Shomrim (neighborhood watch group)

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Shomrim (Hebrew: שׁוֹמְרִים, 'watchers', 'guards') or Shmira (שְׁמִירָה, 'protection') are organizations of proactive volunteer Jewish civilian patrols which have been set up in Haredi communities in neighborhoods across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Israel, Belgium, and Australia (among other countries) to combat burglary, vandalism, mugging, assault, domestic violence, nuisance crimes and antisemitic attacks, and to help and support victims of crime. They also help locate missing people. Shmira and Shomrim volunteers are generally unarmed and do not have the authority to make arrests, other than citizen's arrest. In Brooklyn, Baltimore, and London, many residents call Shmira or Shomrim prior to the police due to the former's shorter response time. However, Shomrim in New York has been criticised by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) for not always notifying police when a call comes in. In London, however, the Hackney Police Borough Commander Chief Superintendent...

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