Monthly Archives: August 2010

Starting a Neighborhood Watch: Why?

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Yesterday evening, I was discussing with colleagues the situation concerning Oakland’s Chief Batts (mentioned before here and here).  Anyway, we were discussing the insanity of that whole situation, and exactly what recourse is left to the residents of Oakland.  The general consensus was that the only option left for them was to protect themselves.  In Oakland, thats already taken the form of hiring a private security company and placing security cameras throughout the city.  Hopefully, everyone can see the benefit of these sorts of programs in a place like Oakland.  But, what if you live somewhere where the police chief is competent and the police are still actively pursuing any and all crimes for which they are called?  Does a neighborhood watch program still make sense in these cases?

The answer is an overwhelming yes.  First of all, the police cannot be everywhere at once.  Even in a best case scenario, the police are only going to travel down your road a few times per day; which means that for the other 23 hours and 55 minutes, your street/neighborhood is not being actively monitored.  The second point is that the police are normally only going to respond to crime, not prevent it.  Even if someone suspicious is walking down your road when the police drive through it, how will they know?  They don’t know everyone who lives in your area.  And they don’t know if they need to keep an eye on a particular person.  So, we know that the police, helpful though they are, can’t generally prevent crime; at least not in these cases.

But, can you?  Can your neighbors?  I think the answer there is yes.  Obviously, you’re at an advantage because you know your neighborhood.  You know who lives there.  You know that what may appear to an outsider to be a crazy old man in a bathrobe, is simply Mr. McGee getting his mail as he does everyday.  Or that the punk kid walking down the road is not a latent sociopath, but Timmy Ryder from a few houses up.  On the flip side, you also know that the odd car you’ve seen driving up and down your road three times today does not belong to anyone one your block.  That is important information.  But its also exclusive information.  Only someone who lives in and is familiar with a particular place will be able to identify these seemingly trivial events.  And that is ultimately what’s needed to effectively prevent crime.

So, its clear that individual residents are well suited to identify suspicious persons and, with the assistance of the police, to prevent crimes before they happen.  The only thing that remains to be seen is if the collective body of residents in a given neighborhood are better suited to this task than individuals.  And that answer ought to be obvious, so I won’t spend much time on it.  Suffice it say that an organized group of people, working together, with the responsibility to notice and report potential crimes will be far more effective than an individual without that communal mandate, who may or may not take the time to report suspicious behavior.

Well?  What are you waiting for?  Make some appetizers and drinks and invite the neighbors over.  Get the program started sooner rather than later.  Its easy, and the rewards are more than worth it.

Resources:

  •  http://www.usaonwatch.org/
  • http://www.nnwi.org/

 

Why SafeMart #5: Low-Price Guarantee

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So far, in our Why SafeMart series, we’ve discussed Customer Satisfaction, Tech Support, Product Quality, and the Size of Our Product Offering.  Everyone one of those is a contributing answer to the question: “Why SafeMart?”  But, today’s focus may be even more important or foundational than those discussed earlier.

Today, we live in a world where the question of price is front and center.  Certainly, its not the only consideration.  Heck, its not even the most important consideration.  But, no one can deny that it is a consideration.  In a time when almost 10% of the population is unemployed, and the much of the remaining 90% fear for their jobs, when banks have pulled back from easy lending, and when the future prognosis is not much brighter, price is a considerable factor in every buying decision.

Because price is so important, and because times really are tough, SafeMart wants to make it easy for you.  We offer a low-price guarantee on all of our products.  How does it work?  To put it simply, we will match any legitimate competitor’s online price for the same item.  Now, why would we do that?  We are confident that we offer our customers fair pricing, and if for some reason, a legitimate competitor is offering it lower, then we’re happy to do so.

Its all part of our committment to delighting our customers.  For more information on our low-price guarantee, check: http://www.safemart.com/low-price-guarantee.html

 

Dumb Criminals #1

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Fridays are nice.  Its the end of the work week, everything is winding down, and no one wants to go crazy reading a long, focused blog post on home security.  No one wants to write that sort of blog post on a Friday, either, for what that’s worth.  So, we’re going to do a new segment on the blog.  Every Friday I will recommend a handful of stories about dumb criminals.

Why?  Because we’re happy when the bad guys get caught.  Oh, and, lets be honest, we just love laughing at dumb criminals.  So, without further ado, here’s what we have for our first edition:

  1. A Portland, Oregon man was in court facing meth charges.  Per usual, he was searched.  And what did police find in his pockets?  A gun?  No.  A knife?  No.  The “genius” brought a bag of…..meth into the courtroom.  Needless to say, his court date was postponed, since he was once again in jail! (source: http://www.katu.com/news/local/101643443.html)
  2. The Myers family of New Jersey was vacationing in Wisconsin after attending a family wedding in the area.  Eager to capture their fun on camera, Mr. Myers set his camera on a tripod and set a timer.  Meanwhile, the family had set their bags on the steps of the state capitol, right behind them.  Enter stupid criminal #2, who ran in to steal their bags while the picture was being taken.  Myers looked to see the picture he had taken, saw the man stealing, and immediately notified police, who nabbed him before he could leave the grounds.  Brilliant! (source:http://www.trentonian.com/articles/2010/08/25/news/doc4c7471814e8f4260083020.txt)
  3. And lastly, one from earlier this month.  A woman in Ohio was feeling fairly depressed, a little desperate, and oh yes, drunk.  So, if you’re a middle-aged woman, drunk and looking for a husband, what should you do?  Did you guess call 911 a number of times and ask the dispatchers out?  Really?  You didn’t? Huh.  Oh, well, then you’re evidently not our criminal.  Because she did, and wouldn’t you know it?  Tying up emergency dispatch lines is against the law. (source:http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100802/NEWS010701/308020052/1055/NEWS/Woman-called-911-asked-for-date)

Ok, folks.  That’s all I have for you today.  Leave your comments either on these stories or let us know some dumb criminal stories you have yourself.  Have a great weekend.  Until next time…

 

Are Smoke Detectors the "Best Piece of Home Safety Equipment?"

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After yesterday’s corporate culture treatise, I decided that we would take it a little easier on the blog today; no long, multi-page posts.  So, after I filled my cup at MJs (the areas best coffee), and walked back to my office, I began looking around online in news and industry blogs to see what, if anything was new and interesting.

