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SECURITY TIPS FOR EVERYONE

It has been said about self-defense training that fully half of what we learn is preventative, and we practice it in hopes of never having to use the other half.
--Joan Nelson--

All activities (driving a car, filling the bathtub, walking through the parking lot at night) entail some risk. We all have different attitudes toward risk. At one end of the scale is refusing to engage in an activity by exaggerating the risk involved. At the other end is engaging in very risky activities while refusing to take any precautions. Neither of these attitudes are useful for living an empowered life. What is useful is to accurately assess the risks involved, take whatever precautions make sense, and live as fully as possible. Following these guidelines will not guarantee your safety, but will minimize your availability to an assailant.

AROUND CAMPUS

Be observant. Make sure that you are aware of your environment. It is advisable that you familiarize yourself with campus buildings and landmarks.
Know the route to your destination. When you are lost you naturally feel vulnerable. Locate and memorize the locations of the Blue Light Emergency Phones along your campus route.
Stay in populated areas of campus buildings and malls. Criminals thrive on anonymity. Your chance of depriving them of that is increased in well populated areas.
After dark, walk in well lighted areas of campus and the surrounding area. Always remain on campus malls and city sidewalks. Cutting between buildings and through alleys takes you out of the public eye, which is where you want to be.
Walk in groups. There is safety in numbers.
Try to "travel light" around campus. Carry all your belongings in one bag. Numerous backpacks, purses, cases, umbrellas and boxes weigh you down. If you need to run or defend yourself, you will want to be able to react quickly.
If you carry chemical defense spray have it ready. A criminal or would-be attacker is not going to wait for you to retrieve it from your purse, or briefcase.
Walk with purpose and attitude. Display confidence. Even if you are lost, act like you know where you are going.
Keep your head up and don't be afraid to make eye contact with people.
Study in groups when possible. If you seek solitude while studying, try studying at home or in a designated study area provided in libraries. Always remember that tucking yourself away, off the beaten path, may make you an easier target.
Never leave property unattended in any campus building or in your car. Theft is common on any campus. However, it can be avoided if you are constantly mindful of your property.
If you need to step out for a bathroom break or to get a snack, leave your property under the supervision of someone you trust, or take it with you.
Park your car in well lighted areas where there is a high volume of traffic. Structures are routinely patrolled by parking personnel, police officers, and cadets. However, the biggest benefit is the natural surveillance provided by all the students driving in and out or walking to and from their cars.
If you use a cellphone, radar detector, or CD player in the car, conceal it or take it with you. If it uses a lighter jack, hide the jack out of site and REPLACE THE LIGHTER PLUG.
Keep anything of even minimal value, in the trunk, if you do not take it with you.
If you see any suspicious activity or person, call 911 or the POLICE.

COMMUTING SAFELY

Before you leave for school or work, plan your route. Select the safest route available. Routes that are well lighted and well traveled are always better than desolate paths.
The quickest route is not always the safest. It may be worth leaving 5 or 10 minutes earlier to travel a slower, but safer route.
Always have a backup plan. Plan a secondary route to travel in case there is a major accident or construction tie-up on your usual route.
Carpool if possible.
Always keep your vehicle well maintained. Have a reputable mechanic tune-up your vehicle regularly and fix anything needing repair.
Purchase a decent spare tire (preferably full-size). Make sure it is always inflated properly and that it fits on your car. Ultimately, make sure you know how to change the tire if you need to.
Make sure you have a functional jack and a vehicle safety kit with you. Flares, small cones and other brightly colored devices are helpful in creating a safety zone in which you work.
If you have had your tires rotated or new tires installed, many times the lug nuts are over tightened and cannot be removed by the average driver. Make sure that they can be removed if it becomes necessary.
Carry some spare fluids and a small funnel. Have enough water, oil, or gasoline, stored in proper safety containers, so you can get to a service station if you have car trouble. Cars often overheat and develop leaks in fuel lines. Having a small amount of extra fluids may help get you to where you can find repairs. It is also important to know where to put the fluids if you need to use them.
Carry a good, sturdy ice scraper in your car.
Make sure to have a small coal shovel in your trunk, during the winter months, in case you need to dig your car out of a rut. A coal shovel is short enough for easy storage and practical for digging out around tires.
Carry a dry, waterproof pair of snow boots in your trunk. Pack an extra pair of warm gloves, scarf, hat, and a jacket as well. If you have to change a flat, dig out of a snow bank, or go for help, having the proper clothing can help prevent, injuries, accidents, or illness, in frigid weather.
If you are stranded, do not leave your car. You are safer waiting for help than you are going to look for it. Police do not recommend going for help unless you can see it. If you must go, stay on the road, where it is more populated.
Get yourself a "call police" sign to hang in your window if you are stranded. There are thousands of people with cell phones, who are dying for an excuse to use them, that will call for help.
If someone stops to ask you if you need help, ask them to go and call the police for you. Do not go with them!!!
If you commute, consider a cell phone. It is the best safety device you can have in the event of an accident or breakdown.
If you are stopped in traffic, keep an eye out for people approaching your car.
Always drive with your doors locked.
Leave enough room between you and the car in front of you, in case you need to drive away.
Always get gas earlier in the day, preferably in the morning. Rush hour traffic makes for great visibility.
Always stop at the best lighted, best attended gas station for fuel, coffee, or snacks. Fill your tank in view of the attendant on duty.
Avoid road rage. Using verbal retaliation or a gesture on a foolish driver could end in a deadly tragedy. Bite your lip, swallow your pride, and drive calmly.

