Although I and my staff were confident in our state’s ability to accurately document in the background check any and all relevant arrests within our state, we were not comfortable in the fact that many of our employees had at one time lived outside of our state.  Determined to provide qualified law abiding security officers to our new client, as well as to our existing clients, we began the arduous task of investigating each and every security officer in our employ. Since this was prior to the advent of online background screening services, the task at hand required us to pull each file, contact references, find all out-of-state addresses, contact employers to find gaps in employment, make contact with police departments, request documents from courts and/or background checks from the state of residency.  After several days of intense investigation, all employees had been thoroughly checked, a few fired and the process started all over again for newly hired employees.  A time consuming process, but well justified in an industry that expects only the best and most trusted employees.

Today, conducting background checks on employees, family members, boyfriends, girlfriends and neighbors doesn’t have to be confined to an industry or to a specific reason.  As a matter of fact, conducting background checks on those near and dear to you should be a right that all of us exercise on a regular basis.  How often, in the midst of a homicide investigation, is it learned that a loved one wasn’t who he or she appeared to be?  How often, in the midst of  a financial scandal, do we hear from a news reporter that the suspect had been previously arrested three times in other states for robbing elderly women of their life savings?

In a previous post about eliminating yourself from the Suspect + Victim Equation, I strongly advocate a heightened sense of awareness.  As you begin to take notice of all of the things around you that you have for years taken for granted, pay close attention to the people you associate with, both near and afar.  Start to listen to your senses and pay closer attention to your perception.  How long have you felt that your mom’s new boyfriend was just too good to be real?  How long have you discounted the strange behavior of your daughter’s new boyfriend or wondered how your neighbor has so much money when he’s unemployed? If a situation doesn’t appear to be right, chances are likely something is amiss.

Just recently a new neighbor moved in.  Within months, I observed two police cars parked in front of my neighbor’s house and my neighbors son being hauled away in handcuffs.  Obtaining the son’s date of birth from the police report, I conducted my own background check.  To my surprise, his son is a career criminal and had only been released from prison shortly before becoming my neighbor.  Although I had suspected something from day one, since the son was thirty years old, lived at home and didn’t work, I would have never guessed he was a convicted felon with over a dozen arrests during the two years prior to his incarceration.

Background checks help us to protect our business, our families and our way of life.  If I was in charge of creating “life laws”, number one on the list would be that everyone carry a current nationwide background check to be surrendered to anyone who requests it.  Not that I condone double jeopardy or the inhumane treatment of an individual because he or she chose the wrong path in life, I just want to know about those whom I may choose to allow into my life.  And, you should want to know as well.

If you have any doubts about an employee, a friend, family member or neighbor, conduct your own background check.  For less than $20, you may be able to save someone from serious bodily injury or financial ruin.

Click Here to Conduct Your Background Check

Chances are you answered “never” or “no” to most of the questions above.  You, like 95% of the rest of the population, may be very comfortable in your surroundings and have become complacent in areas that are familiar to you.  Certainly if you planned a trip to a foreign country your sense of security may be heightened, but at home, in your neighborhood and at work, you feel fairly safe and secure.  Did you know that this is where most people are attacked?

The number one self defense tool for staying alive isn’t pepper spray, a gun, karate, judo, alarm system, guard dog or muscle.  It’s “awareness”.  Being constantly aware of your surroundings will help to keep you from becoming complacent.  Complacency kills!  Why are most people killed in familiar surroundings?  Because they didn’t see it coming and therefore had no time to react.  Be aware of who’s in back of you, who’s in front of you and who’s coming at you.  Know what your escape route will be if you do not have a means to protect yourself.  The use of pepper spray, a stun gun or .44 magnum are definitely useful tools that can aid in ones efforts to counter an attack, however being alert and aware are most essential to staying alive.

I recently wrote a post on another of my blogs, www.cleanupblog.com/homicide/triple-homicide/.  Please take time to visit this post for more information about awareness.

As a police officer and security professional, I’m constantly reminded of the importance of home security.  Contrary to the violent world we live in, our right to feel safe and protected within our own home should never be compromised or violated.  Yet on a daily basis, thousands of homes across the country our invaded and destroyed.  Thousands of lives every year are changed as a result of home invasions, burglaries, kidnappings and vandalism.

Although crime can never be eliminated, it can be deterred.  From firearms to alarm systems, reinforced doors to safe rooms, the number of products on the market today to aid in home security are endless.  Camera systems, bar locks, sirens, mace, bats and motion sensors, regardless of your budget, security products can be found.  But what really works?

