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For Your Safety & Security at Home

Home: A well lit home deters burglars. Use timers and motion lights. Always lock doors and windows. Set alarm when leaving.

Use an electronic timer: Turns on radio’s, TV’s, etc. to deter burglars.

Vehicle: Always lock your vehicle. Never leave valuables in plain view, try to remove all valuables when possible. Park in a well light area and stay alert.

Holiday Decorations: Turn off holiday lights when not at home, to avoid risk of a fire. Close curtains, burglars look into windows for gifts.

Mail/ Newspapers: If you go away, ask a trusted neighbor to pick-up your mail, daily or stop delivery. Cancel newspaper deliveries, till you return.

After The Holidays: Don’t advertise the gifts you received. Break-up the gift boxes. Place them in a garbage bags for collection. Always record serial numbers and keep in a safe place.

For Your Safety & Security While Away From Home

Parking Lots:
Park in a well lit areas.
Stay alert and do not get distracted with phone calls or carrying bags.
Lock your vehicle and remove valuables if possible.
Have necessary credit or debit cards that you will need to make purchases readily available and in a secure location.  
Shop with a friend, there is safety in numbers.
If you return to your vehicle to unload your purchases, don’t leave anything in plain view.

ATM’s:
Avoid using an ATM after dark. Try to go during business hours.
Avoid carrying or displaying large amounts of cash.

Safety First:
Glance in your rear view mirror when driving home. There is nothing wrong with being aware of your surroundings.
Children should be educated about Stranger Danger, and what to do if they get separated or lost. Look for help from a security guard or store employee.
Keep an eye on your possessions when eating at food courts or restaurants. Purses and bags can be switched and taken in a flash.
Have your keys ready in your hand before reaching your car. If you suspect anything suspicious return to the store/mall and alert security.

Residents

Free crime prevention assistance is available to North Miami residents from the Police Department. A crime prevention officer can provide suggested crime prevention techniques, which you may implement to reduce your chances of becoming a victim of burglary, theft, robbery, rape or fraud. A North Miami Police Officer can conduct individual security surveys of your home or make presentations to civic, service and professional groups. Free brochures are also available upon request on a variety of topics.

One of the best ways to prevent crime in residential neighborhoods is to organize a Neighborhood Watch Group. Nationally, this program has proven to be quite successful in reducing crime. Statistics show that a Neighborhood Watch Program will help to decrease the number of residential burglaries in your neighborhood.

For more information, see the North Miami Crime Watch program. or call 305-891-0294 ext 23218.

Personal Safety

Self-protection means knowing how to avoid being the victim of an attack or robbery. By keeping alert of the unexpected and not taking any unnecessary chances. It also includes knowing what to do if you are a victim and acting with common sense and cooperating with authorities. The Police Department has programs in place to help protect you against crime. Remember always to be aware of your surroundings in keeping yourself safe, whether at home or away.

Burglary Prevention

Burglary is a serious crime to which we are all vulnerable. However, there are things we can do to help prevent them. A few simple precautions will reduce greatly the chance of becoming a victim of burglary. Make your home look occupied, lock exterior doors and windows before you leave the house or go to bed and lock your windows. Leave your lights on when you go out for the night. Use exterior lighting or motion sensitive lighting as a deterrent to burglary and vandalism. Keep trees and shrubs trimmed back away from windows and doors. Keep your garage door closed and locked. Never leave a key hidden outside your home. Arrange to have mail and newspapers picked up if you are not going to be home for a while.

Businesses

Free crime prevention assistance for businesses in the City is available from the North Miami Police Department. An officer can conduct a security survey of your business, and make crime prevention presentations to your employees as well as business and professional groups.

Burglary Prevention

Security is an important part of business management. It is just as important as inventory control, advertising, pricing, and location. Good security practices can save money and time and make your business less of a target for the criminal.
Make your business uninviting to a burglar by using exterior and interior lighting. Lighting should cover areas like entrances, windows, and alleys. Interior lighting will reduce hiding places for a burglar. Make it difficult for burglars to get inside your business by using heavy solid doors, and using your locks and alarm system properly. Make sure that skylights, vents, loading docks, sidewalk grills, or other openings are secured. Do not keep large amounts of cash on the premises. Make bank deposits at varying times of the day. Alarm systems can be very helpful as deterrents and in helping to catch burglars as long as they are properly installed, used correctly by employees, and properly maintained. Report suspicious activity and persons to the Police.

For further crime prevention information, contact the North Miami Police Department Community Services Section at (305) 891-0294 extension 23200.

Crime Watch

The North Miami Police Department’s Crime Prevention Unit supports the Citizens Crime Watch Program in Miami-Dade County. Community involvement has been the key factor in the success of this program.

What is Crime Watch and how does it work? Crime Watch is an extension of the Police Department within the community. Concerned citizens form a neighborhood crime watch group and become involved in keeping their neighborhood safe by acting as additional eyes and ears for the Police Department.

Crime Watch Groups are not difficult to organize. Once you have at least half of the residents in a neighborhood agreeing to participate, then the first meeting takes place. Contact the North Miami Police Department’s Crime Prevention Unit to have an officer assist in establishing a Neighborhood Watch Group.

Crime Watch participant’s duties include arranging for a home security survey, practicing operation ID and reporting all crimes and suspicious activity to the police. Never attempt to arrest an offender. Watch participants are also asked to financially contribute towards a Neighborhood Watch sign for your neighborhood and to place Neighborhood Watch decals on your home.

The numerous groups throughout the City that comprise the Citizens’ Crime Watch meet on a regular basis to discuss criminal activities and other area concerns. Citizens who participate in Crime Watch assist the Police Department by reporting suspicious activity. This partnership with the Police results in safer neighborhoods and a better quality of life.

In addition to coordinating existing Crime Watch groups and forming new ones, Marvin Weinstein, the Unit’s Crime Watch Coordinator, conducts personalized security surveys for residents and business owners to help make their homes and offices less attractive to criminals.
Call the North Miami Police Department’s Crime Prevention Unit at (305) 891-0294 extension 23200, to learn more about Neighborhood Watch.

Crime Stoppers  

Crime Stoppers is a not-for-profit, community action program which allows citizens who see, hear or know of criminal activity in their neighborhoods to pass this information on to law enforcement. The telephone number for CRIME STOPPERS is (305) 471-8477.

When citizens call Crime Stoppers, they are guaranteed anonymity. Once a call is made, it is assigned a control number and the caller is instructed to check back with the office every 30 days to ascertain the status of the information given. If an arrest has been made, resulting in criminal charges filed, the caller is eligible for a monetary reward of up to $1,000.

 
 

©2011 City of North Miami