As I’ve said before, almost every day you can find some story about a burglary and how security cameras helped catch the bad guy (which is cool), or how some homeowner was robbed and now they’ve lost their peace of mind (which is not cool, but helpful to illustrate the need for home security).  But that’s not really what I was looking for today.  Thus, I was pleased to come across an article in hometownlife.com, written by the training coordinator for the Livonia Fire Department, about smoke detectors.

First off, I always love articles written by people “in the field.”  When a cop writes about security, or a firefighter about fire safety, there’s some real meat there.  Its always worth a read because they bring a real-life perspective into it.

So I was excited to see what the author, Tom Kiurski, had to say.  You can read the article here for all of the details.  But, the main thrust of his argument is found in the title: A smoke alarm is the best piece of home safety equipment.

While I think I agree, I’m not sure Mr. Kiurski does a great job of defending his position.  He tells a few stories about people who barely made it out alive.  And those stories are compelling.  But, why not tell a story of carbon monoxide death, or flooding death.  Wouldn’t the same argument apply for those situations and their respective life safety devices?  What he doesn’t say, and what I think would make his case more compelling, is that fire is the most likely scenario for an emergency.  And, its incredibly dangerous.

So, lets go on with the author’s stated point and unstated reasons: Smoke alarms are the most important thing you can have because of the danger and likelihood of a fire.  Now, what about the next chunk of the article.  The author seems to indicate that it makes little difference whether the smoke alarm you use is stand alone or connected to a home security system.  And, while its true that stand alone is better than nothing, its far from ideal.

Having a fire alarm connected to a home security system is right for one simple reason.  You don’t have to worry about contacting emergency personnel in the event of a fire.  You can focus entirely on getting your family and most valuable possessions out of the house.  You can do that because you know that your central station is taking care of calling your local fire department.  Thats true peace of mind.

So, I promised I’d keep it short and I will.  Let me conclude with two points:

  1. Get smoke detectors installed in any vulnerable areas of your home, and do it immediately
  2. Attach them to a home security system so that your system will notify a central station in the event of an emergency

It just makes sense; the cost is relatively little, and the benefits are immense.

Choosing a Home Security Company: Does Corporate Culture Matter?

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Corporate culture has been a buzzword in the business world for as long as anyone can remember.  Every company has one, and the term itself is used in hiring literature, marketing materials, and board room meetings.  And every company wants you, the customer, to know about their corporate culture and how great it is.  But, just what is corporate culture?

Defining Corporate Culture

Its always helpful to start with a definition.  So, according to Wikipedia, corporate culture is an idea, “which describes the psychology, attitudes, experiences, beliefs, and values (personal and cultural values) of an organization.”  Well, that’s only moderately helpful.  Lets rip that apart a bit.  So, corporate culture is an idea.  That is, its not something tangible.  You’re selling an idea, or a spirit, or a value system which you hope permeates your corporate structure.  Next, it deals with psychology, attitudes, experiences, beliefs and values.  So, its not something merely dictated from the top down.  In order for it to “work” it has to be believed and practiced by the majority of people at a company.  And, here’s the catch, it has be experienced by the majority of people in a company.  So, it can’t simply be an idea; it has to be put into some sort of practice.  Finally, it relates to a specific organization.  That means, it has to deal with the way the business as a whole interacts or does business.  Merely having an organization full of people who are committed to fantasy football, and play in their spare time doesn’t qualify.  It has to relate to every aspect of business.

To recap, it has to be something that a majority of people believe in, that a majority of people put into practice, and it has to relate to the way in which a company does business (at some level).

Corporate Culture in the Real World

Yeah, like this…only less Rock-Ish

As I stated earlier, every company wants to have a corporate culture.  Its like living in a penthouse in New York City: you say your apartment has feng shui even if you have no idea what it is.  Why?  Because all the cool kids are saying it.

Clearly, some companies get it.  Southwest, Zappos, Google all have very real corporate cultures that set them aside.  For Zappos its an absolute commitment to customer service, above all else.  As CEO Tony Hsieh puts it, they’re in the business of delivering happiness.  For Google, it seems to be a combination of extreme innovation combined with their founding motto: Do No Evil.

But what does it tell us that these handful of companies come to mind so quickly?  Why don’t thousands of other companies pop into your head as well?  Because some companies are “doing” corporate culture in the right way, and others just want you to think they are.  There are plenty of companies, for instance, who say they’re committed to customer service.  But when it comes time to return something, or get assistance from tech support, their claim to a customer-oriented corporate culture seems a cruel joke.  Its as if they’ve determined that their real corporate culture is to fool the customers.  We’ve all dealt with these types of companies, and we’d prefer never to do so again.  Our love or anger for a particular company ultimately stems from its corporate culture.  So, how does this play into our industry?

State of the Home Security Industry

The home security industry is hard to nail down.  Its been fragmented for so many years.  On the one extreme you have the “big guys” who have been entrenched at the top for so long they survive merely on name recognition.  On the other you have the local one man show dealer/installer.  He fights for business on a local level, and may do very well, but rarely makes a significant impact on the market.  Most fall in between.

Despite this fragmentation, there are a few generalizations to make about the home security industry and its’ collective view of corporate culture.  For the most part, the companies that make up the industry desire to present a view of their corporate culture as being professional, courteous and helpful, and committed to the welfare of individual homeowners.  Many are also turning to social media to present a view of an up-to-date, modern company ready to engage the world on its terms.  Is that reality, though?

Most Companies’ Real Corporate CultureNo.  Take a moment and read some reviews on the various companies in the industry.  You’ll read horror stories about bad tech support, sleazy salesmen, and long and confusing contracts.  So, customer service for the industry at large: Negative.  Now, what about really looking out for customers?  Most companies, large and small, charge a premium for home security monitoring.  They’re banking on two things:

  1. Most other companies charge that much, so you won’t think you’re being ripped off
  2. Because security monitoring is so important, you’ll think its fair to pay that much

The reality is otherwise.  They’re playing games to hoodwink you into signing up with them.  ”Free installation”, “free system”, “only $99 down”, etc.  And it sounds great; really, really great.  But, if you look at the numbers, and what you could pay elsewhere, you realize that you are being overcharged, again and again.

But that’s not all.  If you read those same reviews, you’ll find out that cancelling is a giant hassle.  Somehow, its very difficult to cancel with most of these companies and you end up being auto-renewed for another 3-year term.  Now, I have no doubt that the lawyers for these companies very carefully drafted their contracts.  And, I have no doubt that if customers retained their own lawyer, they would know exactly how to cancel.  But is that good customer service?  Does that qualify as a great corporate culture?  To ask the question is to answer it.

