House Watch Program
Program
Residences that are left vacant when the owners are out of town are prime targets for burglaries and vandalism. In an effort to reduce these threats, the Whitewright Police Department provides a Vacation House Watch program that provides increased patrol for those residents who are away from home. While the residence is on Vacation House Watch, officers will routinely check the location to ensure the house and premises are secure and will investigate any suspicious circumstances. When practical, your residence will be checked two times a day. (See Special Circumstances below for variances.)
Eligibility
Any single-family residence currently permanently occupied is normally eligible for Vacation House Watch service. Vacant or otherwise uninhabited residences, such as houses under foreclosure, for rent or for sale are NOT eligible. If there are people staying overnight at the residence, the residence is NOT eligible. If you have people taking care of plants, pets, pools, etc. later than 7:00 PM, you are NOT eligible. (See Special Circumstances below for variances.)
Length of Service
Vacation House Watch service will be provided for residents who will be away for at least 4 days, but not more than 14 days. Residents will be eligible for Vacation House Watch service twice in any calendar year. Additional requests during a calendar year may be approved on a case-by-case basis.
Request for Service
Residents must request Vacation House Watch service in person at the City Hall. Residents need to complete the Vacation House Watch application and display a government issued picture identification card when they come to City Hall to drop off the form. When needed, City Hall or Police Department personnel can assist people completing the Vacation House Watch request form If services are requested over the telephone by a senior or disabled citizen, a police officer will respond to the residence to verify the information. Vacation House Watch forms may be obtained online.
Officer Responsibility
Officers will ensure that each Vacation House Watch request in their district is checked for obvious signs of criminal activity or suspicious circumstances and take appropriate action. The officers checking the house will complete a call sheet when they check on the house and make any needed notes.
Special Circumstances
Residents may have arrangements made with friends, neighbors, relatives, or certain companies to come by and feed/water pets or plants, pick up mail, clean a pool, mow the yard, and/or maid service to name a few. To participate in this program, anyone you as the homeowner authorize to be on location while you are gone MUST be notified by you to attend to their duties and assignments between the hours of 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
You MUST indicate in the section under Authorized Persons On Location the person’s name (if known), company (or neighbor, relative, etc.) and their reason for being on location. When any of these blocks are checked, we will generally NOT check the home during daylight hours between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM. We will only check it once, sometime during the night hours between 7:00 PM and 7:00 AM. Remember that if you authorize anyone to be on the location between the hours of 7:00 PM and 7:00 AM for any reason, you are not eligible to participate in this program.
