Do You Feel Safe?

We have had an interesting day. After school my daughter got a call from her friend. Clearly distraught, she told my daughter that someone had broken into her house and they were still there. After calming her down and staying on the phone until her mother arrived we called 911. (we couldn't confirm whether or not the mother had already called).

After having a sick day at home I quickly got some jeans on and took my daughter to be with her friend while the RCMP investigated. As I listened to interviews being conducted and neighbors asking what happened it was interesting to me that even in a real emergency situation, both my daughters friend and her older brother did not think or know to call 911 FIRST before calling the parents.

After the investigation was finished we brought the friend over to our house to spend the night. The little girls dad was grateful that her daughter could go somewhere to take her mind off of what has just happened.

While chatting with one of the officers , the officer said something that really stuck with me. He said that although it sucks that there were things stolen out of the house, the worst part is that this family no longer feels safe in a place that is supposed to be safe.

When you think about where you live.. the street... your living room... maybe even your bedroom... it is a place that is supposed to be your haven.. your place of rest from the outside world. When that place has been invaded.. the trust you have in your home to keep you safe... how do you get that back? Can this family ever have peace again or are they always going to wonder if something worse is going to happen?

As my daughter and I were chatting on the way home we both concluded that the fear that her friend must have felt walking into a house that still had the thief inside would be more than terrifying. It really makes me think about my own personal safety. I have to remind myself that something like this is always possible but that I cannot and will not live in fear.

If you or someone you know is interested in crime prevention strategies both for your home and neighborhood there are a few resources out there that can help. There is Neighborhood Watch in Red Deer. Also a friend of mine (Steve) does security consulting. You can visit his website at www.targetcrime.ca.