Community Engagement Meeting is a crime prevention program that enlists the participation of residents, in cooperation with law enforcement, to reduce crime in their neighborhoods. This crime prevention program takes a proactive approach to fighting crime by becoming the extra set of eyes and ears for law enforcement.

The program involves neighbors getting to know each other and working together toward mutual assistance. The program teaches residents how to recognize and report suspicious activity or people, and how to implement crime prevention techniques such as burglaries, thefts, fraud, home security (locks, security hardware, lighting, and landscaping) and Operation Identification (the marking of valuable property with an identifying number).

Operation Identification is nationally recognized by law enforcement as a citizen's burglary prevention program for use in the home or business. This program has existed for over 30 years and enables law enforcement to detect, identify, and return stolen or lost property to its rightful owner. The Operation ID program involves marking or engraving property with an identifying number and displaying a window decal to discourage burglary and theft. The ideal identifying number is your state issued Driver's License number which is easily recognized and traced by law enforcement. Avoid using your social security number.

Community engagement meetings have been very successful in getting the neighborhoods and residents working together in cooperation with Santa Clara Police Department. Citizens can fight crime in their neighborhoods the most effective way - before it begins!

If you are interested in hosting a Community Engagement Meeting in your area complete the meeting request form and send it to CrimePrevention@SantaClaraCA.gov. For any questions, contact the Police Department's Community Services Unit at (408) 615-4872 or send an email to CrimePrevention@SantaClaraCA.gov.