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Security Tips
By: Howard Bookstaff, Hoover Slovacek LLP
Security Tips
Your residents aren’t the only people whose safety and well being you should keep in mind. Try these ideas to keep yourself and your staff safer.
By Howard Bookstaff
Hoover Slovacek LLP
HAA General Counsel
and Doug Anders
Houston Police Department
The recent shooting of a Houston apartment manager is a chilling reminder to us all that we live in a dangerous world. It is unfortunate that we live in a society in which we all have genuine security concerns. Although the apartment business can be a rewarding one, it is not without risks. We have come up with this list of security tips to help you minimize potential problems.
Adopt and Practice a Safety Plan
Although there will always be some situations that are unavoidable, many situations can be easier to deal with if you are prepared. You may wish to employ the services of a security expert to assist you in this matter. Law enforcement agencies offer many programs through their community services units that can assist you in developing strategies to address issues in the workplace or on the property with the desired effect of decreasing exposure to crime and to manage risks. The services of law enforcement agencies are free and are not provided to sell particular products but rather to define risks and allow you to decide how to address the risks.
A basic risk assessment and response plan need not be difficult to enact. Often, recommendations from consultants will list the issues to be addressed and offer various suggestions to lessen the risk. But remember: Although risks may be identified, there are always circumstances which may result in the strategies in effect to be revoked.
However, if you can deter 70 to 80 percent of the risk exposure, then you have attempted to reasonably address the issue.
Strategies can be designed from the most simplistic of measures to more elaborate measures that might be considered the “Cadillac” of efforts. Often, starting out with simple efforts can help you reinforce and set the groundwork for the more complex risk reduction strategies.
There are several strategies to consider in order to reduce exposure to risk. No industry standards exist in this area, and the different strategies suggested are merely food for thought. Whether you want to implement a particular strategy will depend upon your resources and comfort level.
Report threats or assaultive behavior to local law enforcement
Remember to call the non-emergency number if the threat is not imminent. Within the Houston city limits, the number is 713-884-3131. If a disturbance or situation requires immediate assistance, call 911. When calling 911, do not hang up. An open line provides responders with information; if necessary place the line off the hook and speak loudly so the dispatcher can hear what is going on. Response for 911 hang-ups is less than response for 911 with an open line. Dispatchers are trained to listen for sounds in the background.
Even if one call to the police doesn’t get the desired response, it is beneficial to create a record that you have made the complaint. If you try to evict the resident based upon crime-related conduct but have not even called the police, the resident will attempt to argue that the conduct was not as bad as you have made it out to be.
Communicate your safety plan for the office staff
Be sure all staff members are included. We all know that when a leasing consultant shows an apartment unit, he or she should identify the prospective resident and make a copy of the prospect’s driver’s license or leave the license in the office while showing the unit.
Leave word at the office
When showing an apartment, leave a voice mail message on a coworker’s phone with the prospective resident’s information. Include the date and time.
Develop safe words
This is an old child safety tip. Have a key word or name that you can give to coworkers that alerts the coworker to a serious situation. The alert prompts a response. An example would be that you might develop a code to call “Mr. Jones” when you have a difficult resident in the office. This would tell others that you need someone to come to the office. Another example would be that you could have a code to call “Mr. Atlas” when a resident becomes hostile and you fear violence. This might mean that you want someone to call 911.
Old technology can be useful
In the recent tragedy at Virginia Tech, the school sent e-mail alerts to students. Many students did not get the e-mails but heard the order from police and campus loudspeakers to take shelter. Use of inexpensive walkie-talkies for on premise staff can alert staff of urgent situations.
Develop an evacuation plan
Flee to fight another day. Establish a safe area and a method to alert employees.
“Target-harden” the business office
Have a waiting area for visitors. This can be a secured area but need not be. The area should be visible not only from the interior of the office but also the exterior.
Identify visitors. Is this really a UPS or FedEx person, or is this a person with brown clothes? Is the person nervous or agitated? Has this person presented a problem in the past? You might need someone else in the office. If you suspect that a person might be a future problem, alert all employees to the situation. This applies especially to the person who has issues on the weekend; the weekend staff should inform the weekday personnel.
Consider having single-cylinder dead bolt locks placed on interior offices or rooms to provide a barrier to deter or delay entry. This not only provides additional security against burglary at night but provides the ability to close and lock a door to provide a margin of safety in the event of violence. If possible, have a safe room with a secondary outside exit. Consider electric door locks to provide limited access. This can be accompanied by video surveillance allowing the person in the office to identify the person requesting entry prior to allowing him or her to come in. Video surveillance can provide a leg up by allowing a manager to see who and what may be occurring before the situation arrives at the office. Camera placement, the type of camera and monitoring are important matters to be considered.
Adopt a zero-tolerance policy in dealing with problem residents
The idea behind adopting a zero-tolerance policy is to attempt to head off problems before they become more serious. You should not have to put up with inappropriate behavior. If a resident defaults under the lease, you have the right to terminate the resident’s right to possession by giving a notice to vacate. If a resident is accused of drug activity or exhibits threatening conduct, don’t wait for violent behavior to escalate. Issue a notice to vacate.
Consider giving a one-day notice to vacate
Texas law requires that a three-day notice to vacate be given unless the lease says otherwise. If you use a TAA lease, the lease provides that a 24-hour notice to vacate can be given in the event of a default. If you choose this route, be careful. To avoid Fair Housing concerns, one-day notices should be given on a consistent basis under the same or similar circumstances.
Stay out of harm’s way
Whenever possible, use reason and common sense to avoid potentially dangerous situations. If you are serving a notice to vacate to a resident who has exhibited threatening conduct, don’t serve the notice alone. Take someone with you. If the situation warrants, ask law personnel force for assistance.
If you have security concerns, call the police
If you have security concerns, you should do what you tell residents to do: Call the police. In the event of an emergency, call 911. You cannot guarantee or represent that residents will be safe at your property. Similarly, nobody can guarantee that you will be safe at your property. Law enforcement personnel should be contacted if you are need of police protection.
Get to know the police in your area
If you can establish a relationship with the police patrolling in your area, they will have a better understanding of your needs. Cooperate in any way you can with police investigation of crimes at your property. Once you establish credibility with the police, you will have a better shot at police cooperation when you are in need of security services.
This article first appeared in the June 2007 issue of ABODE, the Houston Apartment Association magazine, and is reprinted with HAA’s permission. Howard Bookstaff, Hoover Slovacek LLP, is the association’s general counsel. See www.hooverslovacek.com for more information.
Here are the pull quotes, should you choose to incorporate them into your layout:
Even if one call to the police doesn’t get the desired response, it is beneficial to create a record that you have made the complaint.
If you suspect that a person might be a future problem, alert all employees to the situation.
If a resident is accused of drug activity or exhibits threatening conduct, don’t wait for violent behavior to escalate. Issue a notice to vacate.
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