Business & Home Security

The Police Department offers a business inspection service. This inspection is for the purpose of offering suggestions on how to make your business more secure.

The following items are checked during an inspection:

    1. Outer doors, windows, lighting, and roof for possible entry points
    2. Exterior for vision obscurement, such as low hanging trees, large bushes/shrubs
    3. Building alarm reliability and effectiveness
    4. Business vehicle security

For retail businesses we offer the following:

    1. Merchandise display suggestions to reduce shoplifting
    2. Methods to reduce credit card fraud and bad check cases
    3. Advice to help reduce or eliminate employee theft

If you are interested in having your business inspected, contact Patti Woodside at (707) 746-4268 or via e-mail at pwoodside@ci.benicia.ca.us.

 

Tips for Home Security
A small amount of time and money can make your home more secure and reduce your chances of being a victim. Consider the following:

Check locks:

    • Ensure every external door has a sturdy dead bolt lock
    • Secure sliding doors by installing locks or placing broomstick/dowel inside track. Drill a hole and insert pin through sliding door track to prevent door from being lifted off track
    • Lock double-hung windows with key locks or "pin" windows by drilling hole at 45 degree angle between inner and outer door frames, then insert nail that can be removed
    • Secure basement windows grilles/grates
    • Re-key locks after moving to new home/apartment
Check Doors:
    • Ensure external doors are constructed of metal or solid wood
    • Install peephole or wide angle viewer in all entry doors

Check Outside:

    • Install outside lights and leave on at night
    • Prune shrubs, cut tree limbs to maintain clear view of house
    • Ensure clear house number display

Consider an Alarm:

    • Do business with an established company and check references
    • Learn to use system properly to avoid false alarms and unnecessary fines
    • Consider sound-detecting socket that plugs into light fixture. Light flashes when noise is detected and motion sensor lights turn on when someone approaches

Travel Away From Home:

    • Use light timers so lights come on at night and at different times of day
    • Leave shades, blinds and curtains in normal positions
    • Call the Post Office at (800) 275-8777 to stop mail delivery, or put a request here, or have neighbor pickup mail
    • Register with the Police Departments Vacation Watch Program by submitting a request here, or completing the vacation house check form and returning it to the Police Department. Contact Dispatch at 745-3411 for more information.

 

Vacation Watch request form - fillable pdf