Winter’s end brings hope for brighter days and warmer temperatures. Unfortunately, spring also ushers in its own challenges and unique safety issues. There’s a lot more to spring cleaning than vacuuming up the dust mites that accumulated over winter. The fresh start of spring is the best time to ensure your home is safe & prepared for another year.

INSIDE YOUR HOME:

Test the Batteries in Your Smoke Detectors
To verify your smoke detectors are in good working condition, test each one individually.

Check Your Carbon Monoxide Detectors
You should have a carbon monoxide detector outside every room and on every level of your home, and check the batteries in each one every month.

Check All Door and Window Locks
Make sure everything is working order. If you have Smart locks, check the batteries. For coded locks and/or alarm systems, it may be time to update the security codes.

Review (or Create) Your Family Emergency Plan
Take advantage of the new season by reviewing your disaster preparedness plan with every member of your household and update it to reflect anything that may have changed in the last year. Your plan should include at least two rendezvous points, an emergency contact person, and an evacuation route. Once you have reviewed the plan, run a few drills for the natural disasters that can occur in your area, like fire, flooding, and earthquake.

OUTSIDE YOUR HOME:

Perform a Perimeter Safety Check
Walk outside and thoroughly examine the exterior of your home, including entrances, windows, and the surrounding physical area. Look at your home from a thief’s perspective. What can you see that you would like to steal?

Replace Broken or Burnt Out Light Bulbs
Keeping your property adequately lit is a huge deterrent.
Make Sure Your Landscaping Doesn’t Provide Cover For Burglars

Prune shrubs and trees leading up to the house, and those around windows and doors, closely enough to make it impossible for someone to conceal themselves.

House Numbers Need To Be Clearly Displayed
Ensure that the numbers are visible from the road to assist emergency responders in locating the home in case of an emergency.

Secure Gates & Sheds With Padlocks

Give Your Surveillance Cameras a Thorough Check
Outside surveillance allows you to keep a watchful eye on your home while you are away. Make sure nothing is obscuring the view and that there are no faulty wires.

General Update:  There were 15 Reported Crimes for March -9 Thefts from Vehicle, 2 Thefts of Vehicle, 2 Thefts, 1 Public Intoxication, and 1 Breaking and Entering in the 1800 Block of Fairview. Click on the Crime Map for more detailed information.

Constable Activity Report – March:
Below is a run down of last month’s Activity Report from the Constable Patrol. Each time the deputy on patrol is called out or observes some activity of interest, he/she documents the call and the report is compiled at the end of the month.  It’s a nice way to see what our deputies are up to!

Accident Minor – 1
Alarm Local – 4
Abandoned Vehicle – 1
Aggressive Animal – 0
Burglary/Motor Vehicle – 1
Business Check – 1
Contract Check – 108
Criminal Mischief – 2
Discharge of Firearm –  0
Disturbance/ Loud Noise – 1
Information Call – 0
Meet the Citizen – 142
Meet the Officer – 2
Neighborhood Check – 0
Open Door/Window – 1
Park Check – 12
Property Found/Lost – 2
Solicitors – 1
Special Assign – 0
Suspicious Person – 9
Suspicious Vehicle – 3
Theft – 2
Traffic Hazard – 5
Traffic Stop – 3
Vacation Watch – 79
Vehicle Sticker – 1
Warrant Service – 2
Writ – 11

Published by Najib El