Want to talk to an officer? Call Det. Seth Meyer at 913/385-4657. Download Crime Prevention Tips [PDF]

General

1. Always keep your garage door, interior door and front door closed and locked, even when at home. It only takes a moment for a burglar to enter your home and take something.
2. Lock your windows, doors and use your alarm system when both home and away.
3. If you park your vehicle outside overnight, remove your garage door opener from view. Burglars could use it to enter your home while you sleep.
4. Place your purse/wallet in a location that is out of view. Burglars are known to look into homes prior to breaking in to see what they can take.
5. Participate in the Operation Identification Program. Record the serial and model numbers to your electronics, remove any irreplaceable items from your home and place them in a safety deposit box if applicable.
6. If going on vacation, have a neighbor watch your home and pick up the mail and newspapers and participate in the Housewatch Program offered by the Prairie Village Police Department.
7. Report suspicious activity when you see it without delay. There are officers on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to respond to your call.

Housewatch Program

Housewatch is a free program offered to Prairie Village and Mission Hills residents.

If you will be leaving your home unattended while out-of-town, simply contact the Police Department at 913/642-5151 or fill out the online form.

You will need to provide some information to the Police Dispatcher about your property. This information will be forwarded to patrol officers who will then perform random security checks of your residence while you're away.

Lighting - Benefits of Safety and Security Lighting

It is a well-known fact that satisfactory lighting is a very valuable deterrent to crime. Although any lighting might help reduce your risk of becoming a victim; the right lights, utilized properly, will be an extremely effective deterrent to burglars and other intruders and improve your home security.

• Lighting Options article [PDF] 

Avoiding Unwanted Door-To-Door Solicitors

Every year, officers respond to calls on annoying or overbearing door-to-door solicitors. Sometimes these calls result in the arrest of a solicitor who has not followed the guidelines set forth by City ordinances.

The following is a list of some of the guidelines solicitors must follow:

Solicitors Must Have a Permit

• Individuals must obtain a solicitation permit from the City prior to soliciting door-to-door.
• The solicitation permit will include a photo of the solicitor.
• This does not apply to charitable or political organizations.

"No Solicitors" Means No Solicitors

• A solicitor should not knock on the door or ring the doorbell for the purpose of selling a service or product for profit if the property is posted "No Solicitors."
• No solicitation stickers are available from the City Clerk's office.

Solicitors Must Follow Time Guidelines

• Solicitors may not solicit prior to 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m. or between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
• Solicitors must leave when asked by the homeowner or apartment dweller.

Solicitors Must Tell the Truth

• Solicitors cannot make any statements which misrepresent the purpose of their call, or use any plan or scheme which misrepresents their purpose.

By becoming familiar with the City's door-to-door solicitation ordinance, you can contact the Police Department when solicitors do not follow the rules.

Internet Safety For Kids

In many ways, the Internet is like a busy city. There are exciting things to see and do, good and bad areas to visit, and scary things that happen every day and often go unnoticed, all with the click of a mouse. Just as we teach our children to be "street smart" they also need to be "Internet Smart."

Here are a few tips to help make surfing the Web a fun and safe family activity.

Parents:

• Set reasonable rules and guidelines for your children on Internet usage and monitor what they are doing on-line. Post the rules near the computer and explain them to your children.
• Understand what on-line services your children use and know how to access them.
• Get to know your child's "on-line" friends just as you get to know any other friends.
• If possible, keep the computer in a common area of the house. Avoid putting the computer in your child's room. By doing this, you can monitor your children when they are using the computer.
• NEVER allow your child to arrange a face-to-face meeting with another computer user without parental permission. Teach your children that the Internet is a great information source for both kids and criminals.

Everyone:

• When utilizing a chat room or bulletin board, never give out identifying information such as your name, address, telephone number, school address, or other personal information.
• Never respond to messages that are suggestive, obscene, belligerent, threatening, or make you uncomfortable. Teach children to report these types of messages to you. In turn, your local police agency should be contacted to make a report.

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