A growing number of Americans believe reducing crime should be a top priority for law makers. The available sources don’t always paint an accurate picture and in some cases the data shows crime is reducing. Certain types of crime have decreased, but certain types of crimes have increased. Property crime and murder rates continue to increase despite the twists and turns of data analysis. Living or working in a high-crime area can be daunting, but there are numerous strategies individuals can employ to enhance their personal safety. While no method is foolproof, adopting a comprehensive approach can significantly reduce the risk of becoming a victim. Here are some practical tips and strategies:
Keeping Your Head on a Swivel
The foundation to any self-defense plan is situational awareness. In a nutshell, this means staying alert to your immediate surroundings and observing what’s happening around you. It means paying attention to people, behaviors and environmental cues. Something that is harder to define is trusting instincts. The majority of times, the little voice in our head is correct. Because we live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with information, our conscious brain filters out tons of information, but our subconscious brain picks up on those subtle clues. The challenge is teaching ourselves to focus on what our gut is trying to warn us about; the physical shift to why did the internal alarm go off and what action must be taken as a result. Another major tactic is avoiding distractions. This means putting the phones away and pulling the headphones out, as examples. It also means recognizing the use of distractions to initiate an attack. Things like asking for directions or the time are commonly used tactics. While they can be innocent, taking in the totality of the situation is the first step. Before you decide to respond, take a step back and look around, particularly in the blind spots.
We talk about being on high alert in high-risk areas, but what is a high-risk area. There is the obvious, such as transitional spaces like gas stations, bus stops and parking lots. These should be automatically considered high-risk at all times of the day. Shifting to a higher state of alertness and readiness is key. Have a plan, the route you take to cover or even an exit. Consider your defensive actions and tools to be quickly deployed; avoid distractions at all costs; move with a purpose. But, what about locations other than transitional spaces? When traveling, I make it a point to avoid high-risk locations. The hard part is knowing the difference between low risk and medium risk. The best way to explain this is to consider your own neighborhood. If you’ve lived there for at least a year, the familiarity has increased. The neighbor’s vehicles, pets, delivery times, kids and work habits start to be more predictable. It is when these and other activities are no longer predictable, I move from a low to a medium threat. Similar to the Cooper Color Code of Awareness, there is a physical shift in attention and actions.
Think Like a Criminal
Having traveled the world for over 30 years, there are simple steps to increase safety and avoid dangers on the road and it starts with situational awareness as mentioned above. There is a difference between traveling to a war zone and a summer vacation, so let’s focus on summer vacations or casual trips of any kind. Do a little research for common or unique crime trends where traveling. Pick hotels or lodging with good reviews or stay with familiar chains. Pull up the lodging location on google maps and look at the satellite images of the surrounding areas. Know the exits from your hotel room in case of fire, but also in case of being attacked. Keep your doors locked at all times, both vehicle and hotel rooms. Avoid casual conversations with strangers regarding details of your trip. It’s a good idea to have a fake cover for action just in case. Teach children not to talk with strangers, open doors or leave your side. Invest in simple yet effective security devices such as additional door locks, personal alarms and lock boxes. Avoid using in-room safes and place any valuables in lock boxes anchored to a fixed object in the room.
To safeguard your home while away, make sure all doors and windows are locked, preferably with deadbolts. Ask a neighbor to collect any paper, mail or parcels to avoid the obvious signs of vacancy. Invest in smart plugs and set various lights and fixtures to go off during random times of the day. Baby or dog cameras make a cheap and excellent form of security for the interior if no video surveillance system is employed. If an extended absence is planned, schedule a lawn care company for routine lawn maintenance. Let family or a trusted individual know of your travel plans—where you are going, when you leave, where you will be and for how long. Check in with them for longer trips to let them know you are okay. Then let them know you returned safe and sound from your trip. You may even give them a key for any emergencies to manage in your absence.