How is SafeMart Different?

As I mentioned yesterday, we made the Inc. 5000 again this year.  And I attributed that to our complete focus on customer delight, and a desire to offer our customers the newest and most innovative services.  This, in large part, makes up our corporate culture.  But, that could be just all talk.  How can I prove it to you?

First, with our pricing.  We’re competitive.  We sell you equipment that you pay for up-front.  We don’t sell you a “free” system and then add the cost in to your monthly monitoring rate.

Second, with our monitoring.  We don’t force you to get it.  We think you should.  I think I’ve written about monitoring more times than I’ve written about anything else.  We’re committed to security, and don’t think you’re being fully secure without monitoring, but its your choice.  You don’t have to get a system with monitoring.

Third, with our monitoring price.  Standard, phone line monitoring is only $9.95 per month.  Is it lesser quality monitoring?  Nope, its UL-listed, central station monitoring.  They have all sorts of protections in place for redundancy, meaning no matter what, you’re covered.  They are a well-respected and reliable central station.  Your monitoring is not any different if you go with us vs. “the big guys.”  So, why do we charge so little?  Because we’re not trying to rip you off.  We want you to have monitoring, and we want it to be affordable.

Fourth, with our contracts.  We only you have sign a one-year contract, rather than the industry standard 3-year.  Why?  Because even though we’re convinced you’ll stay with us after a year, we want you to have the option to go somewhere else if you’d like.  Its your system, its your security: it ought to be your choice.

Finally, with our customer recommendations.  Check out our reviews on Google.  Look on our site to see what our customers have said about us.  Check out our BBB rating (its an A+).  And for immediate proof, check out what one customer had to say about our team:

I am absolutely certain that I saved well over 50% of the cost I would have paid a commercial installer by dealing with SafeMart.  I have the satisfaction of having first hand (sic) knowledge of my system’s capabilities and peace of mind that, should I encounter future issues with the system, SafeMart’s technical support stands behind the product.

Now that is corporate culture in action.

To conclude, in the security industry, corporate culture does matter.  It affects your savings, your peace of mind, even your security.  And the real corporate culture (not what’s portrayed) by too many companies in this industry is bad.  Its bad for business and its bad for you, the customer.  At SafeMart, our corporate culture is the real thing.  We are devoted to the customer and delighting them.  In the end, to customers, that’s more important than overpaying to go with a company just because its the “big guy.”

 

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organizational_culture

SafeMart On the Inc 5000 for 2nd Year in a Row

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For the second year in a row, SafeMart is on the Inc. 5000.  As you may or may not know, the Inc. 5000 is an annual list of the fastest growing privately-owned businesses in America.  Its a pretty big deal, if I don’t say so myself, so we’re thrilled to be on there again this year.  We have a press release coming out later, so all of the official details will be on that, and I’ll update the blog with a link when its live.

What I wanted to talk about today was a more intimate view of why I think we made the list again.  In order to do that, its worth going back to our first listing last year.  At the time, we realized that we had succeeded because of our employees.  We were deep in the recession, everyone was feeling a little on edge, and many companies were cutting back employee resources.  And, if they weren’t cutting back the employees themselves, then they were cutting back employee compensation and bonuses.  We didn’t!  Everyone else cut back, and our wonderfully “crazy” board of owners decided to invest in their employees and give everyone profit sharing (above their normal salaries).  And, everyone got a nice check this year as part of that profit-sharing.

Think about that for a moment.  We’re in the middle of the worst economic time since the Great Depression, many people were losing their jobs, every business is squeezing down as tight as they can, including massive layoffs, salary freezes, bonus cancellations, etc. and our company does the opposite.  They decide to invest in their employees.  And I can tell you, to a man (and woman) every employee here loves the company.  They love the company because they know they’re really part of the team, not simply a number.  What they do helps shape the company and they receive the benefit of that hard work.  Its a recipe for success, which is why its surprising that so few companies do this.

Ok, so, if 2008 (and before) was the year of the employee (it still is, to be honest), then 2009 can safely be called the year of the customer.  Our C-levels have always had progressive ideas when it came to customer service.  And a desire to build a customer service machine was always part of the plan.  We had it drilled into us (oh yes, even us in the marketing and ecommerce side of things) that our goal was to give our clients excellent customer service.  But, in 2009, something changed.  We moved from the idea of customer service to the idea of customer delight.  And that became our goal.  And that goal pushed all sorts of things in the right place.

That desire to delight our customers pushed us to have the latest and most innovative technology and services available.  And, because we try to treat customers like family, our prices are fair and competitive.  But thats a side note.  The important part of the story is this:  There is a way to do business that values everyone involved in the process.  Our bosses choose to invest in those of us lucky enough to be part of this team.  In turn, we give it our all and invest our focus, resources and energy in our customers.  Its a win-win, and as you can see from the Inc. listing, its working.

So, sorry for the rambling “woo-hoo” but we’re pretty proud of what we’ve accomplished.  And at least for today, we have bragging rights!

Why SafeMart #4: Huge Product Offering

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Its been a couple of weeks since I wrote a post in the Why SafeMart category.  So far, we’ve discussed customer satisfaction, free lifetime tech support, and professional grade security equipment.  Click on the Why SafeMart category at the bottom of this post to see the other articles.  To refresh, the purpose of this series is to tell you why SafeMart is the right security choice for you, the homeowner.  So, we have discussed and will be discussing those things that make SafeMart a best value for you; be they product selection or our same-day shipping.  And, as I stated in the inaugural post, not all of these qualities are unique to SafeMart.  Other companies may offer free tech support, still other companies offer professional grade security.  But only SafeMart combines all of these traits in one business.  And its that combination that really answers the question: Why SafeMart?

Getting down to today’s topic: what do I mean when I say we have a huge product offering?  I mean that we offer more products than almost anyone in the industry.  And I don’t mean we have just a few more products than our competitors.  I mean we have the Mt. Everest of product offerings and our competitors have the anthill.  And best of all?  These products are professional grade security items.  They’re not simply thousands of cheap consumer products.

Now, I know it can be great to visit a store with only one product.  Perhaps you know exactly what you want, and perhaps that one product is just what you need.  But what if it isn’t?  What if you’re not entirely sure?  No matter how knowledgeable their staff may be, a company with only a few products isn’t in a great position to offer you a solution that is perfect, just for you.

