HOME DEFENSE

YOU DON'T NEED FANCY GEAR. RELY ON BASIC GUNS AND PROVEN DEFENSIVE MEASURES

- STEVEN PAUL BARLOW

Your home is your castle, but unless you have a moat, archers on the parapets, and a round table full of knights to defend it, you might have to consider other measures to stay safe in that home.

We should probably start with a word or two about general security measures. That's because the best home defense is not needing to defend it at all. Once an intruder is inside the home, bad things are likely to happen one way or another. I want to avoid that if possible, and you should too. So, let's try to keep the bad people out.

It's not a bad idea to do an assessment of your home. Do you have good locks on all the doors and windows? Do you have good outside lighting? Have you removed any objects outside the home that can be an improvised tool by a burglar to break into your home? Do you have blinds and drapes on your windows to keep your home from providing a nighttime show for spectators with ill intent?

Can you upgrade your home with a security system? It's well worth it if you can afford one. They do have an annoying tendency of going off during thunderstorms and family members don't always remember the security codes. I can't tell you how many hundreds of false alarm calls at residences that I responded to when I was a police officer. But an alarm system can be very effective at scaring off a burglar.

Today's security systems can be connected to your smartphone so that you can monitor what's happening on your property from anywhere.

TERO VESALAINEN/ DREAMSTIME.COM

The investment in good locks, solid doors, and a security system often seem like expenses that can be put off until sometime down the road. Once you have a break-in, however, it's amazing how that investment suddenly becomes a priority.

MAN'S BEST FRIEND