Is your home equipped with security devices like cameras and door sensors? Perhaps you have a professionally installed system from one of the leading providers. Good for you. But did you know there is a way to make even the best home security system even better? It’s pretty simple: human surveillance.
Local residents keeping an eye on the neighborhood goes a long way toward preventing crime. Remember that criminals prey on the most vulnerable. They prey on people who are not paying attention to their surroundings. Human surveillance combats that tendency.
A new program just introduced in Florida’s Seminole County is designed to maximize human surveillance over the holidays. But before we get to that, let us take a brief look at the point of installing a home security system.
Deterrence, Alerts, and Evidence
It is not unusual for consumers to take the position that investing in home security is a waste of money because no alarm system will stop a truly determined burglar. Yet here is the reality: no security strategy will stop a determined criminal from doing what he wants to do. That is not the point of home security, anyway.
There are basically three purposes for installing electronic home security:
- Deterrence – A security system might not stop a determined criminal, but it will deter those who are not so committed. And less committed criminals are the norm when it comes to home burglary. Burglars have admitted in many studies to avoiding homes with security systems.
Alerts – In the event a home security system does not deter a burglar, it will at least alert to his presence. Professionally monitored systems alert trained personnel and remote monitoring centers, while DIY systems send alerts to homeowner cell phones.
Evidence – Home security systems equipped with video cameras collect evidence that can be used for investigative and prosecutorial purposes. That’s one of the reasons less committed burglars avoid homes they know are armed with video surveillance.
A homeowner relying exclusively on a home security system to protect himself and his family is better off than if he were to do nothing at all. But a home security system works best when it is part of a multi-layered security strategy.
Adding Human Surveillance
Human surveillance makes even the best home security systems better. Vivint Home Security, a leading provider of professionally installed and monitored security systems, explains that human surveillance gets consumers involved as active participants in a security strategy. That takes us to the previously mentioned Florida program.
Over the holiday season, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Department is offering a program they call House Watch. Homeowners can sign up for it if they plan to be away for the holidays. While they are traveling, deputies will be sent to check on their properties on a regular schedule. Deputies will do drive-bys and physical walk-arounds to make sure everything is an order.
Even without a program like House Watch, homeowners can take advantage of human surveillance by getting together and forming their own watch program. They can take turns strolling the neighborhood and checking properties. They can also make a point of keeping an eye on their neighbor’s houses while they are out doing yard work, playing with the kids, we are even looking out the kitchen window.
Burglars Don’t Like Watchful Eyes
Human surveillance is the best way to enhance a security system because burglars don’t like watchful eyes. They would prefer to let no one be paying attention to their activities. They know that the more people they need to contend with, the more risk they take with every burglary.