At SafeMart, on the other hand, we may only recommend a few different models to most customers.  But our knowledgeable support staff have literally thousands of products to draw from, so that they can make recommendations that are specific to you and your needs.  That doesn’t mean we don’t have the one product you were interested in at the smaller store; it means we have that product and a whole lot more.

So, why SafeMart?  Because we have a product offering large enough to meet any needs you may have.

Home Security for Peace of Mind

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In an article written for the Cleveland Sun News earlier this week, Susan Ketchum relates her experience of moving from a reporter of crime to becoming one of its victims.  You can read the article for all of the details; I won’t go through them here.  What I really want to discuss are the feelings Mrs. Ketchum describes at the end of her piece.

I could deal with losing “stuff,” but the thought of being watched was creepy. What if I had come back for something, and found them there?

She was safe; her family was safe.  The thieves took some electronics, but nothing material that couldn’t be replaced; though they did take something immaterial that was irreplaceable: her peace of mind.

We hear it all the time from potential customers.  They’re embarrassed about the initial robbery, scared that it may happen again, and they no longer feel comfortable in their own home.  Every creak in the night makes those feelings present and intense.  They need a home security system to help restore some of that peace of mind.  And its great that a system helps them do that.

But why not prevent the heartache and anxiety before it happens.  Getting a home security system after you are burglarized is a wonderful, and perhaps necessary, thing.  But why not purchase and install a monitored home security system before you’re robbed and help prevent it from ever happening?

Look, I’ll repeat it again: most burglaries are crimes of opportunity.  Burglars don’t want to be caught, and they don’t want to trigger an alarm system.  That’s why the Washington Post’s study shows that homes without a security system are three times as likely to be broken into than homes with security security systems.

So, purchase a home security system today, and invest in your peace of mind.  Because once it’s gone, you can’t get it back.

 

Sources:

http://www.cleveland.com/sun/all/index.ssf/2010/08/susan_ketchum_its_a_different.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/artsandliving/homeandgarden/features/2007/burglary-070507/graphic.html

Security Has Its Limits: Leon, Mexico Seems Unaware

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We’re going to take a little different focus than usual on the blog today.

It was almost the end of yesterday’s workday.  I was finishing up some last minute emails and looking forward to going home and enjoying a well-deserved beer.  And, we all know that when you’re working later than five, your brain isn’t firing at full capacity.  So, I didn’t have the energy to read an article from FastCompany on the creation of the “Most Secure City in the World.”  I grabbed the url, emailed it to myself and went home for the evening.

After some much-needed coffee this morning, I pulled it back up, along with a new article from Gizmodo on “The End of Privacy.”  I have now read both of those articles and let me tell you, what they are describing is insane.  Its the sort of story you’d expect someone to tell you whose usual attire consists of a bathrobe and a tinfoil hat (not that there’s anything wrong with that).  We’ll dig into the particulars, but the gist of the story is that Leon, Mexico will be installing iris scanners throughout the city to track the actions and whereabouts of both criminals and law-abiding citizens.  What?  Is this a joke?

Even in an age where we have sacrificed personal liberties, and a sense of decency and decorum, all in the name of a vague and abstract safety, surely this sort of activity must cause us to shudder, right?  To think that literalizing (not even sure if that’s a word) the figurative “ever-watchful eye of government” is a good thing is confined only to the suits who darken the doors of the deep recesses of some governments.  Right?

But if that’s so, then where is the outcry?  Why aren’t the people of Leon simply saying No! to this intrusion into their daily lives?

And, lest you think I’m over reacting, lets look through some of the facts brought out in both articles:

  • Leon is a city with over one million people.
  • Starting now, a company called Global Rainmakers will be installing iris scanning devices throughout the entire city of Leon
  • Some of these scanners are capable of correctly identifying up to 50 people per minute
  • They are also capable of identification while the people are still in motion; that is, people do not have to stop anywhere to be detected
  • The first phase of installation will begin immediately and will cover security-related public places: jails, security checkpoints, police stations, etc
  • The second phase of installation will be rolled out over the next three years.  It will cover bus stops, train stops, ATM machines, bank entrances and more
  • All criminals will be required to have their eyes scanned
  • All law-abiding citizens are asked to voluntarily scan their eyes
  • It is RainMakers’ stated goal to eventually have everyone in their database, or at least connected to some central iris database

So, a city of one million people will be subject to the next generation of tracking in what can only be called the beginnings of a police state.  Since when does government have the right to monitor former criminals who paid their debt to society (obviously excluding those still on parole or probation)?  Since when does government have the right to monitor banks and ATMs?  What does this have to do with criminal activity at all?  Since when does government have the right to keep a perpetual eye on their citizens?  If this isn’t a police state, if this isn’t a recipe for tyranny, then I don’t know what is!

Now look, at SafeMart we’re big fans of security and safety.  Its our whole life, the air we breathe.  And we’re also big fans of police and other emergency personnel.  We support any reasonable technologies or programs that help make their jobs easier, and our lives safer.  We recognize that governments have a legitimate right to use their authority for the protection of their citizens and for national self defense.  We are absolutely in favor of those things and defenders of the brave men and women who lay their lives on the line to help achieve that goal.  And if we can do anything to assist them, we’re happy to.  But, even security has its limits.  And this crosses them.

So, lets end with this line from Gizmodo, which I heartily second.  It comes immediately after noting that Rainmakers’ head, Jeff Carter, wants the whole world on the scanner database in 10 years:

Of course, that would be good for Carter’s business.  For the best of the rest of us, I hope this never happens.

Back to School Safety

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Its that time of year again.  Its hotter than…well, you know what, rain seems to have travelled away to cooler climes, and the stores are starting to fill up with notebooks, pens, and binders (do they still make trapper-keepers?).  That’s right, its almost time to go back to school.

And despite all of the excitement and anxiety surrounding this annual ritual, its important to ensure safety remains a priority.  As a small child, I remember my mother getting us on the school bus, and waiting to meet us when we got off at the end of the day, if not at the bus stop, then certainly at the front door.  That experience is simply not the case for every child anymore.  More and more, mom (or a neighbor) gets the kids on the bus, waves goodbye and heads to work.  And, in what is becoming increasingly more common, kids are getting off the bus by themselves and coming home to an empty house.

In fact, the issue has become so pervasive that we use a common term for these children: latchkey kids.   The name derives from the fact that the only thing to greet them when they arrive home is a latch.  Backing away from the potential problems with such a situation, the reality is that sometimes there isn’t another option.  Children may, even if not every day, have to come home alone on occasion.  But, how do you make sure they’re safe?

