04/12/23 1

Cottonwood Heights Police Department

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH #2

04/12/23 2

How to secure your home.

04/12/23 3

STEPS 1-12

1. Solid core and steel-plated exterior doors 1 ¾” to 2” thick equipped with solid locking door knobs and deadbolts with a 1” throw.

2. Window locks.3. Visible house numbers.4. Adequate street lighting.5. Front porch lighting on all

night or motion detectors.6. Trim all trees 6’ up from

ground level.

7. Display neighborhood watch window stickers.

8. Install 180 degree wide angle viewers in exterior doors.

9. Secure the garage door at all times, even if the house is occupied.

10. Secure the garage window.11. Secure the garage door at

all times, even if the house is occupied.

12. Secure the garage window.

04/12/23 4

FRONT OF HOUSE

04/12/23 5

SOLID CORE DOOR

All exterior doors should be solid core or steel plated.

Door should be at least 1 ¾” to 2” thick.

Dead bolt with 1” throw. Replace the screws on the

latch plate. Use longer screws that will go into the wall studs.

04/12/23 6

WINDOW LOCKS

Purchase window locks at any hardware store.

Be sure to secure the windows in kids rooms.

Make sure that the kids can unlatch the window locks in an emergency.

04/12/23 7

VISIBLE HOUSE NUMBERS

House numbers should be 4-6” in height. Numbers should also be in a CONTRASTING

color to the house.

04/12/23 8

ADEQUATE STREET LIGHTING

04/12/23 9

PORCH LIGHTING

Leave front porch lights on all night. Bandits don’t like light!

Use a Motion DetectorBandits don’t like surprises

04/12/23 10

CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN

CPTED

Plan & plant wisely. Keep trees and bushes

trimmed up so that you are not providing a hiding place for would-be thieves.

04/12/23 11

MAIL AND MAILBOXES What does the flag in the up

position tell, not only the mail carrier but, the “would-be” thief?

Does your neighborhood have a community mailbox. Is it locked and secure?

If you do not have a community mailbox please take all out-going mail (bills) to a secure post office mailbox.

Collect mail as quickly a possible.

Have new check orders mailed to your financial institution.

04/12/23 12

ALARM SYSTEMS

Alarm systems are recommended where possible.

Know how to use your alarm system to prevent false alarms and fines.

04/12/23 13

HOW SOME BURGLARS WORK

Do not open the door unless you know who’s there!

04/12/23 14

WIDE ANGLE VIEWERS

Install 180 degree wide angle viewers into all exterior doors.

Remind children to NEVER open the door to strangers.

04/12/23 15

GARAGE DOORS AND WINDOWS

Always close your garage doors.

Never leave keys in vehicles even while they are parked in the garage.

Many valuable things are keep in the garage. An open garage door is an open invitation to would be thieves.

Treat the door from the garage to house as an exterior door.

Make sure that you have secured the windows in the garage as you would any other window.

04/12/23 16

STEPS 13-2113. Sturdy storage shed

with sturdy door and lock.

14. Secure sliding glass doors.

15. Fencing to provide security and visibility.

16. Dog or appearance of dog.

17. Light the back of the house with all night porch lights or motions detectors.

18. Back bedroom window in the second most common mode of entry.

19. Crawl space.

20. Skylights.

21. Basement walk-in door.

04/12/23 17

BACK OF THE HOUSE

04/12/23 18

SHEDS

Make sure you have a sturdy storage shed with a sturdy door and lock.

We usually keep expensive tools in our sheds.

04/12/23 19

SLIDING GLASS DOORS

These doors are often found in the kitchen and can be secured with a wooden dowel in the lower track.

You can also slide the door open and place screws in the upper part of the track leaving enough space so that when you close the door it misses the head of the screws. This prevents the door from being lifted up and out.

If you need to remove the door, simply open the door and remove screws.

04/12/23 20

FENCING Fences should provide

security but allow visibility. If your fence provides complete privacy for you, it does that for a burglar too.

04/12/23 21

DOG OR APPEARANCE OF DOG

Dogs do their part in preventing crime.

The mere appearance of a dog is a deterrent.

Place large dog dishes and signs on your property

If you do have a dog, make sure it is properly licensed. To learn more, call 801-944-7000

04/12/23 22

BACK PORCH

Light the back of the house with all night porch lights or motion detectors.

04/12/23 23

BACK BEDROOM WINDOW

Back bedroom window is the second most common mode of entry.

The windows that are in the back of the house are often times kids bedroom windows.

Secure with window locks.

04/12/23 24

CRAWL SPACE

Make sure that if you have an older home that you secure the crawl space door as you would any exterior door.

04/12/23 25

SKYLIGHT

Make sure that you do not leave ladders next to the house. This could provide access to skylights and upper level windows.

04/12/23 26

BASEMENT WALK-IN DOOR

Secure the basement walk-in door/doors.

Remember all EXTERIOR doors should be of solid core construction and secured with deadbolt locks.

04/12/23 27

WHAT ELSE CAN I USE TO PROTECT MY HOME AND FAMILY

Alarm Systems

Security Closets

Safes

Hiding Places

Safety Deposit Boxes

04/12/23 28

Prescription Drugs Safeguard all drugs at home Set clear rules about all drug use Be a good role model Properly conceal and dispose of old or

unneeded medicines Ask friends and family to safeguard their

RX drugs as well. (especially grandparents)

04/12/23 29

How to Dispose of Prescription Drugs

Take advantage of community pharmaceutical take-back programs that allow the public to bring unused drugs to a central location for proper disposal.

Take unused, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs out of their original containers and throw them in the trash.

Mix prescription drugs with an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter, and put them in containers, such as empty cans or sealable bags, to make sure the drugs aren't found and abused by someone else.

04/12/23 30

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

You are asleep in your bedroom and are awakened by a burglar in your bedroom.

Follow your intuition. Sometimes pretending to remain asleep is the answer.

A burglar has broken into another part of your house and is not aware of your presence.

Keep your cell phone near your bed and call 911 quickly and quietly. Get out if you can.

04/12/23 31

WHAT EVER YOU DO

04/12/23 32

PROTECT YOUR DWELLING BY FOLLOWING THESE 21 STEPS

1. Solid core and steel plated exterior doors 1- ¾ to 2” thick equipped with solid locking door knobs and deadbolts with a 1” throw.

2. Window locks.3. Visible house numbers.4. Adequate street lighting.5. Front porch lighting on all night or motion

detectors.6. Trim all shrubs below window sill level.

Trim all trees 6’ up from ground level.7. Display Neighborhood Watch window

sticker.8. Collect mail as soon as possible.9. Alarm systems are recommended where

possible.10. Install 180 degree wide angle viewers in

exterior doors.

11. Secure the garage door at all times, even if the house is occupied.

12. Secure the garage window.

13. Sturdy storage shed with sturdy door and lock.

14. Secure sliding glass doors.

15. Fencing to provide security and visibility.

16. Dog or appearance of dog.

17. Light the back of the house with all night porch lights or motion detectors.

18. Back bedroom window is the second most common mode of entry.

19. Crawl space.

20. Skylights.

21. Basement walk-in door.