Like it or not, the largest equation in determining the safety of a neighborhood is the neighbors themselves.
Part of being a good neighbor is knowing “who is” a neighbor and “who isn’t”. If you see someone who doesn’t belong on your neighbors property at night, turn on your lights. The more the better. If they start running and you have an alarm or siren, turn it on. Chasing the suspect down however, is beyond your neighborly duty and should be left handled by the police.
Talking and interacting with your neighbors on a day to day basis connects you and makes you all part of a team. If you have a good relationship with your neighbors they will actually look for a chance to protect you from being victimized by a criminal, just as you would with them.
A good neighbor knows that a crime against a neighbor, is a crime against the whole neighborhood.
Here are a few things to ask yourself in regards to your relationship with your neighbors.
- Do your kids know the proper procedure and circumstance for calling 911 and how to get help from a neighbor near by?
- Do you have a buddy system set up with a neighbor or a group of neighbors for when a neighbor leaves town. ie. People who keep an eye on the property, collecting mail and papers during absences, and so on.
- Does you neighborhood have a community watch program?
- Do you have a community block captain for settling disputes?
- Do you speak with your neighbors at least a few times each month?
- Do you keep a key with a trusted neighbor?
These are just some of the questions you should ask yourself when assessing your neighbors and determining the safety of the neighborhood.
Neighborhood safety is just one aspect of a complete Home Security Plan. For more information see the “Home Security Plan” blue tab under “Categories”