Residential Crime Prevention

Much has changed in the layout and structure of residential homes and yard space since the era of pre-1950s America. Suburban homes on residential streets were commonly built offering generous front porches where families congregated after returning home from school and work. The front porch invited social networking of neighbors.

Children playing in the neighborhood could be casually monitored by adults on the porch.  Nostalgia aside, the design of the home, in combination with the culture of the times likely prevented much of the vandalism and crimes being experienced now, in the twenty-first century.

Higher population density, busy lifestyles and chronic daily work stress has changed the focus on how we live and use our homes and property.  After a stressful day, all a worker wants to do is go home and decompress.   Many homes and yards are now designed to take advantage of personal privacy.  Often called ‘cocooning’ people prefer the seclusion of a fenced backyard, or close themselves off from the rest of the world in the privacy of the family room or basement inside the house.

Blinds cover the windows. Fence walls, tall shrubs and hedges obscure the view of the front yard from the street. The need for privacy often outweighs the potential risk of becoming a crime victim.  There are simple and inexpensive ways of altering the appearance of the yard and home exterior that help to deter crime, while still maintaining a sense of privacy:

• Trim away the bottom branches and leaves on shrubs and hedges, leaving at least 12 inches of clear space between the ground and the lowest branches. A trespasser’s feet and legs can easily be seen if he attempts to hide behind foliage.
   
• Don’t allow shrubs and foliage to block the view of any basement or first floor windows or doors. Trim them to remain below the height of the windows. Thieves take advantage of concealed areas.
   
• Install night security lighting on the exterior of the home to turn on when motion is detected. (Make sure to position the sensor to activate only when someone has entered the property – sensing every movement on the sidewalk or the passing of vehicles in the street defeats the purpose of security lighting. Like the fable, The Boy That Cried Wolf, residents and neighbors alike will start ignoring constant, misused activations.)
   
• Consider installing a ‘see-through’ type fencing material for at least the front yard. This allows passing police cars to more easily check for suspicious activity during neighborhood patrols.

  Additional suggestions:

• Your home’s address numbers must be easily visible from the street! The address numbers should be eye-catching and posted in prominent locations. Emergency Services suggest posting the house numbers at the driveway entrance, and also clearly marking it on the house in a lighted area. To receive prompt emergency service, responders must be able to easily find the correct address. During a medical emergency, such as a heart-attack or breathing difficulties, a few seconds can mean the difference between life and death.
   
• Introduce yourself to neighbors. At the very least, trade names and contact telephone numbers. Burglars are most often caught because a neighbor recognized something suspicious and called 9-1-1.
   
• Door-to-door salespersons must acquire a business permit through the City of Milwaukie. If a solicitor at your door cannot show the proper city documentation, please notify the police via the non-emergency phone number 503-786-7500. With the exception of children selling Girl Scout cookies, or children promoting local school fundraisers, all other salespersons must present the proper permit. Possessing the required city permit confirms the validity of the business and minimizes the chance the person on your doorstep has criminal intent. 
   
• Notify police about suspicious activities while they are still occurring. Problems as innocuous as teens violating curfew laws can sometimes quickly escalate to criminal behavior, or jeopardize their safety.

  Preventing crime in your neighborhood and within the City of Milwaukie requires the partnership of its citizens, businesses, schools, neighborhood associations, various city departments, Milwaukie City Government, and Police services.

  Together, we can make a difference.