Stun Guns, Pepper Sprays, Personal Alarms, Child Safety

Elevators, particularly self-service elevators in lightly guarded or unguarded buildings, can be and have been virtual death traps.
ALWAYS: Try to use the elevator when someone you know is also on board.
NEVER: Get into the elevator when the indicator shows that it is going down to the basement, when you want to go up!
1 Don’t take the elevator alone to the basement to use the washing machines. If you can only arrange to do this on week-ends, let the laundry wait until then. If it is at all possible, never go alone to laundry areas, storage rooms, etc. in the basement of your apartment building. Arrange to go with a roommate or neighbor for mutual protection.
2 If your building doesn’t have an attended elevator, insist that your landlord install a lock on the basement elevator door. Keys for the lock should be issued only to tenants. With such a lock, no one who gains admittance to the basement will be able to ride up on the elevator; any tenant who must go to the basement via elevator, however, can open the lock.
3 When you get into an elevator from the lobby floor, always press the button for your floor while you are holding the elevator door open. If the indicator light or arrow then points “up,” let the door close. But, if you notice that the “down” signal flashes when you
press your floor button, it could mean that a person in the basement has heard the door open and wants to bring the car (and you) down. In that case, get out. Be alert as to what happens when the car goes down, then try again.
4 Should the elevator reach your floor, and you see a stranger or suspicious-looking person inside, don’t get in. Let the elevator take him wherever he is going, and you wait until the next trip.
5 If you are already in the elevator when someone you don’t know, or who seems potentially troublesome, gets on board, shift position quickly so that you are near the control panel and place your hand over the alarm button. If you are annoyed in any way, press that alarm-and keep pressing it as long as you have to!
6 When coming home alone late at night, don’t linger in the lobby to look in the mirror, pick up your mail, etc. Get upstairs and into your apartment quickly.
7 Always have your key in your hand when coming in. Don’t fumble for it in the elevator or in front of your apartment door.

In today’s society, it is commonplace for women to be “on their own”-as career women, business girls just starting careers, widows, divorcees, teenagers, college girls, and the ever popular “just single gals”. These women, because of their status, must seek their own recreation and entertainment.
No longer are public places such as bowling alleys, cocktail lounges, restaurants, race tracks-to say nothing of theaters, movie houses, and ball parks-”off limits” to un-escorted ladies. Thus, there exist today more opportunities than ever for women to be alone in public places, often as the potential prey of undesirables.
But recreation for the woman who is alone need not be marred by frightening incidents or spoiled by an atmosphere of danger. Alertness and the observance of some common-sense rules can help her avoid unpleasantness.

In a Theater
1 Try to sit near a family group if possible. If you are annoyed, change seats or appeal to someone in the family group for help.
2 Try to sit in an aisle seat. This will make it easy to get up and change seats quickly.
3 Avoid sitting in dark corners and in the rear rows of the mezzanine or balcony. These are the favorite gathering places for troublesome teenagers who are often bent on annoying un-escorted women.
4 If someone is bothering you and you can’t cope with it, don’t be embarrassed to raise your voice-yell! A scream in a movie house is sure to bring help quickly.

Restaurants, Bars, Cocktail Lounges, Bowling Alleys
1 Be wary of the “look-you-overs,” the type of man who scans, as if she were merchandise, every female who enters a public place. In almost every bar, respectable or otherwise, you will find this type of individual.
2 Don’t let a stranger “buy you a drink,” either via the direct approach or through an intermediary, such as the bartender, who says, “The gentleman in the corner would like to buy you a drink.” (Note: Most respectable places do not permit bartenders or waiters to serve drinks bought by strangers to customers.)
3 Don’t get involved in conversation with a stranger. If for some reason you do, however, don’t be quick to give him your name, to reveal where you work, where you live, or whether you’re married or single, or to give him your telephone number. And don’t accept a ride home!

WARNING: Always try to arrange in advance for your trip home. Have a male relative or friend pick you up; or set up a car, taxi, or bus pool. Plan ahead as to who drops whom off where. Make certain you and your friend(s) have arranged to leave at the same time.
4 Avoid getting drunk when you are drinking in a cocktail lounge or bar. That’s a sure invitation for trouble.

CAUTION: When leaving any public place, be absolutely sure you are not followed.
Make certain of this by observing closely anyone who leaves with you and keep watching for several blocks. If someone seems to be following you, change your direction immediately go into a store; get on a bus or into a taxi; JUST GET AWAY!

