Secure Your Home

In light of the recent events in Tucson, Arizona, with Savannah Guthrie’s mother Nancy, I wanted to re-address a topic I have touched on in the past, in greater detail. I am talking about securing your home and property from unwanted entries and criminal activities. Think of the security of your home as layers or rings of protection. This starts, of course, outside your home in your surrounding property and continues to the inside of your home itself. Those of you with extensive landscaping might want to consider opening up some visual lanes from the street and surrounding properties so neighbors can see movement around your home; movement attracts attention. I am not talking about clear-cutting your property - just small openings that someone walking around your house would have to cross and be visible.

Now, how about some outside lighting? Hard-wired motion detector spotlights are great but consider battery-operated spotlights for those outlying areas. Criminals, like any other predators, do not want to be seen. Opening areas around your property and putting up some battery-operated spotlights away from your home on the perimeter can go a long way in stopping a crime before the criminal commits to his plan. Outside cameras are a great tool, along with a RING doorbell. The outside cameras I use are battery-operated using rechargeable or CR1 3-volt batteries. They are Wi-Fi connected with motion-detection and spotlight features. And they alert my phone like my RING doorbell in real time. Hard-wiring cameras to your home electrical system is great, but I find my battery-operated cameras go quite a long time between charges or battery replacement. And I can’t say enough about what a great system a RING doorbell is. Just today, I was on a bike ride when someone came to my door to ask if I wanted my palm trees trimmed. I was able to have a complete conversation using my RING doorbell. And that gentleman never knew I wasn’t even home! If you cannot afford several real cameras, consider putting up just one or two real cameras in critical areas and supplement your security with fake outdoor cameras. These cameras look real; they are solar operated with a red flashing “recording” light, and you can buy a set of four for under $50. Before we go inside your home, one question that needs to be answered is how secure your windows and doors are. Windows need to have working and secure locks. This time of year, if you want your windows open in the evening, get a blocking device so that windows cannot open any farther than you want them to. Your doors need strong deadbolt locks that can withstand a solid kick or two. Everything we are discussing here can be purchased at your local hardware store or online. And if you are not a “do it yourself” person, that local hardware store can recommend someone to install a robust lock on your exterior doors. Now that we have those windows and doors squared away, how about some security stickers? The same internet shopping site you can use to buy those cameras, real and fake, plus that RING doorbell can also be used to buy security stickers and yard signs.

Again, just one more thing to consider for that layer of outside protection. Inside your home, you need to find ways to make the idea of a break-in not the best idea to the criminal element. One of the coolest things I can recommend is a motion detector-operating audio system of vicious barking, snarling dogs. These devices that are easy to locate on the internet allow you to place motion detectors just outside your doors or inside by windows. Any movement that sets off the audio player creates the impression that the dogs from Hades are waiting inside. Trust me on this, I have two lap dog boxers who wouldn’t harm a fly. But knock on the door, and their deep barking and growling sounds are impressive. Even when you’re not home, this device can give a burglar second thoughts. If you do decide to invest in a home alarm system, door and window alarms are a must. I don’t like the idea of Wi-Fi-connected interior cameras, having seen firsthand in my law enforcement past what hackers can do with in-home cameras. If you have a home security system, panic alarms, one in your evening sitting TV area, and one in your bedroom, is a great idea. If you don’t have a security system, and they can be expensive for some, panic buttons with audio and phone notification alarms can also be purchased online. You can also purchase timers for lights and radios that can turn on and off so when you are not home, it looks like you are.

One last thing regarding securing your home: have a conversation with your neighbors. Criminals hate an audience. Speak with your neighbors and develop a plan where if strangers are in your neighborhood, you can notify each other. The simplest thing to do is just know your neighbors. Go around and introduce yourself, talk about making your neighborhood safer. Get a list of phone numbers together for all your neighbors and discuss having an early warning system if something does not look right. And discuss who has security cameras and what they show. And make calling 911 NOW part of your safety plan. If something occurs that is not part of your normal routine, listen to that feeling. If the hair on the back of your neck goes up, slow down and THINK. Ramp up your awareness and if you are at all concerned, call the police. Honestly, with 50 years of law enforcement experience, I am 100% sure cops want to catch bad guys! Make the call; no one is going to chastise you for doing so. Another thing about calling 911. Security experts will tell you that just in case an encounter becomes a much more serious event, it is important to be the first person to call 911. The person who first calls 911 is very often considered the “victim,” and that sets the narrative for responding law enforcement. The answer to safety is simple: HAVE A PLAN AND FOLLOW THE PLAN. So, make a plan, secure your home, and sit back and relax, but still stay a little aware. If this subject interests you along with personal safety, I will be conducting a situational awareness PowerPoint presentation on March 28 at 9:00 AM at the Marco Island Sail and Power Squadron training center, 1100 N Collier Blvd, in the Speakeasy Plaza.