Crime Prevention Personal Safety
Safety In The Home
Many people operate under the
assumption that concerns for personal safety apply only to someone who is
away from the comfort of his or her home.
A person should not take anything for granted when it comes to
their safety. It is important to TakeAction
regarding your personal safety in all situations, including the home.
ASSESSING
AN AREA BEFORE MOVING IN
Some of the things that
you should consider before purchasing a home, or moving into a rental
property are:
-
What
is the proximity to transit from the home? How far will you be
required to walk to and from transit facilities, and what is the
neighbourhood like when it is dark out?
-
How
close are the schools in the area? How far will your children be
required to walk to and from education facilities?
-
What
is the traffic flow in the area, and what is the density and
availability of sidewalks?
-
What
is the quality of the overall street lighting? This will involve
visiting the neighbourhood being considered after dark. Some areas are
quite different after the sun goes down and it is recommended you
visit them before you purchase a new house or move to a rental
property.
-
What
is the general maintenance standard of surrounding properties, streets
and parkland? This is a good indicator of the concern that residents
have for their neighbourhood and will tell you much about the area you
are considering moving into.
-
Is
there a Neighbourhood Watch Program operating in the area? This is
another important indicator of the type of neighbourhood you are
considering moving into. An active Neighbourhood Watch Block indicates
that at least 66% of the residents want their community to be as crime
free as possible.
-
Is
there a Block Parent in the vicinity? This may be important for your
children or yourself. A Block Parent is someone who is willing to help
out their neighbours when they require it.
STRANGERS AT THE DOOR
Reports
of strangers robbing victims who answer their door are all too prevalent
in todays headlines. Here are some steps you can take to prevent such
an occurrence from happening to you or your family:
-
Keep
doors and windows secure at all
times.
-
Place
a peephole in the door so you can look out and see who is on the other
side.
-
Do
not open the door to anyone you do not know without some kind of
verification of identification. If you are not satisfied with the
identification do not open the door. It is your home and you do
not have to allow any access to it.
-
If
a stranger comes to the door asking you to make a telephone call, do
not open the door. Offer to make the call for them.
-
Never
give out personal information to any stranger who comes to your door.
-
Do
not let anyone who comes to your door know that you are alone in the
residence.
-
You
do not have to participate in surveys that is your choice.
-
If
a stranger comes to your door and refuses to leave, advise them that
you will call the police. Do not panic or argue, but be firm and state
your intent confidently.
-
At
night, surround your house with adequate lighting. (sensor lights,
floodlights, etc)
-
Make
sure that you properly educate your children regarding the actions
they should take if a stranger comes to the door.
SERVICE
AND DELIVERY PEOPLE
- If
possible, have all service and delivery people attend your residence by
appointment or prior arrangement.
- Do
not hide keys around the outside of your house for the delivery person to
use while you are not home. This invites trouble.
- Do
not leave valuables open to view or to a delivery person who is unattended
while in your premises.
- If
you do not like who you see when the delivery or service person attends
you can send them away.
- Ask
for identification from any delivery or service personnel who attend your
residence.
- Be
sure to utilize reputable and reliable businesses for service calls. Take
the time to check on references regarding any
company that you plan to have perform work or service for you.
TELEPHONE SAFETY
-
Do not provide personal
information to someone you do not know.
- Remember, no matter whom they
say they are, you cannot visually identify a telephone caller. They could
be anyone!
- Do not hesitate to use
telephone security screening codes such as Call Trace (*57); Call Block (*67) and Call Return (*69).
- If a caller refuses to
identify him or herself to you HANG UP the telephone.
- If a caller asks what number
they have called, ask them what number they dialed.
- Do not divulge to anyone that
you are home alone.
- Teach your children proper
phone etiquette and safe telephone practices.
- If you are receiving annoying
or harassing telephone calls, activate the MTS call trace feature (*57).
Notify the police immediately if the calls are life threatening. If the
calls are annoying or harassing document the date, time and nature of the
calls and assemble a record of calls before contacting the police. Never
stay on the telephone and react to an annoying or harassing caller. Hang
up immediately.
- If you wish to respond to
telemarketing calls or surveys ask for their telephone number and offer to
call them back. Never give out a credit card number over the telephone.
- Consider answering machines as
useful tools for screening telephone calls.
OTHER THINGS YOU SHOULD
CONSIDER
- Take all precautions regarding
proper storage of firearms, toxins, medicines and all flammable materials.
- Install fire, smoke and carbon
monoxide detectors.
- Do not use double cylinder
deadbolts these are not legal in residences.
- Display house address numbers
on the front and back of the residence for all to see.
- Use exterior motion lighting
and interior light timers.
- Display alarm permits, system
stickers and Neighbourhood Watch stickers in a prominent place.
- Apply the 3-foot / 7-foot rule
to maintain open sight lines around your residence. Shrubs should be
trimmed so they are no higher than 3 feet from the ground and tree boughs
overhead should be trimmed so they are no lower than 7 feet.
- If you return home and find
that it has been broken into and you suspect someone may still be inside,
go to a place of safety and call 911 immediately.
- Be a good witness; watch for
suspicious activity in your neighbourhood and immediately report anything
suspicious to the police.
-
Consider a Safe
Room in your house. In the unlikely event that you are home when a
break-in occurs, make all attempts to get out of the home and go to a
place of safety where you can immediately call 911. However, if you can
not get out of the home - have a designated safe room inside your
residence (ex: master bedroom). A safe room should have a strong door, a
good lock and a telephone from which you can immediately call 911 for
emergency police response.
If you wish more information or
have any questions about Personal Safety In Your Home, please contact the
Winnipeg Police Service Community Relations Unit at 986-6322.
If you would like a Police Officer to provide a Power Point Presentation on this topic please contact our office at 986-6322. Due to the demand, we request you contact us at least six weeks prior to the event. Most presentations are one hour in duration and handouts are provided. The presentation is free of charge - room to be supplied by the organization requesting the presentation, with a minimum of 20 attendees.
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