A COMMON-SENSE HINT THAT WILL PAYOFF IN SAFETY:
Frequent only respectable places-and that need not mean high priced ones. There are plenty of good, inexpensive restaurants, bowling alleys, movie theaters, and cocktail lounges. Go only to these; go to places where the management cares who comes there and discourages or ejects unsavory characters.

AUTOMOBILES

When You Are Riding Alone:

1 Always keep all doors locked from the inside.
2 Keep as many windows as possible rolled all the way up. The window that you have
open for ventilation should be rolled down only a couple of inches.
3 Never drive with the convertible top down if you are out alone at night or have to go
through unfamiliar, potentially dangerous areas.
4 Keep a “weapon” on the seat beside you. A tire iron or a hammer is very good, or
anything heavy, on which you can get a good grip.

OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE: Never accept rides from strangers, and never give rides
to strangers. Even if you are with someone-on foot or in your car-you can never tell what
kind of danger you may be exposing yourself to if you pick up a hitchhiker or “get a lift”
from a stranger. And, unpatriotic as it may sound, this same, important rule must be
applied to men in uniform. Their uniform is no guarantee that they are “good guys.”

When You Have to Stop for a Light or Slow Down:

1 Always leave yourself some maneuvering room-stay at least half a car length behind the
car in front of you.
2 Stay alert; keep your hand touching the horn or horn ring. If there seems to be danger,
lean on the horn, and keep blowing it!
3 Keep your car in “drive” and be alert to give it the gas and go if you must.

Parking:

1 Never, never leave your car with the key in the ignition. (It is incredible how many
people do this!)
2 Don’t leave valuables or seeming valuables (i.e., clothing, cameras, etc.) in view-on
seat, dashboard, or back window ledge. This is an invitation to break into your car.
It takes a little time and trouble, but the safe way to leave things in your car is to lock
them in the trunk. Get into the habit of doing this-even if you are only leaving your
topcoat, or a small suitcase in the car.
3 Never leave valuables in the glove compartment (or in the arm-rest compartment of the
new sport models) .This is the second place thieves look when robbing cars.
4 Don’t “hide” an extra ignition (and/or trunk key) under the front fender (in one of the
little magnetic boxes) .This is a known cache where criminals will surely look.
5 Never leave your car unlocked-even for a minute!
6 Try to park your car in a well-lighted area and as near to your front door as possible.
7 If you want to be “alone” with your favorite person, do so indoors. Parking in lover’s
lanes, secluded beach settings or any isolated, deserted place is inviting trouble.
Hoodlums, and sex criminals frequently lurk in those places.

CAUTION: When you approach your parked car to unlock and enter it, do so quickly and
without delay! Make sure you have the keys ready in your hand ( don’t fumble for them in
purse or pocket). Get in, lock the door, and go.

If You Have Car Trouble on the Road:

1 Try to keep your car going, even if it means harming the motor or ruining a tire to get to
a road or corner with lots of traffic.
2 First, look about carefully, then get out and raise the hood of your car. This is a distress
signal recognized by authorities everywhere.
3 When you get out, do so only for an instant. Tie a handkerchief (or some other white or
light piece of cloth) to the tip of your radio antenna or door handle on the traffic side. Get
back in the car immediately. Make sure all windows are rolled up. Make sure all doors are
locked from the inside. Wait until help comes-and don’t open the doors unless and until
you are sure that the “help” is help and not harm.
4 If you are somewhere away from traffic, keep the motor idling gently, then sound your
horn in the “three dots, three dashes, three dots” signal that is the international distress
call of SOS. Like this:
beep-beep-beep …beeeep-beeeep-beeep …beep-beep-beep

CAUTION: Don’t wear your battery down. Use the horn sparingly and only when it
seems likely that someone will hear you. Use the horn (and the battery) only if you can
keep the motor running to charge the battery. Otherwise, just sit tight! Eventually, help
will come.

WALKING

BEST RULE: Be wise-walk where you are least likely to run into trouble.

