program participants must not put themselves in harms-way as it defeats the purpose and results of the program, not to speak of the potential for life-threatening consequences. Every citizen involved in the PWP understands that they have NO LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY OR POWERS and are acting strictly as citizen volunteers. If any PWP citizen participant makes a bad decision to take any unauthorized action related to the commission of a crime in progress without waiting for law enforcement response, they will place the entire Precinct Watch Program in jeopardy.
Membership
Persons wanting to become members of the PWP will first submit an application and must pass a limited background check conducted by the Sheriff’s Office. Membership in The PWP and approval to take an active part and attend meetings is attained once the application has been approved and the person has been assigned a sector authentication number.
- The Sheriff reviews all applications and background checks for approval or disapproval. Application documents and background investigations are the property of the Sheriff’s Office and shall not be released to any member of the PWP for any purpose.
- For the purposes of this organization, membership means that a person has become an approved volunteer sector participant in the program. Membership includes voting privileges on the precinct level as set forth under guidelines for precinct elections.
- Each PWP volunteer by virtue of their membership in the program understands and agrees that as a volunteer, except as otherwise allowed by State and Federal Law, they are responsible for their own liability and bear their own costs with regard to their property and resources, or personal expenses incurred while participating in the Precinct Watch Program.
The Precinct Watch Association
In order to conduct financial and other business practices, promote organization and control of the Precinct Watch Program, and otherwise conduct operations as a charitable and educational organization, an IRS 501c(3) Unincorporated Non-profit Association has been formed under which the Precinct Watch Program will operate.