Here are some home security ideas that will fit almost any one’s budget.

1. If you have a window well to a basement, cover it up.  It’s too easy for a criminal to jump down into your window well (and be hidden from the pubic), break a window and enter you home.  Either purchase a cover from a home improvement store, or make one yourself.  Secure the cover to the well from the underside so that it can only be opened from inside the house.
   
2. Install lights around your entire house.  Motion sensors on the side and rear lights work well to reduce the amount of additional light cast into your neighbor’s bedroom.  One of the leading causes of a home security breach is inadequate lighting.  Criminals do not like to be seen and will generally choose a target with insufficient lighting.
3. Get an alarm system.  Whether it’s monitored or not, place stickers on the windows to notify criminals that your house is alarmed.  Again, criminals don’t like to get caught and will try to choose a home without an alarm system.
4. Install deadbolt locks on all exterior doors.  Spend the extra money to purchase high quality locks that cannot easily be picked.  Be sure to lock the deadbolt anytime you leave the house or retire for the evening.
   
5. If you have a sliding glass door, you must have either a bar or some type of a rod which prevents your door from being opened.  The locks on sliding glass doors are not sufficient enough to keep a criminal out of your house.  One good pull and your door may open.  Also, far too often home owners forget to lock their sliding glass door.  If you install a locking bar, you will get in the habit of making sure the bar is in the down position, preventing the door from being opened.
6. If you leave your home overnight, use a timer that will turn lights on and off throughout the house.  A standard timer will turn the lights on at the same time every night.  A criminal watching your home will catch on to this. Purchase a timer that specifies random patterns (typically called a vacation timer) that will vary the times that lights are activated.
7. Have a neighbor or family member pick up your mail and newspaper if you are gone for more than 24 hours.  Nothing says “I’m not home” more than newspapers laying at the front door.
8. Keep your bushes trimmed back away from the house.  You want to be able to see if anyone is behind or under your bushes when you arrive home.  It’s not uncommon for criminals to hide under bushes, only to jump out and grab you after you unlock the door.
9. Take different routes to and from work or other places you frequently travel to.  Although it’s an inconvenience, you want to keep from setting a pattern.  Keep a close eye on who’s behind you.  If you see a car has been following you, DO NOT go home.  Go instead to a supermarket, shopping mall, police station or anywhere else where other people are present.  Setting a pattern allows criminals to know where you are and when you come and go.  Almost all kidnappings and sexual assaults involve a period of time when the criminal followed the victim.
   

I’m sure I could come up with hundreds of additional home security tips and recommendations, which may be outlined in additional posts.  Please take time to implement the ideas that have been posted above.  Home security is something that you can have some control over.  You don’t have to be a victim in your own home, but you do have to be proactive and take precautionary steps to improve the security of your home.

Click here to view the embedded video.

If you have ever had your credit card number copied and used without your knowledge, you were a victim of credit card skimming.  By definition, credit card skimming is the theft of credit card information used in a otherwise legitimate transaction.  More often than not, this type of theft is typically perpetrated by a dishonest employee working for an honest merchant.

The tools used to carry out this type of theft can be as simple as a pen and paper or as technological as a magnetic stripe reader.  Anyone from a store clerk to members of organized crime will have access to at least one method of copying your credit card information, to include the security code found on the back of the card.  Although you may not be aware that this theft is happening, literally right under your nose, steps can be taken to reduce the impact if you are victimized.

Credit card skimming can occur anywhere you use your credit card.  However, according to recent research, the most likely place to have your credit card skimmed is at a restaurant.  At most retailers, your credit never leaves your site.  Not so at a restaurant.  Once the waiter takes your card and it’s out of your site, he or she has ample opportunity to record all the information needed to use your card without your authorization or knowledge.  Other prime locations for skimming are kiosks, vending machines, self-checkout registers, gas pumps and other similar locations that allow you to swipe your credit card to complete a sale.  Generally, credit card skimming at these locations involve a much more organized approach.  Without the knowledge of store personnel or attendants, someone will slide a magnetic strip reader over the actual reader, which will typically protrude either above or below the actual reader.  When you slide your card, one reader captures your information to be used in a crime, while the other reader captures your information for a legitimate purchase.  After days of transactions are recorded, the secondary reader will be removed and processed.

What can you do to protect yourself against credit card skimming?