AUTO CRIME PREVENTION

The single most important factor in deterring auto crimes is being selective in where you park your car. Park in well lighted and well populated areas.
Lock your car. It may seem obvious but you wouldn't believe how many people forget.
Traffic flow is important. You want to park your car in the areas with high vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
Car alarms, can be useful, but are often ignored.
Have a kill switch installed and use a club-type device to protect your car in addition to your alarm.
Steering column sleeves are helpful in preventing car theft where cracking the column is necessary.
Tinted windows provide extra coverage for thieves who break into cars to steal radios, air bags, or the car itself. Avoid heavily tinted windows.
Keep you car free of ALL items. Clothes, jackets, bags, boxes, sporting equipment and other items frequently left in cars attract a thief's attention.
Thieves will break into a car to look into boxes or bags, in order to see if they contain anything of value. Even if it contains nothing, you may be left with a broken window or door lock.
Have your vehicle identification number etched in your car's glass. This deters theft. Re-tagging a stolen vehicle is too expensive if all the windows need to be replaced.
Any one of the above methods is no guarantee that your car will never be stolen or broken into. However, using as many of these devices as possible makes a "car shopper" more likely to pass up your vehicle.

HOME SAFETY

ALWAYS lock your windows and doors when you are away from your residence. Even if you are just stepping out for a quick errand. Most burglars are in and out of a house in less than 3 minutes.
Do not leave spare keys hidden on your property. Most thieves know all the common spots in which they are hidden.
Make sure the exterior doors are solid core wood or metal.
All exterior doors should be equipped with dead bolt locks that have a minimum bolt throw of 1 inch.
Remove the screws in your strike plates and install others that are at least three inches long.
If you have a sliding glass door wall use a wooden dowel as a means of bolstering the door lock. Lay the dowel in the track near the bottom of the sliding section. This will prohibit sliding the door open in the event the door lock is compromised.
On door walls, "back-off" the screws in the upper track about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch. This will not interfere with the operation of the door, but will prevent the door from being lifted out of the frame.
Drill a hole through the frame and the door glass frame. Install a bolt that fits to prevent the door from being lifted out. These kits can be purchased for a low price at most hardware stores. They are easily installed.
Attach similar pins in windows all over your house. This will prevent criminals from forcing window locks. An entire house can be equipped without great cost.
Install a peep hole viewer in all your doors. Make sure it has wide angle viewing of 180 degrees.
Use timers on lights and be sure to stagger the pattern of lighting. Light different rooms at different times. Be creative. Get out of the habit of leaving the living room light on, night after night.
Leaving the TV on in a dark room is an excellent idea. Leave the volume up too. The motion of the lighting will throw thieves off. It is no less safe than using table lamps, and just as cost effective.
Install exterior lighting. Make sure it is evenly distributed and does not create deep shadows. Poor lighting can be worse than no lighting. Landscaping lights are functional, as well as decorative, if properly spaced and directed.
Make sure that no bushes or trees obscure windows or doors. Over grown landscaping can provide excellent coverage. If you have basement windows, install glass block windows. They are an excellent, attractive means of securing lower lever windows. Prune bushes at least 18 inches from the ground up.
Many burglaries occur through second story windows or patios. Make sure that any trellises or trees do not provide access to upper levels.
Engrave and list all your valuables. Photos are a good idea to keep inventory of property. Video is even better.
If you find your house has been burglarized, DO NOT enter until the police have secured the premises.

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