Melanie Lentz
Secret Service agents may guard U.S. presidents and other high-profile individuals, but they also know a lot about protecting your own home—and everyone in it.
Just ask Melanie Lentz, one of the youngest female Secret Service agents ever—who, for nine years, served a range of foreign and U.S. dignitaries, including first lady Nancy Reagan. Today, she teaches Americans at large how to stay safe—from break-ins, burglaries, and other threats—using the same tactics that secure government buildings.
“Your home is like your White House,” explains Lentz, who recently published a book on this theme titled “Advance Work: A Personal Protection Assignment.” “You and your loved ones [can be protected] with the same vigilance the Secret Service gives to presidents and their immediate families.”
And fortunately, you don’t need an earpiece or a badge to implement a security plan at home. (Not that either would hurt.)
“You’re fully capable of making your home a safer haven for everyone with a handful of thoughtful adjustments,” says Lentz.
Here’s some easy-to-try advice you’ll be glad you know.
Melanie Lentz
Survey your surroundings
Your first step needs to be getting to know not just your house, but also the yard, driveways, streets, and environment around it.
“One of the first things I’d do is look at the exterior,” says Lentz, who, in her former line of work, would often survey buildings and locations prior to a presidential visit.
Questions she might ask that you should consider include: What cars do your neighbors drive? When are they home? When does the letter carrier usually come by? The practical application here is knowing the area around your home well enough that you’ll easily recognize when something doesn’t belong.
“Sometimes being a Secret Service agent felt like I was my great grandma sitting at her kitchen window with the binoculars,” says Lentz. “She knew all the info about all the neighbors. That’s the point. Inform yourself about what goes on outside your home on a daily basis because then, for example, you’ll be more likely to spot the unknown car canvassing the neighborhood for potential burglary targets.”
Assess all access points to your interior
After getting a feel for the exterior of a site, Lentz says she would head inside and do an “interior survey” in order to identify “vulnerable” places.
“Secret Service protection is all about access control and, when on duty, I would secure these access points with other agents and police,” says Lentz.
“In my own home, I can’t have agents posted at every window, door, and gate, of course. But I have other security measures ‘posted’ at those accessible locations.”
One of the first spots you should check are your doors and windows.
“Did you change the locks when you bought the house? Do all of your windows have locks? Does everyone in your house know how to operate them?” says Lentz.
Another instant security boost is to bolster your doors against forced entry with longer screws.
“Most door hinges and deadbolt locks come with short screws less than 1 inch long,” says Lentz. “Oftentimes these screws won’t even go completely through the door jam, which makes them easier to kick or knock open.”
Replacing these screws with 3-inch ones allows the hinges and locking mechanisms to be embedded into the actual door frame and studs, which creates a stronger hold that’s harder to break.
Adjust your habits in (and around) your house
Home security isn’t just about locks and alarms, but also your behavior within your house.
“One thing I learned as an agent is that no one is entitled to access to my house,” says Lentz. “I don’t have to answer the door just because someone knocks. I encourage people to get out of the habit of blindly responding to a doorbell. The Amazon, UPS, or FedEx driver will leave the package for you. Granting access is on my terms.”
Another smart security habit Lentz practices herself is to stay aware of your surroundings when nearing home—a time when criminals could easily pounce and gain entry. This means that while walking up to your door, tear your eyes away from your phone!
“I stay off my phone—calls or otherwise—when I get close to home,” Lentz says. “I don’t know of anyone who can carry on a telephone conversation and take in the surroundings thoroughly. My family and friends often hear me say, ‘Well, I’m getting close to home, so I’d better let you go.'”
Create your security plan
Once you’re informed about the “ins” and “outs” of your home and have recognized some vulnerabilities, start making a plan.
“You’re most likely not home 24/7, so installing a doorbell cam or exterior cameras at access points is a great start,” says Lentz. “My own home only has two doors. I have wireless security cameras ‘posted’ at those doors. Even if it’s simply a postal worker or another delivery person, I get a notification letting me know someone is close to an access point at home.”
Installing motion-sensor lighting is another security move.
“Lighting increases visibility, and that’s good for a couple of reasons,” Lentz explains. “First, when you’re at an access point at night, it allows you to be better aware of your surroundings. Second, it illuminates a potential intruder, which functions as a deterrent to someone not wishing to be seen.”
It’s also important to assess visual access to your house.
“As an agent, we called these potential ‘line of sight’ issues,” says Lentz. “When your blinds or curtains are open during the day, what is in plain view for anyone to see? If expensive jewelry or other desirable items are displayed, someone with visual access might try to gain physical access.”
Check “line of sight” issues for your yard, too.
“Does your yard face a main road? Are your bikes and outdoor valuables visible to someone on the street?” says Lentz. “I have a privacy fence at home, but something as simple as adding security slats to chain-link fences can decrease visibility enough to avoid drawing attention to your yard.”
Play the ‘what if’ game
While no one wants to live in a state of fear, it definitely pays with home security to think ahead of what’s the worst that could happen, then take steps to prevent it.
“As an agent, I gave myself ‘what if’ scenarios when creating a security plan,” says Lentz. For instance, “What if someone comes in the back door, how am I going to react? Or let’s say you wake up in the middle of the night and hear someone in your home. What would you do? Is your phone within reach to call 911? What is a heavy object like a dresser that could be moved in front of the door quickly to keep the intruder out? Think these things through ahead of time.”
The post A Former Secret Service Agent Reveals How To Protect Your Own Home appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.
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