1. Always review your statement carefully and report discrepancies immediately.  If available, use the internet to check your statement on a weekly basis, instead of once a month.
2. Keep an eye on your credit card.  If you must give it to a waiter, watch the waiter the entire time he has your card.
3. Make sure the waiter isn’t carrying anything that may resemble an electronic device, which may be a reader.
4. Sign up for fraud alerts with your credit card company.
5. Ask questions if you see your card is swiped more than once.  It’s not unusual to see this occur, but be sure to inquire as to the reason why.  It’s ok to be suspicious.
6. Instead of using your credit card, use a check or cash.
7. Take a few extra seconds to examine a card reader on a self-checkout machine.  Compare the reader with those on other machines to see if it looks any different.  If so, don’t use that particular machine.  Always error on the side of caution.
8. Look for extra devices around the cash register.  If you see any additional electronic device, make sure your card is not swiped through more than one machine.

Maybe someday credit card companies will require a picture of the cardholder on all credit cards and a pin number that we select.  Only the cardholder pictured on the card will be authorized to use the card and, at locations where cards are swiped, a personal pin number must be entered.  Although criminals would find a way to circumvent these security measures too, at least it would be a little more difficult.    I think we can all agree that, when anyone can use any credit card to purchase anything they want within the card’s spending limits, fraud will always be present.

Special thanks to Catherine Penizotto and her article “Credit Card Skimming A Crime Against the Brand”, found in the January – February 2009 edition of Loss Prevention.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Tip #1 – Don’t give up hope.  The police, FBI and other agencies will continue to try to talk the captor into a conversation.  When this happens, the hostage negotiators primary task will be to establish a sense of hope in the captor.  The captor, as distraught as he (or she, but highly unlikely) may be, must see a reason to live.  Although hours may pass, an effective negotiator can often establish some hope in the mind of the captor.  Once this is achieved, the captor will be made to realize that he will be held accountable for any actions taken against the hostages.  This may be the beginning of the end to your captivity.

Tip #2 – Do not fight with the captor, either before or during the hostage crisis.  Chances are likely that you will suffer serious injury.  If the captor perceives you as a threat, he may very well shoot you first. Keep a low profile and appear weak. Do everything you can to not draw attention to yourself.

Tip #3 – If asked to empty your pockets or purse, give the captor everything.  Do not try to deceive the him by hiding something.  If you are caught, you will be made an example of.

Tip #4 – The first fifteen minutes of any hostage situation is the most dangerous.  During the first few minutes of the seizure the captor will be confused, excited, scared and full of adrenaline.  It is during this time that any sudden movement or actions on your part may set off the captor.  Don’t be a hero.  Your actions may result in death or serious bodily injury to you, your loved ones or other innocent hostages.  As time passes, the captor will become more calm, more rational and his actions will be the result of thought, not impulse.

Tip #5 – Be cooperative with the captor.  Only speak when spoken to and avoid making any type of suggestions to the captor. Try to be pleasant, watch your body language and tone of voice. You do not want to appear as if you are belittling the captor.  He may be suffering from a mental disorder or learning disability.  Any emotion or anger in your voice or body language may be exaggerated in the eyes of the captor.  For this reason, it is imperative that you remain as neutral as possible.

Tip #6 – After some time has passed and you feel like you know a little about the captor, try to use that to your advantage.  If you feel you can establish a mutual connection, do so gently and slowly.  Try to stay away from conversations about politics or current events, lean more towards family, friends and children.  This is always a difficult tactic, as the captor may have just lost his children in a custody battle or his family to a horrible automobile accident.  I would only recommend using this if you are sure your conversation will not invoke an adverse reaction.

Tip #7 – If the standoff continues for a day or more, start to think about ways you can benefit the captor.  Offer to act as a negotiator on his behalf.  Tell him you will speak for him if he needs you to.  When doing so, do not try to send secret messages to police or censor the captor’s messages in any way.  Tell the police or the hostage negotiator exactly what the captrol tells you to say.  If you speak the captor’s language, use it when communicating with him.

Tip #8 – Ask the captor for things you may need.  If you have to take medication, use the restroom, drink water, eat, let the captor know.  He may decline your request, but he probably won’t abuse you for asking.

Tip #9 – Only try to escape if you are absolutely sure you will make it.  If not, the captor will punish you severely and you may lose your life over a failed escape attempt.

Tip #10 – If a rescue effort is made and a police entry team burst onto the scene, drop to the ground and try to take cover.  Comply with the entry team and know that you may be handcuffed in the process.  It is common procedure for the police to handcuff everyone until such time they know who the captor is.  Sometimes the police will not be sure how many captors there are.

