Personal Safety Information
In Your Home or Apartment
Have lights at all entrances.
Have a wide-angle door viewer on all exterior doors.
Have good locks on all doors and windows – and use them!
Do not use your full name on your mailbox, in the telephone directory,
or on your answering machine.
Do not leave a schedule of your times away from home on your
answering machine.
Know which of your neighbors you can depend upon in an emergency.
Do not hide extra keys in easily accessible places. Criminals will find them.
Ask for photo identification of all repair persons. If you are suspicious,
call to verify employment.
Never give personal information to telephone solicitors.
Do not let strangers into your home or apartment to use the telephone. Offer to make the call for them.
On the Street
Never hitchhike! It’s never worth the risk!
Be very careful using outside ATM’s at night or in unfamiliar surroundings.
Try not to overload yourself with packages or other items. Keep your hands as free as possible.
Do not wear music headphones while walking or jogging.
Do not read while walking or standing on a sidewalk.
A good suggestion for men is to carry a second wallet containing a few dollar bills and old expired credit cards, which are normally discarded or destroyed. If confronted at knife or gunpoint, give the suspect the second wallet and concentrate on a good physical description to help the police in making the arrest.
In a Car
Keep your car in good working order and the gas tank at least half full.
When you approach your parked vehicle, visually check the area around the vehicle for any suspicious persons or activity. If you observe anything suspicious, walk to where there are other people and call the police.
Always park in visible, well-lighted areas.
Have your keys ready when approaching your vehicle to reduce the time needed to enter.
When operating your vehicle, keep the doors locked and the windows rolled up.
Any valuables left in your car should be left in the trunk or otherwise kept out of sight.
Many people consider a cellular phone a good investment in safety.