ADT Arlington, Virginia
Time For Arlington, VA To Come Together And Squeeze Out The Hate
Times are changing in America. One place where change has been broiling is in Arlington, which is a quiet little city in Virginia. Those who are familiar with the city know that it opens its arms to anyone, and it is a safe city to raise a family. Homeowners buy beautiful homes and may install home security systems as a precaution rather than a necessity.
A Change in the Wind
Arlington sits in the middle of several cities that have been vigorously attempting to drive out immigrants since early 2007. Arlington stands out like a sore thumb, because it does the exact opposite and attempts to be welcoming to all people.
In fact, many foreigners see Arlington as a town to go to if one is seeking safety, good schools, and a welcoming environment, but that has been changing over the last few years and might get worse. The city officials have made it clear that they want their town to continue to be a safe haven for immigrants, but that does not mean everyone is on the same page.
The city is home to many people from different backgrounds, which is a beautiful thing to see. About one in four residents of the city are first or second generation immigrants of the country. Many of the people in Arlington are refugees from areas like Central America or veterans who fought alongside Americans during the Vietnam war.
Sadly, there are strong and scary winds blowing in the area that are frightening every homeowner in the area. Someone is attempting to bring fear into the neighborhoods. A recent spree of racially-charged property and neighborhood crime has sprung up in Arlington. The criminal is vandalizing homes and neighborhood property with racial slurs and symbols. The police department and neighborhoods are working together to find this criminal, but it has definitely shaken the city to its core.
Thankfully, the crimes have not escalated to actual assaults or home invasions, but that does not mean that the people of these neighborhoods are not scared.
What can Arlington Residents do?
The key is to ensure that everyone in the neighborhood stays together to show just how strong residents are. There are a few things a neighborhood could to do protect themselves against these types of crimes while protecting themselves against regular crimes as well.
Form a Neighborhood Watch
Forming a neighborhood coalition against these and other types of crimes is a good idea. It might even be a good idea to discuss racial and cultural differences to teach the young the importance of standing up for what is right.
Be Careful With Social Media
Criminals have gotten quite sophisticated over the years. People who are thinking of committing a property crime might check a homeowner’s social media account. A lot of people post updates about vacations or use location-based technology to tell others that they are visiting a restaurant nearby or something like that. This is a calling card for a criminal who was waiting for an opportunity to cause damage or invade a home.
Install Home Security System
Of course, installing a good ADT Arlington, Virginia home security system is a good idea. It is known to reduce the risk of being targeted by a criminal dramatically, but it is important to pay attention to a few details. For one, make sure that good flood lights are installed with motion detectors. These lights should be able to illuminate the entire property.
It is also important to install security cameras around the property without forgetting to point some towards the neighbors. Security cameras could not only help identify criminals that attack the owner’s home but also criminals who may be attempting to attack a neighbor’s home. It’s all about helping each other out.
Turn Down the Ringer or Answering Machine
It might seem strange, but some criminals may call the homeowner’s house phone to find out if anyone is there if the number is listed. Home invaders may even call to see if there is a message informing them that the homeowners are on vacation or something similar. It is important that no information is left on the answering machine, and ringers should be set to low.
Plan the Vacation
It is of the utmost importance to properly plan out a vacation to ensure that no signs are left for a criminal to use to deduce that homeowners are not home. One important thing to remember is to stop mail from coming to the property. Another thing to remember is to hire a service to come every so often to clear the yard or shovel the walkway. These little steps will go a long way toward making the properly seem like it is still occupied.
Fight Back
Hate crimes, as distasteful as it sounds, are real. The important thing is to do something and fight against these crimes. Organize events that create a sense of inclusion amongst the community, or use propaganda to tell people that discrimination will not be accepted in the neighborhood. A good idea is to hire artists, as a community, to spread messages of peace and inclusion. This can help drive hate groups away. It might even be a good idea to talk to local cops to find out if there are any hate groups rising in the city like the American Renaissance, sometimes called the New Century Foundation. This group is based in Arlington, and it is a group that neighborhoods in the city need to be aware of.
These steps can help keep homes and entire neighborhoods a little safer, but there is always more that could be done. Find ways to cooperate with the police department to help keep this welcoming Arlington city a place with open arms.