Remember, your one and only goal in a hostage situation is to make it out alive.   Although not all of these tips will work in every hostage situation, following most of them may help save your life.

A criminal act always has two particpants, the victim and the suspect.  Although the victim may at times be classified as a business, a structure, an inanimate object or an animal, a person will always suffer from the crime. If we are able to take ourselves out of the “criminal equation”, then there can be no crime.  For a crime must have a victim.  Although we don’t like to believe that we may actually be perpetuating a criminal act, without our involvement there would be none.

Think about what you do on a daily basis.  Think about how you live your life.  Think about your home and your family.  Now put yourself in the shoes of a criminal and write down on a piece of paper all the ways you could take advantage of yourself and your family.  If you take the time to think about your own personal security, or lack thereof, you may discover that you are part of a crime waiting to happen.

You, your family and friends must start thinking about safety and security.  It could mean the difference between life and death.  Although we often falsely assume that our neighborhoods are safe and the police will respond quickly enough to protect us, these assumptions will do nothing to deter a criminal.  As a police officer and security professional, I care about your safety and security.  I despise being dispatched to homes and businesses where innocent people have been hurt or victimized.  I feel a sense of failure when I see that steps could have been taken to prevent the criminal act.

Please bookmark this blog and tell your friends and family members about SecurityReaction.com.  Subscribe to our RSS feeds so that you’re kept up to date.  All of this is free to you and I certainly hope you will take advantage of the information and advice I have to share.

1. Keep Service door, between house and garage, locked when not in use
2. Activate security system (if available) at night. This should include all doors and windows
3. Keep all blinds and curtains closed at night
4. Install “peephole” or intercom at front door to challenge those requesting entry
5. Install deadbolt locks on all exterior doors
6. Plan an escape route from the residence if an intruder enters.  Share this with the entire family.
7. Keep your valuables in a heavy-duty safe that is anchored to the floor
8. Residence employees (babysitter, housekeeper, groundskeeper, etc.) should  not allow anyone unexpected or suspicious to enter the residence, without your permission
9. Change all locks, if they have not been changed since purchasing the residence, or if someone in your family loses a key
10. Install floodlights to illuminate parking area, walkways and backyard
11. Place exterior lighting on a motion and light sensor
12. Have someone pick up your mail and newspapers if you will be gone for an extended period of time

Your Vehicles

1. Always keep car doors locked while in the car.  Always lock car doors and keep windows up when not with the vehicle, even while at home or work
2. Have your keys in your hand and ready to unlock the car door.  Don’t give anyone time to approach you while you are trying to find your car key
3. Store valuable items in the trunk, to include laptop computers and cell phones
4. Keep windows rolled up when stopped at a light or sign.  Don’t provide anyone a way to enter your car while you are in it
5. Drive to a police station or well populated area if you feel you are being followed
6. Keep a phone in your car in case you need to call for assistance
7. Keep a can of pepper spray or chemical spray (mace) in your car and within reach
8. Park in well-lit areas and close to building entrances
9. Keep your glove box locked and lock the trunk button if applicable
10. Install a locking gas cap

Your Person

1. Carry only small amounts of money on your person
2. Carry your wallet in a front pocket
3. Walk close to buildings and keep a purse on your side closest to the building
4. Keep purses zipped and pockets buttoned
5. Walk in well-lit areas & don’t talk with strangers
6. Always be aware of your surroundings – occasionally look over your shoulder
7. Take different routes to and from work, stores, banks, school, etc.

To download these tips in PDF format, please click here Security Tips

Pepper spray is commonly referred to as OC Spray, which is short of oleoresin capsicum.  Just as its name implies, pepper spray is made from Cayenne peppers, which are amonth the hottest in the world. Finally ground capsicum is processed and a “oily resin” extracted.  The oleorisin is then mixed with water and pressurized to make it an aerosol, which can then be delivered from a variety of different types of canisters.

When shopping for a can of pepper spray, you will find that you have many options available.  The first option you should consider when purchasing pepper spray is the Scoville Heat Units (SHU).  Scoville Heat Units are used to measure the hotness of the pepper spray.  The higher the SHU, the hotter the spray will be.  Although you may find some pepper spray rated at 1 million SHU (which will be part of the canister label), I highly recommend you purchase pepper spray with a rating of at least 2 million SHU.

