Apartment, condo, or house your home should be your sanctuary. Of course being safe in your home means being safe in your neighborhood. Here are a few things that can help you choose the right place to move into or protect the place you already call home.
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If you live in an apartment get to know a few families close by.
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Make sure there is a reporting system in place for things like:
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Trash in the hallway
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Vandalism
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Strangers in the hallways or loitering around the premises
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Broken lighting
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Start or Join a neighborhood watch program.
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Don’t Buzz people into the building unless you are certain who they are
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Set up a buddy system for when you are away to watch your place and collect papers
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You know the procedures for emergencies
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Make sure that management changed the locks since the last tenant lived there.
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Install a wide angle 160 degree viewer mounted no higher than 58 inches with a cover
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Find out if background checks are done by management
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Make sure windows or sliding doors have anti-lift devices
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Only put your first initial and last name on the directory and mail listing
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Petition to have mirrors at the ends of hallways that allow you to see around corners
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Consider an alarm system to scare away intruders after a forced entry.
Remember your home is your sanctuary and your neighborhood is your home. Working together gives you safety in numbers and strength in community.