Here is a brief and introductory list of recommendations to help keep children safe once the school season is fully upon us:

 

  • Talk to your children about safety, and what you expect from them in order to help keep them safe
  • Make sure children know how to safely and carefully arrive home from their bus stop
  • Purchase an alarm system with latchkey notification to alert you if your child doesn’t disarm the system by your predetermined time
  • Have your kids check in with a neighbor who lives at home, just so someone else knows where they are
  • Make them call as soon as they get home and let you know if they’re going anywhere
  • Put locks on all medicine and liquor cabinets

We won’t be able to protect our children for the rest of their lives, but for the short time that they live at home under our watchful eyes, we should do our best to make sure that they are safe and happy.  Following the above steps is one way to help do that.

What sort of safety tips do you use with your children for the school year?  Let us know.  As always, we love to hear from you.

 

Carbon Monoxide Detector: Necessary, but Not Enough

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Environmental safety is always a topic of concern.  A few years ago, I knew about carbon monoxide detectors, but didn’t care if I had one or not (I didn’t).  Today, I’m a big proponent of these type of life-saving devices.  Why?

A couple of years ago, I sat down with someone in the industry and we discussed some of the serious issues that arise from carbon monoxide poisoning.  Still, it seemed an unlikely reality.  Then I found out that friends suffered mild CO poisoning, thankfully without long-term repercussions, but certainly with illness at the time.  Then, not long after a friend from New York began getting sick on a regular basis and couldn’t figure out what was wrong.  Thankfully her doctor knew the signs enough to know that she was suffering from CO poisoning.  Imagine if it had become worse, or if she didn’t go to the doctor.  She could’ve died.  Thankfully, she was, and is, fine.  but, all of these things got me thinking, and ultimately committed me to CO protection.

Having discussed CO detectors before, I thought there wasn’t much more to say, but an article in the Belfast Telegraph piqued my interest.  The title is, “Carbon Monoxide: don’t rely on detectors alone.”  Worth a read, I figured, and I was right.  The basic point is this: a carbon monoxide detector exists to alert you to a problem.  It doesn’t identify the source of the problem and it can’t alert you to potential future problems.  All it can do is warn you once the danger is already there.  And that’s great.  Its a huge and necessary thing to know as soon as CO levels become dangerous in your home.  But, its the last step, not the first.

So, what does the article recommend?

  • Have your gas appliances serviced and checked annually, by a professional
  • Keep rooms well ventilated
  • Check flues and chimneys on a regular basis

Lastly, if you’re feeling sick, especially nauseated, check with a doctor.  Carbon monoxide kills about 170 people every year in the United States(source); and while that number may seem small, its 170 too many for a killer that is preventable, and detectable.

Oakland PD Saga Continues: What’ll Chief Batts Think of Next?

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About a month ago I wrote on the unfortunate and bizarre decision by the Oakland Police Department not only to significantly reduce its police force, but also to announce a number of crimes to which police will no longer respond.  Reducing the police force may be a necessary evil; I don’t know, I don’t live in Oakland, nor am I in their budget office.  But, Chief Batts’ decision to announce, in a press conference, to which crimes Oakland police will no longer respond was both bizarre and dangerous.  Since then, I’ve been keeping my eyes and ears open for any further developments of this story.  Today, we have the next chapter.

According to an article in today’s New York Times, private businesses in Oakland’s Chinatown district are investing in additional security, and pursuing the possibility of hiring a private security company to protect their property.  Abstracting from who should really be doing this job, I think its a good idea, under the circumstances.  And, since they’re no doubt helping the police immensely through this, perhaps they should be given a tax credit of some sort.  I don’t know.  I’m just throwing that out there.  The point is, the residents of Oakland, particularly the business owners in Chinatown, are banding together to fix a very bad situation.  We can all agree that’s great.  Right?

Well, in another stunningly bizarre statement, Chief Batts doesn’t quite agree.  According to the article, he praised the surveillance system efforts of these business owners, but, as it says, “he stopped short of endorsing the hiring of private patrols.”  Why, you may ask?  Let’s hear Chief Batts’ own words: “I hope people are not doing that because they are scared.”

Chief Batts, you hope they’re not hiring a private security firm “because they are scared?”  Forgetting the obvious fact that the only reason someone would hire a private security firm is because they’re scared (making your statement completely unintelligible), lets take a look at the facts (all crime facts come from this source).  All statistics are year-to-date for 2010.  So far in 2010 there have been:

  • 50 Murders
  • 1,436 Aggravated Assaults
  • 107 Rapes
  • 1,711 Robberies
  • 4,607 Burglaries
  • 2,598 Motor Vehicle Thefts
  • 3,181 Larcenies
  • 91 Cases of Arson

Oh, and lets add one other fact: In July of this year, you, Chief Batts, oversaw a significant reduction of the police force in Oakland, and announced to which crimes the Oakland PD would no longer respond!  So, yeah, I’d guess they’re scared.  Because in 2009, Oakland was the 3rd Most Dangerous City in America, and your residents no longer trust you to protect them.

So, lets commend the business owners in the Chinatown district.  They’re committed to a safe and friendly Oakland, even if that means they have to pay for it out of their own pockets.  We can only hope Chief Batts gets behind this effort before he loses any more credibility.

Geotags Safety

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Today we’re going to discuss a new phenomenon (well, not that new) which is probably unknown to most of you.  In fact, had it not run in the New York Times, I probably wouldn’t even bring it up, as it seems to fall into the category of too much information for would-be burglars.  You know the type of story, Watch out: there’s a crazy security flaw that no one else in the universe knows about but me; but I’m telling everyone in a major news outlet so that you can prepare yourselves.  The end result is always that bad guys who were too stupid to figure it out in the first place, now have a new means of attack.  Back to the story.

So, what is the serious risk presented in this article?  Online photos.  According to the article mentioned above, users can easily download a browser add-on that will allow them to see the geotag that your camera or smartphone imprints.  But what is a geotag?  Its a longitude and latitude location of where you took your image.  Which sounds really cool, right?  And, at some level, it is really cool to be able to look back and know exactly where you took each image.  Its really, really impressive.  But, combined with Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, CraigsList and more, it could be an invitation for danger.

Why?  Because with an easy Firefox download, you can view that data on anyone’s pictures who doesn’t have the feature disabled (And, yes, it is that easy; I just did a test).  Once you’ve dumped those coordinates into Google Maps, you’ve got an exact location of where the picture was taken.