1 Avoid walking in dark or deserted places. Keep to well-lighted, settled streets. Don’t
take short cuts through alleys and vacant lots.
2 If you must walk through badly lighted or deserted streets, avoid walking on the
sidewalk completely-instead, walk down the center of the street. (Stay alert for cars.)
3 Develop a sort of “second sight”; be alert constantly and keep your eyes moving-glance
left and right; look over your shoulder occasionally.
4 Don’t daydream or let your thoughts wander. Keep your mind on getting safely to where
you’re going! Anticipate trouble spots, shadowy areas, doorways, billboards, etc.-where a
hoodlum could be lurking.
5 If you do see a suspicious-looking person, or become aware of troublesome men (or
boys) going in your direction or coming up behind you - avoid them! Cross the street.
Change your direction.
If it seems you can’t “shake” them-seek assistance. Go into a store and tell the proprietor
what the trouble is, then wait it out there. Or-pretend you have reached your destination.
Ring a doorbell of any home or apartment along the way. Go in and wait. The potential
trouble makers will usually drift away.
6 Carry a small, bright flashlight. (There are several new, compact, high-intensity lights
on the market. Check your local department, hardware, sports equipment, or housewares
store ) Keep the light handy and use it to illuminate dark spots along the way.
7 A good distress signal is a standard police whistle. These have a special sound all their
own. If you are in trouble, blow the whistle in short, sharp blasts.
Carry your whistle with its chain or lanyard wrapped around your hand (never have it
around your neck!).
If, in spite of everything you do, you are followed or accosted, don’t turn your back! Turn
and face your annoyer. Frequently this direct action, showing courage and
determination, will deter further trouble.

SUBWAYS, BUSES, ELEVATED TRAINS

1 When waiting for transportation, stay close to a well-lighted area. In stations, stay as
near the entrance or change booth as possible. In certain stations (particularly elevated
stations) , where the platform is some distance away, or even up or down stairs, wait near
the booth until you hear the train pulling into the station. Only then should you leave the
safety of your position and run for the train.
2 When trains are not crowded, always stay in the car that has the conductor or motorman,
or choose the car with the most passengers in it. As the car becomes more thinly
occupied, move to a more populated one.
3 On the train or bus, if someone makes trouble for you, move away and try to get to the
conductor or the motorman. Also, if there is a man in uniform aboard, approach him and
tell him that you are being annoyed. (Generally, the presence of a person in uniform of
any kind-Army, Navy, fire department, etc., let alone police-will dissuade your annoyer )
4 Try to avoid being in a “corner”-the last seat, or the inside seat- where you wouldn’t
have the freedom of rapid movement away from anyone who annoyed you.
MOST IMPORTANT! Try to arrange your schedule so that you don’t have to travel
alone. Meet a neighbor downtown and travel home together. Find out in your place of
work if someone there lives near you. And, even if he or she isn’t a friend or in the same
department, become “transportation companions”-stick together, and thus reduce the
hazard of travel.

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR HOME WHEN YOU ARE AWAY

1 Make sure that there is no “tip-off” to burglars that you are not at home.
a Make sure to cut off milk and newspaper deliveries.
b Make arrangements with the post office to hold your mail until your return.
c Notify the utility companies of your absence, so that, in an emergency, they can take
special care of your property.
d Have your grounds tended (grass cut, snow shoveled, etc.) just as if you were home.
2 Do not, however, “temporarily disconnect” your telephone. This can be a direct tip that
your home is vacant.
3 Notify the landlord or the building superintendent of your intended absence, and give
him instructions on how to reach you in an emergency.
4 Notify your local police precinct of your absence. (In many areas, arrangements can be
made with the police for a regular check-up, by patrol car or foot patrolman, of
unoccupied dwellings.)
5 Tell a trusted neighbor or relative where you are and how you can be reached. Notify
the authorities (assuming you include them in your list of those informed) that so-and-so
has keys to your home, and give that person written permission to enter the premises, in
an emergency or for check-ups.
6 Buy a simple, inexpensive automatic switch, which is activated by darkness. You can
plug one or two lamps into this device before leaving, and they will be turned on at dusk
and off at dawn.
7 Do not draw all your curtains and blinds-this marks your home as being empty-and
constitutes an invitation to break in.
8 Take the simple precaution of putting your valuables in storage or in safe deposit boxes.
Don’t multiply your loss potential by leaving cash, jewels, furs, etc. about the house.
9 No matter what theft and fire insurance you may ordinarily carry, talk to your agent
about increasing your coverage during your absence.
10 Make a complete inventory of your possessions. This list is some- thing you should
have in any event. Carefully copy down the registration or serial numbers of portable
items of value-radios and televisions, cameras, watches (have a watchmaker do this)-so
that you can give the list to the police should a burglary take place. It will facilitate
tracing of the stolen goods.
11 Before leaving, take a careful tour of your home and grounds. Make believe you are a
criminal-be “devious”-and see what signs of absence he might spot. Then take preventive
action to fool or foil a potential criminal.

