Personal Safety

Crime Prevention Safety Tips

Home Safety

• Install dead bolt locks
• Don’t let strangers into the house to use the phone, offer to make the call for them.
• Draw curtains and blinds at night.
• Always keep garage doors closed and locked, even if you are home.
• Don’t leave a house key under the doormat, in a flowerpot, or on the ledge of the door.
• If you move to a new home or lose your key have new locks installed.
• When going on a trip, cancel newspapers. Don’t leave notes on outside doors.
• Don’t give keys to workman.
• Notify neighbors that you are going out of town.
• Store valuable in a safe deposit box.
• Keep an inventory list and photo of all your valuables and their serial numbers. Keep a copy of the list on your safe deposit box.

Outside Safety

• When walking alone at night take a friend with you.
• Walk close to the curb and away from bushes and alleys, where people can hide.
• Be alert of your surrounding and the people around you.
• Make eye contact with people when walking
• Don’t carry a purse & heavy packages at the same time.
• Carry purse close to your body or carry a fanny pack.
• If attached make as much noise as possible.

Driving Safety

• Keep a full tank of gas in your vehicle
• Keep up regular maintenance on you vehicle.
• Get a car phone.
• Put shopping bags in trunk.
• Put your purse on the floor of the passenger side of the car.
• Never give a stranger a ride.
• Keep car in gear when at traffic light or stop signs.
• If car breaks down, pull over to the right, raise your hood, and lock car. Do not get out of car until police arrive.

What to do if you are a victim of a crime

If home is burglarized while out of house.

• Don’t enter the house if you think the burglar is still in there.
• Call the police from your neighbor’s house.
• Don’t touch anything in the home after a burglary. You may destroy evidence.

If someone breaks in your home while you are there.

• Don’t confront the burglar.
• Lock yourself in your room if you are unable to leave the house.
• Call 911 immediately.

Things to tell the Police for help.

• Report any suspicious activity or crime.
• Give descriptions and information about suspect, including height, weight, clothing, appearance, and license plate number.

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