John Skinner
If you live in the city of Los Angeles, community policing and keeping a watchful eye out on your neighborhood is as important as ever. According to a Sergeant in the Los Angeles Police Department, the LAPD has a less officers patrolling the street then they did in 1982. The Los Angeles population has exploded since that time yet the police force is smaller. You would be shocked to know how few squad cars are available to patrol Venice, West LA and Mar Vista. If you speak to any LAPD representative, they talk of how important it is for neighbors to know each other and keep a vigilant eye on the neighborhood. A neighborhood watch is a great start to making the neighborhood less desirable to thieves.
A few other tips the sergeant wanted to pass along-
*Top burglary/theft deterrent- Dogs: Homes with dogs that are visible and/or easily heard is typically something a thief does not want to deal with.
*Visible cameras/ring system- Not as effective as a dog but still a deterrent and coupled with a dog, it creates a great makeshift security system.
*Be prepared for an emergency– City services are not equipped to serve all of Los Angeles should a major earthquake hit or an event happens in which we lose utilities for an extended period of time. Every home should have reserves they can tap into when it comes to water/food and some type of power source.