HOW TO BE WARY WHILE TRAVELING

When you are traveling, you are in potentially greater danger, because you are in
ever-changing, constantly unfamiliar surroundings.
In addition to being extra alert and paying particular heed to the tips and hints, the simple
rules and precautions given in this book, here are some specifics to make your traveling
safer and more enjoyable.

FIRST RULE: Stick to “legitimate” places. Don’t look for thrills or “hidden pleasures” by
going to the seamy parts of town.

1 Don’t carry large amounts of cash. Also, don’t flash bills, in any amount-nor openly
display any other valuables.
2 Do carry the bulk of your funds in traveler’s checks. They are safe, are spendable
anywhere, and, even if they are lost or stolen, they can (and will) be replaced swiftly, with
no loss to you.
3 Before leaving, make a complete inventory of your purse or wallet. List all the credit
cards and other valuable pieces of paper in it. Know whom to notify, and do so promptly,
in case anything is lost or stolen.
Consider taking out credit card insurance while on the road-ask your insurance agent
about this.
4 In addition to the identification in your purse or wallet, have some sort of permanent
identification on your person at all times. “Dog tags” are one excellent method. For those
with some severe or potentially dangerous medical condition, it is a sound idea,
anywhere, any time, to carry special medical identification. Two national organizations
provide such identification insignia:
Medic-Alert Foundation, Turlock, California
Committee on Emergency Medical Identification,
American Medical Association,
535 N. Dearborn Street, Chicago 10, Illinois
5 Have with you the name and phone number of your family physician-so that he can be
reached in an emergency.
6 Carry a small, personal, family first-aid kit. This should contain standard medical items,
as well as any special drugs, etc., needed to cope with a condition peculiar to a family
member.
7 Make sure all your luggage carries identification-not only on tags on the outside, but on
cards taped to the inside of the lids.
8 Buy, and use, a Travelock-a simple portable lock that can be attached to most doors.
Particularly because you use public accommodations when traveling, you must be
aware that the chances are that there are many keys to your hotel room or motel
quarters. Use your own Travelock to secure the premises you occupy-but remember to
leave the key in the lock on retiring, so that you may open it quickly in case of
emergency.

FIRST RULE: Don’t list your telephone in such a manner that anyone going through the telephone book can immediately determine that you are a woman. Do not use “Miss” or “Mrs.” with your phone listing, and do not give your first name. Instead, play it safe: Use your last name and your initial(s) only.

How to List Your Phone:
THIS
Jones C. R.
NOT THIS
Jones Carolyn R. Miss

More Tips on Listing Your Phone:

1 As a further precaution, don’t list your home telephone number in your company’s personnel directory. Limit the accessibility of your number to your immediate superior
and the personnel department.
2 Under no circumstances should you list your phone number on stationery or on name-and-address stickers.
3 Don’t be generous about giving your phone number to new acquaintances or other casual contacts.

Do’s and Don’ts about “Crank” Calls and “Wrong Numbers”

1 Never volunteer your name, address, or phone number to someone who calls and asks, “Who is this?”
2 Do not engage in conversation with crank callers. If they are legitimate, they should be able to be direct about their business, identify themselves, and not be evasive or
“mysterious.”
3 If you have a rash of “strange calls” or “wrong numbers,” report the incidents to both the police department and the telephone company.
4 If you answer your phone and are met with a torrent of obscene language, foul words, indecent suggestions, etc., do just one thing - HANG UP! Don’t utter a word of any kind. It is more than likely that your number was dialed at random, and the warped individual at
the other end will probably not be able to ring you again. So, your best bet is to
disconnect the call.
5 If you receive “wrong number” calls, do not volunteer your number
if the caller asks, “Is this 269-3876?” Just say, “No!” Similarly, if the caller asks, “What number is this?” don’t give your number in reply; instead, ask him what number he is calling.
REMEMBER; Crank calls (but not those which appear to be legitimate wrong numbers
or other reasonable errors) should be reported to the telephone company and to the
police, giving complete details.

If You Are Persistently Annoyed by “Crank” Calls:

1 Consider having an unlisted phone number which you give only to friends. That way, you will know that a stranger is not calling you, or, if he is, it is only a random dialing that put him through to you. The telephone company will arrange to change ;your number and give you an unlisted one on request. The nominal monthly charge is well worth the peace of mind it will bring. Also, in this way, you can rigidly control the availability of your number-giving it only to close family and trusted friends.
2 Have an answering service take all your calls when you are at home, as well as when you’re away. The service can attempt to hold the “crank” in conversation and alert the police on another line, and the police can attempt to trace the call.

