Cornwall Police Service

Safety Tips

Following these basic safety tips provides a good start for safeguarding you and your family. Contact our Crime Reduction and Community Partnerships Division for additional information about Neighbourhood Watch and other crime prevention programs.

Protect yourself...

Ensure your home is well lit and has good locks. Always secure all doors and windows when your home is unoccupied. Join Operation Identification (contact our Crime Reduction and Community Partnerships Division to borrow an engraver to mark your property). Get to know your neighbours.

If you're going away...

Leave the following information with a trusted neighbour: where and how long you're going; how you can be reached, in case of emergency; and if anyone will be visiting your home (e.g., gardener, repair person). Ask that neighbour to pick up mail or newspapers, mow the lawn, shovel the driveway, etc. to make your house look lived-in.

Watch for...

Suspicious persons or activities (e.g., unaccredited door-to-door salespeople, someone taking a "short cut" through your neighbour's backyard). Vehicles passing by many times, suspiciously parked or constantly traveling through alleyways. Obvious invitations to burglars (e.g., open garage doors, unlocked cars, the accumulation of newspapers on a vacationing neighbour's doorstep).

If you see something suspicious...

Write down the description of any suspicious persons (e.g., complexion, body build, height, weight, age, type of clothing worn). Get the make, model, colour and license plate number of any suspicious vehicles. Notify police and other Watch Members of any suspicious persons or activity. Remember, if it's a crime in progress, don't put yourself in danger - call 9-1-1 immediately.