By Doris Prado, Property Manager
Making the right call: When to contact Security and when to call 911
Your home is your castle
…or is it? Are you really safe once you get through your front door? In an open society your home should be the sanctuary for you and your family. Your home is the only environment where you have control over who can get close to you or your family.
Security guards are not law enforcement; their duty is to monitor activity on the property and report it to local police departments and the HOA Board.
Security personnel
HOAs choose to hire security guards in addition to, or in place of, security equipment. Larger HOAs may need several guards to monitor common areas and do roving patrols around the community; others may simply need security guards stationed at a front gate or desk to monitor who enters and leaves the premises.
Security guards are not law enforcement; their duty is to monitor activity on the property and report it to local police departments and the HOA Board.
DOs
- You can call security to report a parking violation
- To report a suspicious activity such as teens loitering, kids vandalizing property, loud music between 11 pm – 7 am, nuisance, etc.
- You need a visitor parking pass and the onsite office is closed
- You need the Rover to assist with a disturbance
DON’Ts
- You do not call security if there is a crime in progress, you call 911 and report it immediately
- House alarm goes off, call 911
- You see a person about to or committing a burglary or theft, call 911
- People smoking an illegal substance, call 911
- You hear your neighbors arguing, fighting (domestic violence), call 911
- If you need to report stolen property, call 911 and ask for an incident report
Keeping your property safe
Doors and locks
The first step is to “harden the target” or make your home more difficult to enter. Remember the burglar will simply bypass your home if it requires too much effort or requires more skill and tools than they possess. Most burglars enter via the front, back, or garage doors. Experienced burglars know that the garage door is usually the weakest followed by the back door. The garage and back doors also provide the most cover.
Burglars also know to look inside your car for keys and other valuables so keep it locked. Homeowners should use solid core doors and high quality locks on exterior doors that will resist twisting, prying, and lock-picking attempts. A quality Grade-1 or Grade-2 deadbolt lock will have a beveled casing to inhibit the use of channel-lock pliers used for forced entry. A quality door knob-in-lock set will have a ‘dead latch’ mechanism to prevent slipping the lock with a shim or credit card.
- Use a solid core wood or metal door for all entrance points
- Doors should fit tightly into the door jamb
- Use a quality, heavy-duty, deadbolt lock with a one-inch bolt
- Use a quality, heavy-duty, door knob-in-lock set with a dead-latch mechanism
- Use a heavy-duty four-screw strike plate installed with 3-inch screws to penetrate into a wooden door frame
- Use a wide-angle 160° peephole mounted no higher than 58 inches
Surveillance cameras, alarms, locks, and lighting
Installing security equipment can help monitor low-level crimes, such as trespassing, vandalism, property damage, and rules violations. Cameras, alarms, locked doors and increased lighting may deter some criminals, but homeowners should not rely on security equipment to prevent all crime.
It’s important that owner installs cameras in places that do not violate the privacy of neighbors to avoid invasion of privacy claims. Also, cameras, alarms, lighting and other security equipment can break or be disabled and should be routinely inspected. Part of your monthly routine maintenance should include costs of repairing or replacing malfunctioning equipment.
