Tip of the Week – Neighborhood Security
Who Owns Neighborhood Security – You!
9 Tips to Help Make Your Neighborhood a More Secure Place
Neighborhood safety is a team effort, but it starts with YOU. Here are 9 tips to help make your neighborhood a safer place:
1. Know your neighbors. You can do this without being too intrusive. Simply know whether they work during the day, whether they have children (and, if so, what they look like), and what their needs are. Do you live next to a single elderly person that stays home, but sometimes needs help? Or is there a teenage driver or babysitter in the family? Are there small children you need to look out for if you see them unattended by an adult? Knowing these things helps you to be aware of who is in your neighborhood and what could be suspicious activity.
2. Have a way to reach your neighbors. Especially if they are away and something is amiss in the neighborhood. Develop a relationship that allows you to contact them if you see any out-of-ordinary or suspicious behavior around their home, or if you’re gone and would like them to do a quick check of your house to make sure everything is in order.
3. Keep up your yard. And, and encourage your neighbors to do the same. A neighborhood with mowed lawns, flowers, and freshly painted homes looks like it’s cared for, and this alone can help deter crime. A well-kept yard also provides fewer places for suspicious persons to take cover. If there is a certain open lot or abandoned house that is an eyesore, work together as a neighborhood to clean up weeds, plant trees, and do a bit of fixing up on the exterior.
4. Be extra cautious when you go out of town. Talk to your neighbors and arrange for someone to mow your lawn or pick up your mail and newspapers. Use timers on your lights, or find a security system that will allow you to turn lamps off and on remotely. If you have a security guard service, notify them that you will be out of town and for how long.
5. Close your windows and blinds at night. Remember – criminals conduct surveillance before they strike. Leaving your blinds open and lights on at night provides a free look into your house, its layout, and the habits of your family. And leaving windows open at night or when you’re gone is an invitation for an uninvited guest to come on in.
6. Improve the lighting on your street. Streetlamps are not the only way to do this. Ask that each household turn on their porch lights in the evenings and install motion-sensor lights in the backs or sides of the house so potential intruders don’t have the darkness in which to hide.
7. Encourage outdoor activity. Go on walks with your neighbor, work in your yard, and let your kids play with the neighbors down the street. Organizing a neighborhood cookout can encourage people to feel more comfortable spending time out in the neighborhood as well.
8. Know your local police department. Express to them your desire to keep the neighborhood safe, and notify them of specific ways they can help. For example, if cars are often speeding through, ask the police to patrol the streets and make a drive-through every night when possible. You might even work with your local police department to start a Neighborhood Watch program that connects you more with the community.
9. Install a security system. In the end, one of the surest options to improve safety in your neighborhood is to get a home security system and use it properly. Studies have shown as the number of home security systems increased in an area, the number of residential robberies decreased in that area. Security professionals can assist in helping you find a security system that will work best for your home.
Improving neighborhood safety is a team effort, but it needs to start with someone and that someone should be YOU. As you get to know your neighbors, discuss your concerns, and apply some of the ideas above, you’ll find that your neighborhood becomes not only a safer place to live but a more enjoyable one as well.
 Kathy LeodlerChief Executive Officer Email:kathy.l@rampartgroup.com Phone: (360) 981-2703 PI License #3555 |
 Paul LeodlerExecutive Vice President Email:paul.l@rampartgroup.com Phone: (360) 981-3397 PI License #4180 |
We at Rampart Group are committed to your security. Call 1-800 421-0614 or contact us today with your security or investigative needs.
Helpful Links:
For more information on personal security, read more safety tips from our Blog:
• 8 Tips for Home Security: https://rampartgroup.com/your-home-is-your-refuge-8-tips-for-home-security/
• Telephone Security – Why Less is More: https://rampartgroup.com/telephone-security-why-less-is-more/
• Parking Lots and Personal Security – 15 Key Tips to Keep You Safe: https://rampartgroup.com/parking-lots-and-personal-security-15-key-tips-to-keep-you-safe/
National Neighborhood Watch Organization: The National Neighborhood Watch Resource Center is a point of access to information and publications that will assist you and your group in building a watch group.
Neighborhood Watch Now App: With this new tool, watch members can record evidence to a secure server via the ICE BlackBox mobile app. These recordings are visible on the Neighborhood Watch Now Portal. Emergency recordings can notify your emergency contacts and local watch captain.
Information and download tool here: http://nnw.org/neighborhood-watch-now/
Neighborhood Watch and Social Media: As watch groups move away from Phone Trees, many groups are now turning to social media as a way to communicate. Here are some basic tips on how to set up some new communications for your group using Facebook, Twitter, and Blogs.
Read more information on Social Media: http://nnw.org/neighborhood-watch-and-social-media/