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Make Your Home or Cabin Safe Resolutions for 2023  

Cop Talk: Safety Advice from a Suburban Beat Cop  

When you are making New Year resolutions resolve to make sure that your home and family are safe. Here are some tips from retired Midwest police officer John Good, to protect your home. 

1.       Install an alarm

It seems intuitive to have an alarm installed in your home,  but according to Alarms.org:  “Burglars are most attracted to homes that do not have home security systems, but only 17% of houses have a system in place. Homes without a security system are 300% more likely to be burglarized. Ninety-five percent of all home invasions require some sort of forceful entry, be that breaking a window, picking a lock, or kicking in a door.”

Once your alarm system is installed, add a security sign in your front yard, as well as security system stickers on your windows. Burglars will actually look through windows to identify motion detectors in the residence. Consequently, hanging fake alarm company signs, or stickers on your front door, without an actual alarm system is worthless.

2.       Install motion detector lighting

Darkness is a thief’s friend, so by installing motion detector lighting, the last thing a thief wants to experience is finding themselves in a spotlight. Installing motion detector flood lights on the front, back and sides of your home – particularly in places where it would be easy to hide. 

3.       Put interior lights and TVs on timers

Thieves are less likely to attempt a break-in if they think someone is home. So, while you are away, set light timers near window, and program a timer on your television to shut on and off. You can also control and monitor your lights and TV right from your smartphone.  Or for a lower tech solution, As a last resort, leave a radio playing loud enough, for potential burglars to hear. Any unknown speaking from the interior of the home, is a proven deterrent.

4.       Install a video doorbell

As a first attempt to determine if anyone is home, thieves will ring the doorbell to see if anyone responds. Consider installing a smart doorbell that allows you to see, hear and speak to the visitor from anywhere in the world. 

5.       Put a temporary hold on mail and newspaper deliveries 

If you plan to be away from home for an extended period, put a temporary hold on newspaper deliveries and your mail. It seems an easy thing to do, but many people forget this when they go on vacation. If you forget, notify a neighbor to keep an eye on your home and collect accumulating newspapers and mail.

In winter, make sure your driveway and sidewalk are shoveled to send a message that the homeowner is present.

Interested in reading more great words from John Good after 42 years on the police force: Check out his book: Blood on the Badge.

In winter, make sure your driveway and sidewalk are shoveled to send a message that the homeowner is presnt.

John Good

After 41 years in law enforcement, John Good applied his experiences as a police officer to author a book entitled “Blood on the Badge.” John gives his personal insights into the mental health challenges faced by police officers when one of their own falls in the line of duty. During his career, John served as a Patrol, Field Training Officer, Juvenile Officer, Honor Guard, Defense Driving Instructor, Bicycle Officer, Crime Scene Technician, and School Resource Officer. He is credited with creating the position of Officer Friendly / Crime Prevention Officer, which won him the highly prestigious Glenview Public Safety Award in 1986. John also shares his perspective with students as an Adjunct Faculty member at a Community College in the Chicago area. He also works as a law enforcement consultant for a major cable channel. A dynamic, engaging speaker, John captivates a crowd by teaching the importance of being safe in today’s crazy world. Whether he’s talking about how to prevent being pickpocketed, gun safety, how to foil a carjacker, mugger folly or keeping your house safe while you’re on the job or on the slopes, he’s sharing his knowledge with the world.

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