Home Security Tips: Dealing With Drug Crime And Neighborhood Delinquents

When you think of the biggest home security risks that the average homeowner faces, you imagine crimes like burglary, rape, home invasions, or breaking and entering. In order to combat these potential problems head-on, you install a home alarm system, you lock your doors and shut your windows at night, and you assume you are about as safe as you could possibly be. But the longer you live somewhere, the more you realize that while it is certainly possible that you could experience these most dramatic crimes, it is much more likely that you will face lesser but still incredibly horrible events.

For instance, one home security risk that many people face is unrelated criminal activity such as drug dealing happening near their buildings. Even if you do not live in a gang-infested neighborhood, a group of local kids or tough guys dealing anything from marijuana to heroin could always end up living next door. There have been meth lab busts in some of the toniest suburban neighborhoods in the country, after all. When drug dealers move in, they bring their sketchy circle of friends and acquaintances with them: other dealers, hangers-on, regular users, and even down-and-out attics. Before you know it, you start finding cigarette butts on your lawn. The next step is beer cans, pipes, and maybe even syringes. People who make you feel uncomfortable on your own block start hanging around on the corner, staring you down as you walk back from the bus or subway stop after a long day of work. You start to wonder about letting your kids walk to and from school on their own: could they be targeted?

Drug-dealing cannot be prevented or discouraged by a home alarm system, unfortunately. And based on the character of these new additions to your block, you probably do not want to go and confront them yourself. This could just make the situation worse, and potentially expose your family to violence.

So how do you deal with such an unpleasant situation? The first thing you might want to do is talk to your neighbors. See if they know anything more concrete about what is going on. You might assume that the neighbors are dealing drugs, but there could be an explanation and before you get the police involved it always is smart to ask. You can also use this as a fact-finding mission of sorts. You will find out if neighbors have been having similar problems or have experienced any home security breeches, making sure to probe for specific incidents that you can cite later when reporting what is going on.

The next step, if you hadnt guessed it, is contacting the police. Do not call 911. Instead call a non-emergency number and report the suspicious activity. These officers are busy, so be as specific and calm as possible so as to be best understood. Have the date that they moved in handy, and have one or two specific stories on hand that detail what the problem is. If the officer does not seem particularly responsive, let him or her know that you will be following up.