Crime Prevention

Educating residents to protect themselves and their property is a high priority for the Public Safety Department. Follow their suggestions below to keep your home safe.

Other government agencies offer information on crime prevention you may wish to read about. Here are a few informative websites:

• Department of Homeland Security
• Ready.gov
• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Federal Emergency Management Agency
• National Crime Prevention Council

Vehicle Identification Sticker

The Public Safety Department utilizes the Vehicle Sticker Program as a crime prevention tool. The AV sticker is affixed to the rear bumper of your vehicle. The sticker identifies vehicles that belong in your neighborhood, and conversely, vehicles that may not belong. You can obtain a sticker at the Public Safety Department window in the Amberley Village Municipal Building after showing proof of residency.

Day to Day Home Safety

• AN UNLOCKED LOCK IS NOT A LOCK! Remember to keep your doors locked even when you are home.
• Do not hide a second key. Burglars know the hiding spots and will look for keys.
• Remember to keep doors closed and locked, including the garage door, if you are working in the yard.
• House numbers are very important. They should be large enough to be seen from the roadway and should be visible both day and night. This will help the police, fire or any emergency unit locate your residence quickly.
• Store small portable items such as bicycles or lawn mowers out of sight, not in open areas where they may be easily stolen.
• Store ladders in the garage, or keep them locked with a bicycle lock.
• Avoid admitting strangers to your home. Ask for identification of anyone coming to your home uninvited.
• Do not allow strangers to use your telephone.
• A wide angle door viewer is a must if visibility is not otherwise possible.
• Keep shrubbery away from your doors and windows. Don’t allow the shrubs to block your view. Thin the growth so that a burglar is denied the opportunity to work undetected.

Home Security Inspection

Home security consultations by one of the Amberley Village officers are available to Village residents at no charge. An officer will meet you at your home to locate security weaknesses, assess fire risks and offer practical ways to correct them. To arrange for a survey, call 513-531-2040 and ask for the Crime Prevention Officer or email cminton@amberleyvillage.org.

Before Leaving on Vacation

Include these steps as part of your trip preparation to deter burglary while you’re away. The idea is to make things look as they normally do when you are at home. Here are some suggestions for creating this impression:

• Keep shades and blinds in their normal positions.
• Stop mail or newspaper delivery, or arrange for someone to pick them up everyday.
• Lock all doors and windows.
• Activate your security alarm if you have one.
• Arrange for lawn service or snow removal at proper times.
• Put timers on several household lights so they turn on and off at appropriate times.
• Leave a radio on or put it on a timer.
• Inform a trusted neighbor of your travel plans and ask him or her to keep an eye out for suspicious people or activity.
• Don’t allow deliveries of any kind to accumulate on your doorstep.
• Cancel them or ask a neighbor to pick them up.
• Ask a neighbor to park in your driveway overnight.
• Refrain from publicizing your trip ahead of time.
• Turn down the ringer on your telephone so that if a burglar is around, he won’t be alerted to your absence by a ringing phone.
• Arrange for the Amberley Public Safety Department to conduct regular checks of your home while you’re away.

Neighborhood Watch Groups

The Amberley Public Safety Department encourages Neighborhood Watch Programs throughout the Village. This community-based crime prevention program is a simple and direct approach; it aims to reduce criminal opportunity through citizen awareness. It involves regular meetings to discuss various topics which might include: internet crimes, crimes against the elderly, or when and how to report suspicious activity to the police. To start this program in your neighborhood, please contact Officer Mark Roeseler or Officer Mike Koenig at mroesler@amberleyvillage.org or call 513-531-2040.

Alarm Monitoring

The Public Safety Department offers alarm-monitoring services for residents. Responses to these alarms are dispatched immediately by Amberley Village Police Department. There is a fee of $15.00 per month for this service, paid in advance. It is billed bi-annually in $90.00 increments, with the bills sent on October 1st and April 1st of each year.

There are now multiple system options to choose from, including features that send signals directly into the Police Department and technology that allows homeowners to control their alarm systems from their cell phones for an additional fee. Provided below are the contact numbers for qualified installers of the AVA system. If you are interested in alarm monitoring by the Amberley Village Public Safety Department, please contact one of the service providers below, and complete the alarm permit application and submit it to the Public Safety Department.

Service Providers include:

• Scott Payne Audio/Video-513-379-2095
• JV Security Systems-Jim VanOrsdel-513-793-8555

If you currently are under contract with another monitoring service, you should check with that provider for any cancellation fee assessed by them.