Really wanna give this guy your home address?Now, if you took your pictures while on vacation in Italy, or the mountains of Colorado, no big deal.  But, what if you took a picture of your family, sitting in your living room to upload to Flickr so the grandparents could see?  Now, any potential thief knows where you live, and potentially what valuables are in the house.  If you post home pics on Twitter, and then later update to say that you’re at work, the thief now knows you’re gone.  It could be a complete disaster for you, and a field day for burglars.

Hopefully, you know enough now to turn this feature off if you take pictures with a newer digital camera or smartphone (the NY Times article links to resources to walk you through this).  But let me give one last word of warning.  Its increasingly (and disturbingly) becoming more popular for teens to take compromising photos of themselves and post them online.  That’s a terrible idea no matter how you slice it.  But with this security flaw, you’ve not only given potential predators your picture, you’ve given them your location.  And that is a recipe for complete disaster.

Final thoughts?  Don’t be stupid.  When taking pictures and posting them online, turn off your geotag feature.  And, take smart, appropriate pictures.  Thats good advice either way.

Vacation Security: Police Offer Free Home Inspections

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Happy Wednesday, everyone!  Hope everyone is enjoying this week’s hump-day and ready to move on to the nice, easy slide to weekend-land.

Today I want to discuss an article from news-press.com, about Cape Coral, Florida police.  They have instituted a police volunteer program.  Basically, when you go on vacation, you call the police department and they put you on a list.  Then, on a daily basis, the volunteer squad will check all houses and call in robberies.  Its like having neighbors keep an eye on the place, only they work for the cops.  Not a bad deal, at all.

In fact, I think this is a great idea.  You’re leveraging the power of the local community (remember, these are volunteers) to help keep an eye on things.  And, you’ve got the full ear and support of the local PD.  It really is a great program.

But, why not take it a step further?  Why not create real, localized neighborhood watch programs?

We’ve discussed the idea of neighborhood watch programs before.  The reason I think they make for better security than the volunteer police watch is that these people live in your neighborhood; which means that they have a vested interest in keeping the bad guys out.  Also, the fact that they live in your neighborhood means that they’ll be more likely to notice things as they happen, not the day after.  Everyone agrees that the sooner a crime is reported, the more likely that the bad guy will be caught.

So, police volunteer program is good; neighborhood watch is better.  What’s best?  The best option (though, ideally you’d have all three of these) is a monitored security system.

What benefit does a home security system bring?  Well, just like a neighborhood watch program, it keeps an eye on your house; the main difference being: it is always keeping an eye on your house.  And it notifies immediately if something goes wrong.  Once that notification happens, a local siren alerts neighbors and friends that something is wrong.  Your system also contacts the central station, who, after attempting to verify, will contact local police and/or fire personnel.  Its like having a neighborhood watch, only the “neighborhood” consists of only your house.

So, best practices?  If you have a police notification/watch program, that’s good.  You should use it; you would be an idiot not to.  No, I mean, really.  If you don’t want to use a free program, set up by your local police to protect your home, just save some time and send me your valuables.  Now, what about neighborhood watch?  That’s better.  If you have one, join it.  If you don’t, have some of your more trustworthy neighbors over and pitch the idea.  Communities should look out for one another.  This is an easy way to do it.  Ok, finally, get a home security system.  This is your last line of defense, but its also your most powerful.  Studies show that homes with a security system are 3 times less likely to be burgled than homes without.  Installing a monitored home security system just makes sense.  And, of course: if you can, do all three.

Why SafeMart #3: We Make Our Customers Happy

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Yesterday I spoke about my frustration with the security industry at large.  They talk, and talk, and talk, but once you stop to listen to what they’re saying, you realize its mostly just buzz.  That, combined with all of the “big guys’” minions buzzing around, means there’s simply a lot of junk to cut through in order to get something worthwhile.

Ok.  I won’t repeat my entire post.  But, yesterday, I ended that with a plea to really look at the companies you’re considering for home security.  Do they have real, valuable content?  Are they fair and up-front on pricing?  One I forgot to mention is customer satisfaction.

Determining customer satisfaction is normally a tough thing.  You can read online reviews (though those aren’t always that helpful), check the BBB (another good indicator, but it doesn’t tell you if they’ve delighted their customers), or you can ask a couple of customers.  The last option is what most of us do if we know one of their customers.

But what is another metric to determine how satisfied a customer is, specifically in the home security industry?  Alarm monitoring retention rate.  Sure, ADT or Brinks may have a gajillion customers for monitoring, but they also have 3 year locked in contracts.   That doesn’t mean they’re keeping all of those customers at the end.  It simply means they’re good in getting them through the door; whether they can keep them is another story.  So, what about us?  Where does SafeMart fall in this category?

SafeMart has a 94% retention rate (which would be even higher if you considered that some of those we “lose” have passed away).  Did you just read what I said?  Is it in your brain?  We have a 94% retention rate! 94% Wow.  That is almost unbelievable.

And lest you think I’m patting myself on the back, let me assure you, I’m simply the messenger.  That wonderful statistic is due to all of the hard work and dedication of our sales and customer service teams.

Ok, basically what I’m saying is this: Listen to what our customers are saying: 94% of them are saying that they’re happy enough to stick with us, and have us provide for their home security.  We’re fairly proud of that statistic, and hope it makes your decision easier.

So, why SafeMart?  Because we make our customers happy!

Best Home Security: Quality Amidst All the Buzz

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So, you’re interested in home security.  Perhaps you’re looking to increase your own home protection, or maybe you’re just wondering what options exist.  Maybe you’re a student writing a report on home security or burglary rates in the United States.  Who knows?  The simple fact is that you’re looking for home security information, and you’re turning to Google to help you.

Here’s the problem: Most of what you find is junk, plain and simple.  The home security industry has always been somewhat fragmented.  You have a few “big boys” at the top who thrive mainly off of name recognition.  Then there are the smaller “traditional” players.  These would be heavily localized installers and dealers.  And, finally since the advent of the internet (thank you, Al Gore), there have been online players.  These companies (of which SafeMart is one), focus primarily on DIY home security, and use the internet (exclusively or almost exclusively) to present their offering.  Those are the main sectors of the home security industry.

