Rossmoor Neighborhood Watch

Who is the law enforcement agency for Rossmoor?

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department is the agency responsible for responding to criminal or suspicious activity in Rossmoor.

What kind of calls does the Sheriff respond to in Rossmoor?

The Orange County Sheriff posts response information occurring in the Rossmoor community on the OCSD Blotter. For information about the Sheriff’s call types and weekly crime reports in Rossmoor click here.

What is Neighborhood Watch?

Neighborhood Watch is a cooperative partnership between the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and the Rossmoor Homeowners Association who works with Rossmoor residents and businesses to reduce crime and keep Rossmoor safe. An active Neighborhood Watch is one of the most successful and least costly crime prevention programs available.

By working with your neighbors and the Sheriff’s Department, you can help fight crime in Rossmoor the most effective way…..before it begins! Although the Sheriff’s Department provides guidance to Neighborhood Watch groups, Rossmoor volunteers, such as you, actually run the program.

How does Rossmoor’s Neighborhood Watch Program work?

Rossmoor’s Neighborhood Watch Program was organized back in 1982 by the Rossmoor Homeowner’s Association (RHA) and we continue to work with our community to keep the program in operation.

The Neighborhood Watch Program team is made up of Rossmoor community members organized into natural “blocks.” Some blocks are 5-8 homes, while others are comprised of 20-30 homes. It all depends on the how the residents want to group themselves.  The RHA Neighborhood Watch Team works to make sure that each home is included in a block. We ask you to register your home with us to help our  Block Captains (group points of contact) have the most up-to-date contact information for you. Remember, keeping Rossmoor Safe is something we all do together.

Each block has a point of contact or a “block captain” that coordinates with his/her neighbors by sharing information via email, phone, text, or just conversation about staying alert (“see something say something”) and passes along recent Sheriff activity reports and crime prevention information. the RHA complies from the OCSD.

When you see something out of the ordinary or suspect, please call the OCSD to report it. We are the eyes and ears of Rossmoor. It’s up to all of us to let the Sheriff’s Department know when something is not right. If it’s an emergency, dial 911, if not call the non-emergency line at 714. 647.7000

Rossmoor Neighborhood Watch signs are posted at key intersections and community entrances to promote the program and deter crime and criminal intent. At the end of the day though, we are the eyes and ears of the OCSD. They cannot help us if we don’t tell them what we are seeing. Call them and let them investigate.

How do I participate in Neighborhood Watch?

Resident participation is key to the effectiveness of Rossmoor’s Neighborhood Watch Program and block coverage. Click here to register in the program as either a block member or a block captain. Your participation in the program helps Rossmoor stay safe by increasing the number of residents contributing to the program simply by being observant and reporting criminal or suspicious activity.

Neighborhood Watch Gatherings.

Some of our Blocks have gatherings for neighbors to get together and talk with each other, get updates from the RHA Neighborhood Watch Team, and the OCSD. While Sheriff’s Department personnel are not always available (or may get called away during an event), typically the Department is able to support these gatherings and answer individual questions.

These gatherings are usually 60-90 minute informal driveway coffee & refreshments or snack and beverage afternoon events. Some blocks have created wine and cheese parties, or potluck-style lunches or dinners out of the gathering. That’s all up to the neighbors on the block. The important thing is that you and your neighbors gather and get to know each other a bit better. Most blocks gather once or twice a year, though some meet more often.

If you want additional information about holding a Block Gathering, please let us know here and one of our NW Team will get back to you.

Who is my block captain?

To find out who your block captain is, go to our Block Captain page and contact the RHA Neighborhood Watch Team. They will get back to you with your Block Captain’s contact information.

As a Rossmoor resident, what can I do to stay safe?

Residents should be observant of their surroundings, their neighbors, and their neighborhood for changes or anything unusual. Follow the  Stay Safe Rossmoor – Safety Tips to keep you, your family, and your neighborhood safe

How can I help if I see something suspicious?

If you see something suspicious, say something by calling the Orange County Sheriff’s Department at 714.647.7000 for non-emergencies and 9-1-1 for crimes in progress or life-threatening situations.

THE SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU!

We are all in this together. It’s up to all of us to be observant for the safety of our community. Stay safe Rossmoor!

Here are some more recent Neighborhood Watch notes and information

Wimbleton Holds NW Gathering - The terrific people on Wimbleton and the surrounding area added themselves to the list of group that have held Neighborhood Watch (NW) Gatherings. Thanks so much to Block Captain Sherry for hosting and arranging the event – and to all those who stopped by to hear an update from OCSD Captain Patella and get some […]

Neighborhood Watch Gathering – Donavan Road - In Rossmoor, we don’t WATCH, we NEIGHBOR! Insider’s tip: although schmoozing in and at our homes isn’t always possible, our OCSD loves a good gathering and does their best (potlucks are their favs, but porches and driveways work too (our version of “talking across a fence, for those old enough to remember Tim Allen’s Tool […]

Quail Run Neighborhood Watch Gathering - On Saturday morning, the Quail Run Neighborhood Watch group held its first gathering since 2019. The 25+ neighbors who attended the driveway gathering enjoyed some overdue socialization and met some new neighbors.  Block Captain Ken Yee hosted the event and invited residents from all 46 homes on Quail Run to attend. Ken coordinated the event […]

Welcome Captain Patella - The Orange County Sheriff's Department recently promoted AJ Patella to captain and he will be taking over the North District Patrol area which includes Rossmoor. The Rossmoor Homeower's Association wants to welcome Captain Patella and congratulate him on his new post. We look forward to working with him and the department with our Neighborhood Watch program and any other initiitves that will help keep Rossmoor a safe and enjoyable place to live.

3 Easy Neighborhood Watch Tips You Can Use Today - 3 Neighborhood Watch Tips: It’s well known that most criminals repeat actions and patterns that work. When we as neighbors report anything that is not normal and compare notes with each other:  We proactively put perimeters of “defense” up (i.e. “don’t think that your casing our homes will keep working in our neighborhood), Criminals really […]

Thank You NW Block Captains! - Our Neighborhood Watch Captains are the RHA’s silent community communicators. While the National Neighborhood Watch Program began in 1972, Rossmoor’s relatively new community informally watched out for each other – without assistance. By 1980 the RHA, using National program materials and working with the Orange County Sheriff’s Dept., formed the RHA Burglary Prevention Committee. This […]

Why Neighborhood Watch? - So why bother with Neighborhood Watch? A fair question. Especially with everyone being so busy and time strapped. Who needs another “program” or thing to do right? Plus there has to be someone else whose job it is to do that for me. I’m just too ______________ (fill in the blank) to do anything more. […]

Stay Safe Rossmoor – RHA Neighborhood Watch Program Expands - You may have noticed the Stay Safe Rossmoor tagline in recent Neighborhood Watch communications. This theme builds upon the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Stay Safe OC effort and is being used to highlight Rossmoor’s Neighborhood Watch Program and to encourage residents to become more aware and involved in neighborhood safety. In support of this initiative, […]

RHA Secures $1500 Grant, Gets New Neighborhood Watch Signs Installed - The Rossmoor Homeowners Association Neighborhood Watch Committee was successful in securing a $1500.00 grant from Orange County District 2 Supervisor Michelle Steel. Supervisor Steele presents a check for $1500. 00 to current RHA President Beverley Houghton. The money helped pay for some of the cost of hanging the 15 new reflective Neighborhood Watch signs, strategically […]

Crime Concerns - The summer months have seen an increase in burglaries mostly due to open doors and unlocked vehicles. Here's the latest information on what you can do to protect your property and stay safe.