It’s that time of year when the sun doesn’t set until 10:00 PM, children are out playing until bedtime, and family vacations loom on the horizon. It’s also that time of year that crime tends to spike. Keeping HMP safe takes the efforts and vigilance of everyone. If you see something suspicious, intervene by calling the police. As the adage goes, “Better safe than sorry.” And your neighbor will thank you. Following are a few summer safety tips to keep your family and home safe.
- Know your neighbors. HMP has a multitude of social opportunities to meet your neighbors. Take advantage of the opportunities and attend the next social event which will be the Cajun Brunch. You can find additional information in the various ways communication is disseminated to neighbors and throughout the neighborhood. Get neighborhood news via the HMP Facebook page, Nextdoor, this web site, and sign-up to get the emails.
- Maintain your property and your yard. Studies indicate that a neighborhood with mowed lawns, flowers, and well-maintained homes looks like it’s cared for and this alone can help deter crime.
- Be extra cautious when you go out of town. One benefit of knowing your neighbors is having a trusted person that can keep an eye on your home while you are gone. Be sure to cancel your mail and newspaper delivery or ask a trusted neighbor to collect them for you until your return.
- Guard your home privacy by making sure that you close your windows and blinds at night.
- Support the HMP Lighting Initiative. This will improve the lighting on your street. Use your porch light.
- Install a security system. A 2009 study by Rutgers found that, as the number of home security systems increased in an area, the number of residential robberies decreased in that area.