This checklist was designed to assist you in making a security survey of your own home. The purpose of the survey is to identify security weaknesses of your home and daily routines around your home. These are things that make your home look inviting to the criminal. It should begin at the curb and end with the interior of the home. It should include house numbers, landscaping, doors, locks, strike plates, windows, indoor-outdoor lighting and its use, the garage and driveways.

Knowing and practicing these safety tips can't guarantee that you will not become a victim, but by reading and applying these principles to your daily routine, you should reduce the chances of becoming a statistic by a considerable margin. If you need more information on personal, home, business, or child safety, please contact the Richland Hills Police Department at (817) 616-3780.

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1. Are your house numbers visible from the street for emergency service such as police, fire, and ambulance?

2. Does the overall appearance of your home give criminals information about you and your family that would assist them in victimizing your things such as a full mailbox, outdoor lighting on during the day, or the garage doors open with no cars present?

3. Are all fence gates padlocked to make it more difficult for strangers to enter your yard?

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1. Are your shrubs and trees trimmed to "open up the line of sight" of your home for your neighbors from several directions?

2. Are shrubs and trees trimmed to prohibit concealment of an intruder?

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1. Do you have only decorative lighting such as used in flowerbeds?

2. Do you have only entrance/exit lighting such as front/rear door type lights?

3. Do you have true security lighting operated by an electric eye or timer, every night, all night, giving your home a perimeter of light around it?

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1. Are all external doors either metal, solid wood, solid wood frame, or at least solid core construction?

2. Are doorframes strong and tight enough to withstand some degree of force?

3. Are doors with outside exposed hinges pinned to prevent easy removal from outside?

4. Are all external doors equipped with "good" dead bolt locks, which have at least a one-inch throw?

5. Are the strike plates installed with three-to-four inch screws, which are anchored well into the two-by-four inch stud behind the doorframe?

6. Are glass sliding doors pinned to prevent being forced open? Is the upper track secured with large pan head screws to prevent lifting?

7. Are French or double doors fitted with flush bolts at the top and bottom edge of the inactive or secondary door?

8. Is there a door leading from the garage to the interior of the home, and if so, is it equally secure as an external door?

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1. Are wooden windows "pinned" on both sides, from the inside?

2. Are aluminum windows fitted with secondary locking devices, easily removed, in case of fire?

3. Is shrubbery trimmed away from the outside of the windows to prohibit concealment of an intruder?

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1. Are overhead garage doors fitted with an interior locking device, blocking the track, as well as an outside locking device?

2. Do windows in the garage door prohibit viewing the interior of the garage from the outside by use of curtains or film?

3. Is the garage door kept down and locked at all times? Alarms offer additional security, but should never be substituted for good locks. When considering an alarm, you should have several companies appraise your needs. Insist on a written proposal and a copy of the contract you will need to sign. Before signing, check the company's reputation through the Better Business Bureau.

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Criminals look for a quick, easy, low-risk target and do not want to be detected and caught. When you are alone you present an easy target. Don't get distracted! If you cannot get friends or family to walk or shop with you, let them know where you are going and call them when you arrive. File a "flight plan."

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Take a route around them. If you do not know where they are, ask someone. It's that simple.

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Plan out your travel route. Stay on well-populated, well-lit streets.

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when approaching them in parking lots or less populated areas.

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have one hand free to defend yourself.

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it is hard to defend, and can injure you if an attacker tries to rip it from your shoulder. A waist pack would be a great alternative. Be sure to record credit card numbers in case of a theft.

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never leave your purse or packages unattended.

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should never be left in plain view while in vehicles. These items should be removed or placed in the trunk.

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to get your keys out. Have them in your hands with the proper key in place. If you see a stranger near the door, it may be a good idea not to go in until the situation poses less risk. This applies to your vehicle and residence.

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immediately upon entering your car or home.

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confidently and purposefully, holding your head upright, as if moving toward a definite destination. Shuffling along with your head down, or moving along as if you have just lost your best friend, could invite an attack.

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this prevents an assailant in a car from coming up behind you.

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so you can't be grabbed from the doorway of a building or by someone hiding in bushes.

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such as a whistle, pepper spray or personal safety alarm to eliminate the would-be attacker. Usually, noise and flashing lights are safer deterrents than chemical sprays and electric stunners, which can be turned against you and could agitate an attacker toward more violence. Plan ahead.

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walk-up Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs). If you must use one, make sure no one has followed you. Many attacks occur at ATMs because criminals expect you to have a large amount of cash in your wallet when you leave.

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Con artists use a number of ploys to scam you and steal your property. Some divert your attention while another picks your pocket. Some pose as utility workers or tradesmen to gain access to your home, while others conduct scams that are more elaborate, involving several con artists. As a consumer you should be wary of unlicensed vendors selling goods on the street. Purchase merchandise from only licensed vendors or reputable stores. Follow your instincts and remember, "If it seems too good too be true, it usually is."

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change for a payphone to call friends or relatives for help. BUT REMEMBER, 9-1-1 EMERGENCY CALLS ARE FREE.

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Your comb, keys, pens, pencils, hair spray, etc. All are damaging to the eyes and other vulnerable areas of the body.

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jacket or blanket, and flashlight with charged batteries in your vehicle for emergency situations.

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Use your mind and don't let fear or panic take over. This might be the one thing that gets you out of the situation.

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