Crime Prevention is defined as The Anticipation, Recognition and Appraisal of a crime risk and the Initiation of some action to remove or reduce it." The formula for a crime to take place is as follows: Desire + Ability + Opportunity = Crime. If you take away any one of those key factors, the criminal element will be nonexistent! The job of the Crime Prevention Program is to educate citizens and business owners of this Township in different forms of Crime Prevention.
Safety Tips
Out & About
- Shop during daylight hours when possible and shop with a friend - safety in numbers!
- Be aware of your surroundings. Pay attention to who is around you, what they are doing and what activities are going on. Be aware of someone watching you, or following you!
- Don’t overload your arms with packages and bags while shopping. Clear visibility and freedom of movement are important for self-protection.
- Park in a well-lighted area. If you own a small car, try not to park next to a large vehicle, which can block your vision or other people’s view of you while you are entering or exiting your vehicle. Have your keys out and ready when approaching your vehicle.
- Try to carry only the amount of cash you will need or use one credit card to make your purchases for that day.
- Discuss various situations with your children. What will they do if you are separated? What will they do if approached by a stranger? What will you do? Or leave them home while shopping.
- If you must use an ATM, choose one that is located inside a mall or well-lighted location. Withdraw only the amount of cash you need. Do not throw your ATM receipt away at the ATM location.
In & Around Your Home
- When leaving home for an extended time, sign up with the police department for the vacation house check service. (Vacation House Check Form) You can also have a neighbor or family member watch your house and pick up your mail.
- Indoor and outdoor lights should be on automatic timers. Leave a radio/television on so the home looks and sounds occupied.
- Avoid opening the door to strangers. It is not uncommon for criminals to take advantage of the generosity of people by soliciting donations door-to-door for charitable causes although no charity is involved. If a company is soliciting, they should have an ID badge issued by the police department.
This information is to help you become aware of where you are, who is around and what is in the environment. If you can control the environment you enter into and pay attention to the things going on around you, you can greatly reduce the possibility that you will become the victim of a crime.
