The primary purpose of the McGruff Safe House program is to identify homes to serve as a safe refuge for children who are frightened, injured lost, in danger, crime victims, or in an emergency situation.

Who Should Apply?

     1. Persons having children in elementary school

     2. Young married adults without children

     3. Parents of high school age youth

     4. Area businesses

     5. Anyone who resides in an elementary school attendance area

How to become a McGruff Safe House

     1. Complete the McGruff Safe House Application

     2. Pass the extensive law enforcement background check

     3. A site visit and security survey will be conducted by a law   enforcement security inspector and a C.P.T.E.D. (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) evaluation and photos will be taken for the file

     4. A pre-numbered McGruff Safe House Sign will be issued after completion of the process

Membership is reviewed and renewed annually. Contact Captain McHone at the Prosper Police Department for additional information

972-347-9002

Do they work?

Measuring the effectiveness of McGruff Houses is a difficult task; there`s really no way to do it. McGruff Houses are used an average of once or twice every two years, though providers don`t necessarily track each use accurately. A participant may run a McGruff House for years without a single use. The important thing is to make sure kids feel safe in the neighborhoods.  

Neighborhood Watch is one of the oldest and most effective crime prevention programs in the country, bringing citizens together with law enforcement to deter crime and make communities safer. 

Neighborhood Watch can trace its roots back to the days of colonial settlements, when night watchmen patrolled the streets. The modern version of Neighborhood Watch was developed in response to requests from sheriffs and police chiefs who were looking for a crime prevention program that would involve citizens and address an increasing number of burglaries.

Launched in 1972, Neighborhood Watch counts on citizens to organize themselves and work with law enforcement to keep a trained eye and ear on their communities, while demonstrating their presence at all times of day and night. (The program took off quickly: in just ten years, NSA data showed that 12 percent of the population was involved in a Neighborhood Watch.) Neighborhood Watch works because it reduces opportunities for crime to occur; it doesn’t rely on altering or changing the criminal’s behavior or motivation. 

Tips

• Work with the police or sheriff’s office. These agencies are critical to a Watch group’s credibility and are the source of necessary information and training.

• Link up with your victims’ services office to get your members trained in helping victims of crime.

• Hold regular meetings to help residents get to know each other and to decide upon program strategies and activities.

• Consider linking with an existing organization, such as a citizens’ association, community development office, tenants’ association, or housing authority. They may be able to provide an existing infrastructure you can use.

• Canvass door-to-door to recruit members.

• Ask people who seldom leave their homes to be “window watchers,” looking out for children and reporting any unusual activities in the neighborhood.

• Translate crime and drug prevention materials into Spanish or other languages needed by non-English speakers in your community. If necessary, have a translator at meetings.

• Sponsor a crime and drug prevention fair at a church hall, temple, shopping mall, or community center.

• Gather the facts about crime in your neighborhood. Check police reports, conduct victimization surveys, and learn residents’ perceptions about crimes. Often, residents’ opinions are not supported by facts, and accurate information can reduce the fear of crime.

• Physical conditions like abandoned cars or overgrown vacant lots contribute to crime. Sponsor cleanups, encourage residents to beautify the area, and ask them to turn on outdoor lights at night.

• Work with small businesses to repair rundown storefronts, clean up littered streets, and create jobs for young people.

• Start a block parent program to help children cope with emergencies while walking to and from school or playing in the area.

• Emphasize that Watch groups are not vigilantes and should not assume the role of the police. Their duty is to ask neighbors to be alert, observant, and caring—and to report suspicious activity or crimes immediately to the police 

The Security Survey is the primary tool used in crime prevention to recognize, appraise and anticipate loss potential. A security survey is an in depth on-site examination of a physical residence or facility and its surrounding property (industrial plant, businesses, hospital, other public building, or a residence). The survey is conducted to determine a facility`s security status, to identify deficiencies or security risks, to define the protection needed, and to make recommendations to minimize criminal opportunity.

Home Inspections

The Texas insurance code has standards for home protection. Upon inspection by a certified inspector (available within the Prosper Police Department), the law allows for insurance rate reductions in an annual home insurance premium, in some cases as much as 20%. The Prosper Police Department provides home inspections to aid home owners in deterring burglary and theft by adhering to standards set by the State of Texas for homes

Business Security

The Prosper Police Department provides security surveys for local businesses. The surveys are conducted by certified Crime Prevention Officers,` Captain McHone and Officer Baxter. The business owner is provided with detailed and confidential survey results and information which include existing conditions and recommendations for: exterior lighting, fences, alarms, doors locks and a variety of other areas. The survey process includes interviews with the business owner, manager and employees. The security survey is confidential and the sole purpose is to evaluate the security of a business and provide improvement suggestions.

For additional information on Crime Prevention Services offered through the Prosper Police Department or to schedule an appointment, contact Captain McHone or Officer Baxter at 972-347-9002.

The annual Health and Safety Fair will be held on October 20th between 11am and 3pm at the Prosper High School. Vendors and representatives from a variety of local businesses and services will be present to provide useful information and services related to health and safety. This event is held yearly in an effort to support the Prosper community and raise funds which are used for community related improvements and projects. In past years, funds raised from the event have included purchasing play ground equipment and supporting the COPS for a Clause program. If you would like to participate as a volunteer please contact Captain Gary McHone at the Prosper Police Department. The fair will include food, drinks, a silent auction, car show and an opportunity to meet with the Prosper Police and Fire Departments.