Safety is essential, and the best way to be safe is to understand the area around you. There are a variety of reasons why following the safety stats in your neighborhood is beneficial. To use this information efficiently, you have to find it first. Here is how to get neighborhood safety stats in Seattle and other areas.
Know What to Expect
Being aware of safety stats helps you protect your family and home. You should always make sure your home is safe and secure. But reviewing the stats will give you insight into what crimes you are more likely to experience. Having this information allows you to defend against these crimes and reduce your risk of being a victim.
Learn About an Area Before You Move
Having access to the safety information is also necessary if you plan to move to a new area. Learn about neighborhoods and find the right fit that is also a safe place to call home.
Consult Your Local Police Department
Find safety information broken down by neighborhood by checking out the website for the local police. For example, the Seattle Police Department lists information online regarding the type of crime, timing, area and more. This report provides a glimpse into the crime rates and safety stats in a given area.
Take Your Search Online
Several online resources give you the ability to access the safety stats for your neighborhood. Websites such as City-Data and Crime Reports cull information from other sources and presents it in easy-to-understand formats. Other stats, like home values, are also included. If you want to take your search on the go, apps like CrimeMapping pull crime information and utilize GPS mapping to show you localized safety data as you drive or walk through an area.
See the Neighborhood for Yourself
Look at your neighborhood for signs of crime. Bars on the windows of nearby businesses and neighborhood watch signs posted in the area can be an indication of wrongdoing. Neighbors spending time on decks or porches or in their yards and people jogging, and walking dogs on sidewalks are indications of safe areas.
Take a Digital Tour
If you plan to move to an area, you may not have the luxury of visiting in person before the move. Take a digital tour instead. Programs like Google Earth make it possible to virtually visit an area, and can give you a peek into a neighborhood. Keep in mind the images you see may be older, so check the dates. Run a search to find any webcams in the area that will deliver a live stream.
Understand the Data
Evaluating this information makes it possible to identify areas of high crime. Data also provides visibility into the types of crimes being committed in a location. When you know the kinds of crimes you are most likely to face in an area, you can better prepare.
Make Your Home Safe
Safety should be taken seriously. Improve the security of your current home or upgrade the security features of a new home to make it more efficient and safer.
Install a Security System
The presence of a security system is often enough to make criminals think twice before breaking in. Studies have shown that as the number of security systems in an area increase, the instances of crime decrease. Most security systems also automatically alert the police in the event the system is tripped, so if there is an incident, the authorities will respond right away.
Change the Locks
When purchasing a new home, it is essential to change or re-key all of the locks. If any of the door locks on your house appear to have been tampered with or are damaged, it is a good idea to replace them with new and more secure equipment. Make sure to double-check window locks and secure your garage and any sheds or other buildings on your property.
Add Lighting
Much like a security system lights are also a deterrent to crime. Add lights to the exterior of your home to discourage crime. You can have a timer installed, so the lights will automatically turn on and off at predetermined times. There are also remote options that allow you to adjust lights from your smartphone, so you can turn the lights on if you are not standing right next to the light switch.
Knowing and understanding neighborhood safety stats can help you make informed decisions. There are a variety of resources available that will provide information about crime in a specific area. You may just want to make your home more secure. Or you could be responding to an increase in crime in your area. Either way, there are a lot of updates you can make to improve the safety of your home.
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