Some Hints and Ruses to Scare Off Persistent Undesirable Calls

When you have the “crank” on the phone:
1 Tap a ring or some other hard object such as a pencil tip against the mouthpiece of the phone, to make it sound as if you were connecting a wire or tape recorder to take down the caller’s words.
2 Half cover the mouthpiece, and say audibly, so that the crank can hear, “It’s the same man again, officer” (as if there were a policeman present).
3 When you are speaking, act as though someone else were with you in the room and you were turning the phone over to them.
4 There is a harsh way of giving a crank his just desserts. Buy, and keep handy a standard police whistle. When the crank bothers you, hold the whistle close to the mouthpiece, and blow it vigorously.

Additional Common-Sense Tips about Telephones

1 Never give a caller the impression that you are alone ( even if you are).
2 If someone calls and asks to speak to your husband, never say that he isn’t home or is out of town (or that you don’t have a husband-if you are unmarried or widowed). Instead, say that your husband is busy at the moment but that he will call back, if the caller will
leave his number.
3 Have a bedside telephone. And don’t let it be an extension, which can be rendered inoperable by someone’s taking the receiver off the hook of the “companion” phone in
another room. In other words, have the bedroom phone be an extra line, or even a separately listed telephone, so that it can always be used to call for help.
4 Do not have your phone “temporarily disconnected” when away from home on vacation or the like. The “interrupt message” given by the telephone company is a sure tip-off to potential house breakers that your home is vacant and a target for burglary. (The minor amount you save on monthly charges is hardly worth it.)
5 If your apartment has an intercom system-one by which you can speak with someone at the downstairs entrance door-make sure it is in working order. And use it!
6 Never let yourself be lured out of your home by a phone call to meet someone. It is easy enough to make sure of the legitimacy of a call by saying that you are busy at the moment and will have to call back. Get the number, and do call back. Any legitimate business will not hesitate to give you the number of their offices. If the caller tries to be evasive, have nothing further to do with him.

A Piece of Sound Advice:

Arrange with one or two good friends-who live near you-to have telephone “code words.”
These should be innocent-sounding words, which, when used in a conversation, mean,
“Help! Come quickly! I am in trouble!”
Thus, if you are ever in trouble and it is possible to make a call -even in the presence of a
criminal-you may be able to use the code words to summon help.

SIMPLE PRECAUTION: Don’t run a peep show! There is nothing innocent about
“peeping Toms”; they are potentially very dangerous!
So don’t court trouble-make sure that all your windows (and glass doors, etc.) are
equipped with shades or blinds, and use them!
And, of course, don’t invite trouble by going about scantily clad- even though you have
made your home “peep-in-proof”…you might have to answer the door, and your
appearance could arouse criminal instincts in an otherwise placid caller.
1 Any window which is accessible in any manner from tbe outside should be kept locked.
2 Never assume that, because you don’t think a window is accessible, a hoodlum won’t.
For example. ..
• a window above a terrace or porch can be reached with a ladder, or by climbing a
pipe or trellis, or by standing on a box or similar object.
• a window opening on a fire escape or one next to a fire escape is an easy mark for
a hoodlum.
• a window just below the roof is also one that invites entry.
• basement windows, windows to utility rooms or accessible attics, etc.-rooms and
places that you don’t frequently use-are those to pay particular attention to. Check
them to make sure they are not easy entrance-ways for a criminal.
3 There are various kinds of window locks-make sure that your windows are equipped
with the proper one(s).
• minimum protection: The standard twist lock which keeps the window locked in
the “closed” position.
• a better way: The turn-screw lock, which can be tightened to lock the window in
any position-say when you have the top and/or bottom open a very few inches for
ventilation.
• best bet: For double-hung windows, there is a simple brace lock you can have
installed or make yourself-by placing a piece of wood or metal (a bar) diagonally
between the upper corner of the top sash and the top of the lower sash.
4 Don’t forget, if you have ground floor windows or accessible windows (see No.2
above), you should have bars, an “accordion gate,” or a heavy mesh screen, which can
only be opened from the inside.
5 Suburbanites living in private homes become very trusting very easily, and this is
foolhardy! Don’t make it easy for a “second-story man.” Never leave a ladder in your yard
or available in your garage or tool shed. If you have a ladder about the premises, make
sure it is locked up and unavailable to a hoodlum as a means of entry.
6 It is a good idea if you live in a house to equip your windows for exit. In other words,
provide for a second means of leaving the upper stories of the building in case of
emergency-purchase a sturdy rope ladder, long enough to drop free to the ground, and
have it properly installed inside an upper window, so that if there is a fire or other
extreme danger and your stairway is blocked, you can use the ladder to save yourself and
your family!

