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Everyone has a role in the safety and crime rate of their community and neighborhood. How many times have we seen on the news, a story about a horrific crime where plenty of people saw warning signs, but didn’t report them? If someone had reported what they saw or heard, it may have been possible to prevent the incident.

Here are a few things that you can do to make your community a safer place to live:
1.) Be seen in your neighborhood. Whether you are outside doing yard work, or taking the dog for a walk, when people take notice to the activity happening in their neighborhood, criminal activity decreases where there are extra eyes and ears.
2.) Get to know your neighbors and neighborhood. The more familiar you are with your surroundings, the more likely you are to notice suspicious or unusual activity in your neighborhood.
3.) Get involved with, or start a local neighborhood watch group.
4.) Have adequate outside lighting. Those looking to commit crimes don’t want the spotlight on them.
5.) Be aware of your surroundings anywhere you may go and trust your instincts. Often times we get caught up in our own world and neglect to see what is happening right in front of us.
6.) If you do notice unusual, suspicious or criminal activity – report it to your local police department. Even what seems as an insignificant bit of information could actually be very important.
The more involved the members of a community are, the less likely criminals will want to operate in that location. Criminals do not want to be detected, so a vigilant community is not where they want to do business.

When looking for and reporting suspicious activity, you should try to answer the following questions: Who, What, When and Where
Some things to be observant of are:
– unattended packages or luggage
– a strange vehicle possibly parked in an odd location or for an extended period of time
– a person who asks detailed questions about procedure or personnel
– loitering

Small details may be the piece of the puzzle that could help law enforcement solve a crime, whether it be a current ongoing investigation, an old case, or something that comes to light in the future.
Remember, you can report tips anonymously, but identifying yourself is helpful for follow up questions and for your credibility. Reporting can be done by phone, online, or tiplines.

If you see something – say something. You can make the difference in your community.