This Guy Must Be Researching Home SecurityAlmost all of the players in this industry have some online presence (doesn’t every business, these days?).  But, not all of them are created equal.  I was realizing this as I was checking the blogosphere and Google News for any security-related updates over the weekend.  And what I found was total junk.  Really, don’t believe me?  Go to blogsearch.google.com or google.com/news and type in “home security.”  Be prepared.  I warned you.

In blog-land, its really bad.  Thousands of affiliates from the “big guys” mentioned above, traditional dealers trying to build out a new website, and thousands of “entrepreneurs” living, working and shipping out of their basement are all rehashing the same content.  And the content is low-quality.

I’ve known this for a while, but it really hit me today how it must affect you, the homeowner.  I realized that, because I can’t stand sorting through all of the junk to find the one or two legitimate pieces of new content each week.  In that sense, the industry at large ought to be ashamed of itself.  It does no favor to its potential customers.

Now, why am I mentioning all of this?  Sure, the home security industry’s online presence leaves something to be desired (like a giant online delete button), but so do many industries’ presences.  What does it matter?

It matters for two reasons:

1. Home Security is an important decision and you need the right information to make the right choice.

2. In the pursuit of that right decision, finding yourself encumbered with all sorts of useless (at best) information, you will be tempted to simply back away from the online security world, and focus on a more “traditional style.”

And that would be a shame.  Because in most cases, that is not the right choice.  Too many traditional companies operate by pulling the wool over your eyes.   You pay too much on a monthly basis for the service you receive, and the contracts are, at times, confusing.

So, what should you do?  Don’t just go with the “big guys” simply because they’re big.  Take the time to research different options (because most people don’t need an installer).  And, when looking at blogs, corporate websites, social media, etc., immediately eliminate companies who offer little to no value, or simply rehash things found elsewhere on the internet.

Who Should Take Care of the Elderly?

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A few days ago we discussed scammers who take advantage of the elderly in order to get either credit card information or, the worst case, actually rob their victims’ homes.  I concluded that we have a duty to take care of those vulnerable, and venerable, members of our society.  But what do you do when the protection a family member needs is from themselves?

This morning, WVEC.com, a local news station in Hampton Roads, Virginia ran a story about the return of a missing Alzheimer’s patient.  The woman in question is older, lives alone, and has Alzheimer’s disease.  She wandered away from her home to look for flowers.  She didn’t return when she should have.  Her family became concerned, and the police initiated a search.

Through the assistance of police, emergency personnel, and a host of local volunteers, she was found six days later, and taken to a local hospital.  After recovering, she went home.  That’s the theme of the WVEC story: her homecoming.

The older woman seemed somewhat embarrassed, asserting that she’ll never go out of her house alone again; that she’ll never get lost again.  Its both touching, and humbling to witness someone realizing that what they’ve done for decades is now impossible.  After relating her mother’s insistence never to leave the home by herself again, the daughter says, “Well, you won’t be by yourself anymore…”  You’re brought to the point of elation that the daughter will take over her mother’s care.  But what followed was certainly more than anti-climactic.  The sentence finishes: “Well, you won’t be by yourself anymore, ’cause you’ll have your bracelet with you.”

I know I’m treading on dangerous ground here; I almost decided not to write this post.  I’m making no judgments as to the concrete circumstances of this family.  There are cases where an older family member simply won’t accept assistance, or where other realities make it impossible to take care of that relative.  But, it must be noted that its a sad thing.  The elderly cared for us when we were helpless children, raised us, gave us the best years of their lives.  That they should be on their own in their vulnerable years must always be a tragedy, even if a necessary one.

So yes, lets use the best home safety and security that exists for our older relatives.  Lets spare no expense to make sure that they are as safe and secure as possible.  But, in those cases where it is possible for us to physically care for them, lets not use mechanical devices to substitute for real family life.  After all, they never did.

Tell me what you think.  Am I right?  Does it matter?  Who do you think is responsible for caring for the elderly, and how much care is enough?

What You Need to Know About Fire Safety

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Fire and fire safety have been on my mind lately.  No, nothing bad happened; I simply had a very interesting conversation with someone in the security industry who is known for his devotion to fire safety and his extensive knowledge in the area.  Obviously, I work for a security company, so I’m committed to fire safety.  And, because I work with getting out the message, I’m aware of the dangers a fire can pose.  Still, I wasn’t prepared for his statistics.

So, I began digging around, looking at the information available, and thought I’d like to make some of it available to you.  So, at the end of this article, you’ll find a few resources that I think are highly reliable, and incredibly useful.

Back to my story.  So, we were sitting at a greasy spoon, eating their (locally) famous hamburgers and hand-battered onion rings, and sipping glasses of iced tea.  My acquaintance asked if I knew much about fire safety.  ”Enough, I guess,” was something like my response.  Well, apparently not.  He proceeded to tell me that the time to get out of the house safely is a matter of only a few minutes once the flames break out.

A few minutes?  C’mon, I thought.  It must be longer than that, right?  Well, unfortunately not.  Generally, once the flames burst forth, you have less than 5 minutes to get your family and anything you will save, and get out of the house.  5 minutes.  5 short, precious minutes to save anything and everything you hold dear.

I recently watched the film Leap Year with my wife (alright if you’re expecting a predictable chick-flick), and in it the leading male role asks his potential love interest: If there was a fire in your house, what would you grab? In the movie, the purpose of the question is to show her rootlessness and superficiality.  But, its a legitimate question.  Ask yourself now: What would I grab if my house was on fire?  Obviously, any loved ones, but then what?  Now add up the time.  Imagine you’re awakened from a deep sleep, and you have to get everyone in the family up and out of the house.  Would 5 minutes even be enough?  And supposing it was, would there be time to get those old family heirlooms that mean so much; those items that no amount of money could buy?

Now imagine how you would do that if you didn’t have fire and heat detectors in your house?  It would be nearly impossible.  Don’t believe me?  Here’s a sobering statistic for you: According to a 2008 FEMA Study, every 3 hours, someone in the United States dies from a house fire.  And a serious house fire breaks out every 60 seconds throughout the country.

So, do yourself a favor.  Get educated, and get protected.  There will be more on this to come, especially dealing with the benefits of having a monitored fire detection system, but for now we’ll leave it here.  Don’t take risks with the most important things in your life.  That’s not something you want to regret one day.