The next option you will have is the delivery method.  Pepper spray can be delivered in a stream, foam, fogger or cone.  Although the stream delviery method is the most commonly used, I perfer and recommend the foam.  With the stream method, the canister delivers a steady stream of pepper spray to the location that you are aiming for.  Unfortunatley, if your aim is off or the wind is blowing, you will probably miss your target.  With the foam delivery method, a much wider area is covered with foam and you do not have to be as precise with you aim.  Foam also works much better in windy conditions.

The next option you have is canister size.  Please don’t spend too much time worrying about whether or not you will have enough pepper spray if you decide on a smaller canister.  There will be enough, even in a small canister, to disable an attacker.  You should pick a canister size that you feel is suitable to your situation and storage or concealment area.  The larger the canister, the harder it will be to conceal.  In addition, you can find pepper spray in a variety of different designer “canisters”.  From ink pens to fake hair spray, peppery spray has been concealled and marketed in a wide range of products.

Now that you have selected your pepper spray, how should you use it?  I would personally like to recommend, to men and women alike, that you have your canister of pepper spray in your hand whenever you feel danger may be lurking.  For example, you leave your work at 10pm and walk through a dark parking garage to your car.  Or, you’ve just left the shopping mall at closing time andhave to walk two blocks to find your car in the parking lot.  Or, it’s 2am and you just left your neighborhood bar and decide to walk home instead of taking a cab.  All of these situations and many more just like them should prompt you to have your can of pepper spray available and ready.  If you have to dig through your purse or coat to retrieve it, it’s probably too late.  The attacker will not accept a “time out” so you can find your pepper spray.

Ok, so you have your pepper spray at the ready, firmly gripped and by your side.  The next step you will take is to BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS.  I don’t know how many times people are attacked and had no clue it was coming.  More often that not, the attackers are not hiding in the bushes or behind a tree, they are walking in front of you or behind you.  They have taken notice of you in the parking garage, the mall or the bar and are following you.  Although pepper spray is a wonderful defensive weapon, the best defense is a good offense.  Wherever you go, whether you’re driving or walking, know who is around you.  Look behind you.  Look to your side.  Look to your front.  Then do it again and again and again, until you get to where you know you’re safe.  You must be paranoid, more so in certain circumstances.  Ok, so you are aware of your surroundings and you see someone approaching you quickly from the rear.  Do you run?  I don’t know, can you outrun him or her?  A better choice, if available, is to get to an area where there are other people.   You don’t want to be alon if you feel you will be attacked.  If this is not an option, find a building or a car and put your back up against it.  This method will take away one side of the attack.  It will also make it harder for the attacker to knock you to the ground.  Although some may argue you are eliminating an escape round, the benefits far outweigh this arguement.   Chances are, if you are in the open and have decided you cannot outrun the attacker, you won’t escape.

With your pepper spray in hand, raise the spray to your chest area.  DO NOT extend your hand that’s holdingthe pepper spray.  If you extend your hand it will be easier for the attacker to take the pepper spray out of your hand.   Keep a firm grip on it and keep it close to your body.  If you are certain ou are about to be attacked, wait until the attacker gets to within about ten feet of you before “firing” your pepper spray.  If he or she gets too close, the pepper spray will not have time to work before the attacker is upon you.  If the attacker is too far way, the pepper spray will not reach the target.  When aiming at the attacker, aim for the face or just below the face.  As explained above, the foam will cover a much broader area than the spray, therefore the foam is my preferred choice of delivery methods. After you administer a 2 or 3 second burst, move away.  If the attacker follows you, repeat the above process again.  While being attacked it’s important that you try to remian calm and in control of the situation.  Remember to scream as lound as you can “HELP I’M BEING ATTACKED” or anything else that might get people’s attention.  After you deliver one or two shots of pepper spray to the attacker’s face, neck or upper chest region, he or she will become incapacitated.  Once this happens, run to a safe area and call the police.  Give the police a description of the attacker, the last known are you saw the attacker and let the police know you sprayed the attacker with pepper spray.

Pepper spray is an inflammatory agent that will cause temporary blindness, disorientation, runny nose, burning sensation, coughing and a variety of other side effects. If used properly, pepper spray is a safe alternative to more lethat forms of slef defense and will provide you with the opportunity to escape and attack or other violent situation.  To learn more about pepper spray, training and certification, please contact Trinity Executive Services, Inc. at http://www.nomorecrime or visit Ezine Articles at http://www.ezinearticles.com/?Best-Pepper-Spray&id=1774314.