Everybody wants a safe neighborhood, but considering that over 3000 burglaries occur daily across the United States, the chances that a crime will happen where you are aren’t slim at all.
Crime stats like those compiled by Security Explorer can be disturbing, but they can also motivate you to do something to help make your surroundings safer.
Maintaining safety where you are is not just the work of the police. Everyone can do their bit to help keep the neighborhood crime-free. If you wish to chip in to reduce neighborhood crime, here are ways you can help.
1. Know Your Neighborhood
The first step is to get to know your immediate neighbors and, as time goes by, even those further off. Greet them, chat with them, and generally understand some of their patterns.
That way, if something is off, you can tell right away. For example, if that older man across the street never leaves their garage door open unless they are present, seeing it open or slightly ajar when he’s not around should be cause for concern.
Generally, it’s hard for criminals to pretend they are locals in a neighborhood where everybody knows everybody. If you can foster that sense of community in your locale, security will improve.
Knowing your neighborhood extends beyond knowing the people to understand how things work and look in the area. If you have an eye for detail, it would be easier to notice when something is out of the ordinary.
2. Act on Your Suspicions
Knowing something is out of place and acting on it are two different things. Some will brush off their suspicions, and others will mind their own business if it has nothing to do with them.
These actions favor criminals, and so long as everyone looks the other way, no one is safe.
If you notice a suspicious individual or situation, raise the alarm. It’s better to be wrong than to dismiss your suspicions only for a crime to occur, which you could have prevented.
3. Advocate for Crime Prevention
So much can happen when everyone is on the same page. When it comes to safety issues, most people will be willing to contribute, but often, it takes someone to come forward and take the lead.
If nothing is happening on the ground to help prevent crime, take the initiative to promote crime prevention in the area. Get people together and share your thoughts on measures you can all implement to boost security in the neighborhood.
Some of the measures you could implement for the benefit of the community include:
- Security Cameras
Security cameras are highly effective crime deterrents, particularly when paired with an alarm system. Criminals don’t appreciate the presence of cameras and won’t stick around when a high-decibel alarm goes off.
Encourage everyone to install CCTV and alarm systems as a communal effort to keep the entire neighborhood safe.
- Warning Signs
Talk to community leaders about putting up warning signs around the neighborhood to discourage criminal activities. Signage bearing threats like “Warning: Very Loud Alarm” or “The Premises Under 24-Hour CCTV Surveillance” can be pretty effective.
- Community Rules
Rules are an important aspect of a society. Besides the general the local law enforcement upholds, you could come together as a community and lay down some guidelines to help keep the neighborhood safe.
- Neighborhood Watch
There’s definitely strength in numbers, which is the objective of a neighborhood watch program. The program allows residents to come together and get to know one another, minimizing opportunities for intruders to blend in. Under the program, neighbors utilize communal efforts to combat criminal activities.
4. Maintain Your Side
Crime is a shared responsibility, but it should start with you before you expect others to get on board. Get to work by doing simple things like fixing your fence and keeping your yard neat and open.
In addition, ensure your street is well-lit. You don’t have to shoulder the burden of erecting and maintaining street lighting. There are departments responsible for that, but do your part and notify your local politician.
By doing what you can to improve security in your area, you inspire others to join in.
5. Stay Informed
Crime often occurs because people don’t know what is happening or how to react. Criminals are continuously trying to evolve and keep coming up with new and advanced ways of navigating security measures.
If you don’t understand crime trends and developments in your area, staying vigilant and proactive would be difficult.
Stay informed about crime patterns and the evolving strategies if you want the measures you put in place to be effective. Learn to adapt the same way criminals adapt, and you will have an easier time countering crime in your area.
Bottom Line
When a crime happens in your neighborhood, it affects you all. You may not have suffered the loss or damage, but the thought that it happened so close to home will leave you feeling like you could be next.
As such, while you prioritize personal security, it’s also important to consider the whole neighborhood and take steps to ensure safety is upheld in the community.