We Humans Have No Claws So We Made Tools
When it comes to personal safety, there are a couple of “don’t leave home without” items you should always travel with. High on the list is your cell phone. Believe it or not, these smart phones have become an important part of our safety plan. Program them with emergency contacts in case you are involved in an accident. Avoid when possible, allowing your phone to drop below a 50% charge and have an external battery to quickly charge on the go. Some type of multi-tool is a great addition to checked luggage. Multi-purpose devices are great for managing a lot of unknowns. I still love my Swiss Army knife and consider it a standard loadout wherever I travel. If traveling overseas, double-check the legality of such items before travel. A high-intensity, rechargeable tactical flashlight will be incredibly useful, from navigating power outages in a strange land to blinding and distracting unknown contacts. These portable lights clip into a pocket for all day wear. The use of pepper or OC spray is an important, non-lethal option. Many are convenient enough to be carried in a pocket or on a key chain, providing an immediate option for managing unknown contacts. As with the multi-tool, consult local laws and regulations before you travel.
Traveling with a firearm is another important consideration. It does require advanced knowledge of the local laws and regulations but can be an incredibly important personal safety device. Airline carriers allow firearms in checked bags and each has their own procedure. Take the time to speak with the carrier in advance, then plan an extra hour at the airport for checking firearms at the counter. When traveling with a firearm, consider the type of dress—summer and beach wear make it hard to carry so you may have to consider leaving the firearm in the hotel room. While I discourage this, it is a fact of life. Should you plan to store your firearm in your hotel room, do not use the in-room safe. Most airlines require you to travel with a hard-sided, lockable container. I recommend a small lock box that meets airline regulations that allows you to secure your firearm while anchored to a fixed object in your hotel room. Most will have a cable attachment that allows you to rig the lock box to an anchor point. These firearm lockboxes also make great storage options for other valuables while out of the room.
You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know
Having the tools does not equal being capable or safe for that matter. Like any other power tool, firearms require training and education. How much is the real question. At a minimum, learning how to safely load, unload and field strip are the foundational steps. Nobody ever intends on accidently shooting themselves; it is a result of recklessness or negligence handling of the firearm. Learn to always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction and never put your finger on the trigger until ready to fire. Practice these simple, yet effective measures anytime handling firearms or around those handling firearms. All new firearm purchases come with an owner’s manual. Read and reference this manual. There is so much information included in an effort to answer many frequent questions. A step-by-step process to safely disassembly and reassembly, with diagrams, is often included within the manuals. There are several online video resources that can also be of help, but remember you get what you pay for with these videos.
The basics of marksmanship is another subject often given little attention. While the action of hitting a target is simple, it is not easy, particularly when you add the stress of defensive gun use. Learning how to properly hold, aim and pull the trigger can go a long way towards building competence, which leads to confidence. What I find is many folks discover a true joy to the art. Like any activity, if you devote a little time and effort, you can find massive growth. At some point a plateau will be reached. To move to the next level will require more time, talent and treasure. I’ve observed the average gun owner is content with a basic level of competence. But what does that really look like and how do you define the basics. One way is through performance standards, and at the basic level, this could mean hitting a target of known size at a known distance under a modest time constraint. The real fun begins when these variables become more challenging such as smaller targets, greater distance and less time. To reach a basic level of competency requires about 80 hours of formalized instruction and practice along with 3,000 rounds fired in the process. Usually accomplished at about the two or three-year mark for the recreational shooter and occasional visit to the range. Of course, the more time, talent and treasure invested, the faster the goal can be reached. Once this goal is reached, the vast majority are quite content and focus their efforts on other hobbies or activities.
Enhancing personal safety in high-crime areas requires a proactive and multi-faceted approach. By maintaining situational awareness, securing your home, using personal safety devices and undergoing defensive training can significantly reduce the risk of becoming a victim. Trusting instincts and staying vigilant are key components of remaining safe. Developing an emergency action plan in advance will go a long way towards peace of mind. While no strategy guarantees complete safety, these measures can empower individuals to protect themselves more effectively in high-risk environments.