FIRST RULE: As soon as you move into your new home (either an apartment or a private
house), have all outside locks changed. There may be several duplicates of “your” set of
keys for the old locks!

Front or Back Door:
1 Your local licensed locksmith is the man to see about the change. (Beware of unlicensed locksmiths. ) Check with the police department for a recommendation.
2 Do not be generous with duplicate keys! Don’t give them to friends who might visit from time to time. Don’t give them to delivery people or domestics.
3 Above all, don’t “hide” a key under the mat, in a flowerpot, or on the ledge over the door. Burglars know about these supposed hiding places and will look there first!
4 You should give copies of your keys to the building superintendent only if you are absolutely sure that he is a responsible person. (You are not required by law to provide
him with keys, so don’t let anyone intimidate you.)
5 Don’t carry your house keys and car keys on the same chain. It is not a good idea to have name-and-address identification on keys, in case of loss.
The reason: If you do lose them, you have no idea into whose hands they may fall. You
might be lucky and have them returned by an honest person; but they could fall into the
wrong hands. (It is a good idea to keep a duplicate set of keys available in a safe
place for immediate emergency use.)
But, if you lose your keys, have the locks replaced promptly-it may seem expensive, but it
is a wise precaution.
CAUTION: If you have roommates, make sure they observe the same intelligent rules
about the keys as you do.
6 Never leave your door “on the latch,” in such a way that it could be opened from the outside by anyone. If you are going out, even for a few minutes, take your keys and
double-lock your door.

Here is a brief, tragic, factual case history, which demonstrates the folly of leaving your
door open (or unlocked) for the shortest time, even when going to a nearby place, on a
personal, “safe” errand.
Recently, a series of attacks, several of which resulted in the death of the victim, took
place in the same neighborhood of a large city. All the attacks took place inside the
victim’s apartment! In each case, the woman did something like this:
• she stepped out of her apartment to put garbage in cans in front of the building.
• she went downstairs to pick up mail from her lobby mail box.
• she went down the hall to borrow a cup of flour.
• she went out to move the family car to another location.
• she went downstairs for a moment to check on her child, playing with friends.
In each case, the woman left the safety of her apartment, sensing no danger, and foolishly
left her door unlocked. When she returned, the hoodlum-rapist was inside her apartment.
His pattern of crime involved trying doors to find one that was unlocked, entering, and
waiting for his victim’s return!
The lesson is painfully obvious: Never leave your door open even for a moment. When
you go out, always take your keys with you; always lock-and double-lock-the door.
BE EXTRA SAFE: Get in the habit of double-locking your door from the inside every time you come in. Don’t just let the door close; take a second and turn the bolt. Have an extra lock (see following section); turn the extra bolt as well.

Extra Locks:
1 Every outside door should have a second tumbler lock installed. The cost can run from twenty to forty dollars, but it is well worth it. You should insist on a “deadfall” lock
(Segal and Yale are two well-known brands).
With a second lock, anyone who tries to enter your home has more than double trouble. A
second lock is a most effective discourager to hoodlums, because it shows them that you
are alert.
WARNING: You are never safe if your door has a “spring latch” form of lock. This can
be opened from the outside by depressing the latch with a strip of flexible steel, a piece of
plastic or celluloid, or even a playing card!
If your door(s) are equipped with the spring latch form of lock only (it is immediately
identifiable by the sloping face of the part of the lock which engages the door frame), the
first thing you should do is change this type of lock for a dead bolt (with a square shape)
or deadfall lock.
2 Police locks are available in two forms, one of which is used from the inside only (when you are home) .The other may be used from both inside and outside. Both forms
employ a steel bar, which nests in a floor plate and fits into a special socket on the inside
of the door.

Two Important Rules to Follow When Going Out:
• always try to leave a light on, to give the impression that someone is at home.
• if you have a roommate and you expect to stay out late at night, leave a note saying
where you are, when you expect to return, and, if possible, whom you are with.
CAUTION: Never leave a note in the mailbox or on the outside of your door.