Some Easy Resources:

  • http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa-130.pdf
  • http://www.firesafety.gov/citizens/statistics/index.shtm
  • http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/

 

 

Criminals Targeting Seniors in the UK

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According to a news article from the BBC today, a group of criminals is targeting seniors over 80 years old in a home security related scam.  The plot went something like this: Call and pretend you’re from a home security company.  Ask the residents if they’re over 80 years old.  If not, hang up.  If so, warn them about dangers of not having a home security system, and ask personal information about their current home security protection.

Now, lets discuss a couple of things.  This should have raised a ton of red flags.

  • No legitimate company should be asking you specific information about your home security protection.  Now, that doesn’t mean a real company won’t ask; it just means they shouldn’t.
  • No legitimate company should be asking about your age.  Home security protection is for everyone.  And while its true that certain groups may be more vulnerable, that doesn’t mean you target them alone for this sort of service.

Now, lets say you were the recipient of this type of call.  What should you do?  First, if they ask about your current home security protection, don’t tell them.  Leave them with some very generic answers.  If I were a recipient of these calls and was satisfied with my existing home security, I would simply say, “I have a great home security system already.  So, I’m not interested.  Thank you, though.”  If I wasn’t currently satisfied and was legitimately interested, I would say, “I’m satisfied with my current level of protection, but would be willing to discuss your products and services.  Can I have your company name and phone number, please?”  Under no circumstances should you agree to let them come to your home at this point.  Don’t give them any personal information.  If they insist on setting up an appointment immediately, they’re using bad business practices.  Simply hang up the phone.

Now, why would you do these things?  You would do them for two reasons:

  1. Most burglaries are crimes of opportunities.  A burglar doesn’t want to get caught.  A security system drastically decreases the risk of burglary according to numerous studies.  If you’ve told them that you have a great home security system, or that you’re satisfied with home security, you’ve made them nervous.  It is far less likely that they will target you.
  2. Asking for their company name and company phone number, but refusing to schedule an appointment gives you the upper hand.  In fact, you should do this no matter who calls you on the phone.  Once off, go online and search for the company.  See what reviews they have.  Do they have a website?  Does it look and feel legitimate?  Also, check to see if the number the caller gave you matches with the number listed on the website.  If you feel safe that it is a legitimate company, with a real website, and positive reviews, and you want information from them, then call the number and set up an appointment.

Look, this is not a problem that only affects our neighbors across the pond.  This sort of thing is happening all over the U.S. on a daily basis.  In the best case scenario, they’re merely looking to swindle you into paying them for a non-existent service.  In the worst case scenario, they’re looking to rob you.  Don’t let yourself be a victim.  If you feel uncomfortable about any strange calls, alert the local police.  If someone is coming to your house for an appointment, it may be worthwhile to ask a neighbor, friend, or family member to be there as well.

Oh, and a last thing: if you’re someone involved in these sorts of scams: Be assured, there’s a special place in Hell for people who take advantage of the elderly!

Why SafeMart #2: Professional Security Products

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Today was a slow news day; which I realize is an odd commentary on our society.  Because when you consider a headline such as: “Geithner: Unemployment Up Before Down,” and think that’s a “slow news day” it means that we are living in strange times.  Anyway, I digress.  The point is, its good/bad/indifferent (depending on your perspective) that its a slow news day, because I’m going to do installment 2 of Why SafeMart?

And today’s topic will be: 

Professional Security Products

 So, first lets start with what we have.  We carry top-line wireless and hardwired systems from all major manufacturers.  This includes, GE, Honeywell, Visonic, DSC and more.  It includes their full selection of professional-grade security products.  

Why does this matter?  Who cares?

GE, Honeywell, Visconic, and DSC are giants in the industry.  They have proven track records, incredibly reliable products and well-backed warranties.  When you go with them, you know you’re going with quality, and history.  And that’s worth something.

But surely, you must get the same products at every other security company.  Its not like you’re getting lesser-quality security equipment…right?  Well, that all depends where you go.  While many companies also use professional-grade equipment, too many newer companies aren’t.  They’re using equipment of their own creation, or GE-branded equipment of a much lesser quality, or something along these lines.  And that’s a problem.

Look, if you’re buying a universal remote, by all means choose whatever you’d like that fits your budget.  If you’re choosing a laundry detergent at the grocery store, go for the store-brand: its cheaper and probably works just as well.  But, if you’re talking about protecting your family, the most important thing in your life, is Walmart-brand security really what you’re looking for?  I think you and I both know the answer to that question.

So, for reason number #2: Why SafeMart?  Because we offer the finest professional security products from the world’s top manufacturers.  

East St. Louis Cops vs. City Council: Residents Lose

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Taking a page from the hallowed halls of Oakland’s beleaguered local government, the East St. Louis City Council announced last week that they would make significant cuts to the area’s police and fire force.  (Before we discuss this issue, it is worth pointing out that their police chief did not announce which crimes they would no longer respond to, as another chief recently and notoriously did.)  These new cuts amount to 30% of the existing police force, as well as a sizeable portion of the firefighters in the city.  To realize the extent of the problems, one need only read in the article, that only one patrolman will be on duty for the midnight shift under the new cuts.  Cities a fraction of the size of East St. Louis have more than one patrolman on duty at that time.  To operate under the belief that this lone police officer will be able to handle all police duties in the city for that shift is to operate under a delusion.

And who is to blame?  On the one hand its easy to blame the city council: They’re downsizing the force, leaving residents under-protected.  On the other hand, according to the article, there is simply no money.  They attempted to work out a deal whereby police and firefighters would take two unpaid days each monthly period, but the officers thought this was simply too much.  Surely, some sort of compromise could have been reached.  Because, as it stands now, the city council is becoming very unpopular, and those laid-off officers are making far less money than they would have, had they simply accepted the offer (painful though it may have been).

I don’t live in St. Louis.  I can’t pretend to understand the very difficult decision facing the city council; nor can I pretend to understand the frustration of those police officers and firefighters who daily lay their lives on the line, only to receive pay cuts and layoffs.  I’m not making a judgment call here as to who is in the wrong.

What I am attempting to say is this: there is a clear loser here.  And those are the residents of East St. Louis.  Where will they turn when crimes happen, or fires break out?  To whom can they turn for protection?  The sad answer is, no one (or at least not anyone beyond themselves and their neighbors).

I have no desire to use a tragic situation to make a sales pitch, so I won’t.  But I will leave you with this.  If you live in East St. Louis, you need to seriously consider some sort of burglary deterrence, and most definitely fire protection of some sort (preferably a monitored fire alarm system).  Your family and your belongings are simply too important to leave in the hands of local bureaucratic wrangling.