Community Safety Tips and Tricks
from the Butchers Hill Safety Committee

This collection is going to sound like a complete paranoid’s guide to city life and of course no one has the time, skill, and interest to apply all of these ideas, but some may be useful to you, some not.

Remember that most people out there are good, helpful, and kind. Living in a state of fear isn’t going to help you, just be in the moment and be aware of your surroundings.  Know where you are, where you are going, and be prepared for what might happen.

 Calling 911

• If ever you feel threatened or unsafe, call 911.

• There is no stigma or charge for calling 911.

• Know how to call 911 quickly with your phone, if possible, without taking it out of your pocket and messing with it.

• 911 will geolocate you but knowing where you are is helpful too.

• 911 will triage you towards the services that you need.

• 911 will also help build up safety statistics useful for balancing community response resources.

 Before Leaving Your House

• Always tell someone where you are going. Write down or leave word of where you are going. 

• Consider what you are wearing and what you are carrying, does it make you a target, is it necessary?

• Bring a small, simple flashlight, not one that is complicated to operate.

• Bring some kind of noisemaker like a whistle kept in an easy to get to place.

• Secure and hide any valuables you have on your person if you must take valuables with you.

• Consider wearing a jacket or outer garment which can provide cover for handbags, jewelry, and your pockets.  An outer garment also makes you harder to search and makes for more storage space for whistles, flashlights, and other safety gear.

• Consider making a key chain for the times you go out without driving - just your house key and perhaps a whistle.  If you don’t need to take your car keys with you, don’t.  Your car keys can be used to find and steal your car if you lose your keys or they are taken from you.

• Consider a smaller “going out” wallet or purse that doesn’t provide every one of your credit and ID cards to a thief.

• Before you leave your house, check each way up and down the street and the sidewalks and on both sides.  Observe what’s going on, what is moving?

• Scan the cars parked in front of your stoop, is anyone in them?

• Are there any pedestrians / runners / dog walkers who could assist you if you needed help?  Consider waiting until there are other people or traffic present.

• Dwell for ten seconds in your doorway to get the resonance outside.

• If you have security cameras inside, scan those before proceeding out of your house.

 Walking to Your Car

• When walking to your car, do not use your key fob to unlock your car doors until you have reached your car.  A car turning on and unlocking draws attention to itself and to you walking towards it, particularly if it also activates its headlights.

• Instead, keep your finger near your key fob’s alarm button – if it has one – as this can draw attention, distract, or dissuade someone intercepting you if it is triggered.

• Look inside your car as you approach it.

• If your car allows you to open the driver’s side door by pulling on the latch when you have a key fob nearby, use that method.  This usually just unlocks the driver’s door (safer) and draws little attention.

• Once inside your car, lock the doors and leave.  Do not sit in your car any longer than you have to.  A person sitting in their car texting or fiddling with the radio is an easy target for carjacking.

 Arriving Home By Car

• Upon arriving home in your car, do not be observed hiding stuff in your trunk, do that before you get home.

• Upon arriving home in your car, quickly exit and lock your car, do not sit in your car attracting unwanted visitors.  People sitting in cars are a prime target for carjacking.

• Lock your car doors, preferably without a horn beep.

• If you arrive home late at night and are unsure of parking, let someone know when you are nearby.

  • Can they step out their door and watch over you as you park?

  • If they have a dog, can you stop by and pick it up for the walk home? (The dog will love you for this)

  • Can you pick them up and you both safely walk back home? 

  • Let them know when you have safely gotten home.

 While Walking

• While walking, stay alert.  Observe what is ahead of you on both sides.  Look for people who may be sitting in cars or on stoops or standing in alcoves and doorways.

• Walk confidently at a steady pace on the side of the street facing traffic.

• Do not wear earphones while walking alone, you really need your hearing.

• If you insist on wearing earbuds, only wear them on one side so that you can still hear what is happening around you.

• Do not walk engaged in a cellphone, you are an open target and you might trip or get hit by cars.

• If you must use a cellphone to navigate, glance at it and then return it to a pocket or look at it in safer areas where there are people present.

• Talking on a cellphone while walking does not usually dissuade criminals.

• If you have to take a call on a cellphone, back up to a wall or a building.

• If it is really late and people aren’t about, walk down the center of the street – avoiding cars of course.  Most criminals are not used to engaging someone in the street and they lose the element of surprise. You also have more escape routes available and can potentially flag down drivers.

• Flag down public transportation including the JHU shuttles if you feel you need help, bus drivers are a helpful resource with dispatch radios. 

• At night, stay in well-lit areas as much as possible.

• Walk in groups when you can. Predators like to prey upon people that are alone.

• If you cannot walk in a group, tailgate a group or another person to give the appearance you are not alone.

• Use reflections off of windows and cars and shadows to watch for motion.  This is particularly useful at blind intersections driving and walking.

• Be especially careful approaching and rounding the corners of structures so as to not be startled or to startle.

• At night, never walk within arm’s reach of a doorway, an open garage, a parked car with someone in it, an alleyway, etc. Anywhere where someone could conceivably grab you and pull you inside is somewhere you want to stay a fair distance from when you are walking past.

• Take a pet with you when you walk.

• If you need cash while out, consider an ATM inside a store instead of outside.  Observe who is observing you take out money.

• Trust your instincts and change your route if you sense that you are in danger – there is no shame in crossing the street to avoid something or someone that is worrying you.

• If you think you are being followed, change directions or cross the street.  If you are still being followed look for a store or a building to enter for safe haven and call 911. 

• If you wear a purse, wear your purse crossbody, with the bag itself sitting in front of your body.  Keep your hand resting on top of the bag.

• If you are going to carry mace or some other defensive spray, make sure you know how to use it so that you don’t gas yourself in a panic.

• Carry a cell phone, whistle, or personal alarm to summon emergency assistance.

• Don’t acknowledge or respond to verbal harassment.

• Avoid displaying jewelry (chains, medallions, rings, expensive watches, etc.)

• Always carry some form of personal identification (including medical ID bracelets, if applicable) that includes a point of contact in case of emergency.

• Avoid eye contact with persons exhibiting erratic behavior, greet everyone else with a smile.

• Take a photo of the license plate and/or taxi license of any taxi / Uber / Lyft car you get it. Make it obvious that you are doing this. Send it to a trusted friend or family member. 

• Stop at the curb or edge of the road before crossing, never run into the street.

• Look and listen for traffic to the left, then to the right, and then to the left again.

• Cross at the street corner and walk in crosswalks. Obey the traffic signals and signs. Keep looking while crossing the street.

• Cross streets at crosswalks or intersections whenever possible; this is where drivers expect pedestrians.

• Be visible at all times when walking along roads; wear bright clothing during the day, and wear reflective materials or use a flashlight when walking at night.

• Always watch out for cars. The drivers may not see pedestrians or yield right of way.

• Never assume a driver sees you; make eye contact with drivers as they approach you to make sure you are seen.

• Watch for scooters and bikes too, they are harder to see and are becoming more common on Baltimore’s streets – they also often do not follow traffic laws and drive on sidewalks.

• Watch for cars entering or exiting driveways or backing up in parking lots.

• Never go between parked cars to cross the street.

• If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic and as far from traffic as possible.

• As you approach your house on foot, have your house keys ready, don’t stand in front of your door searching for your keys.

• Enter your home quickly and lock the door behind you.

 Your Car

• Never leave anything of value in your car, particularly where it is visible.

• Cars have been broken into for visible change, pens, smokes, food, and empty boxes.

• A visible cell phone charging cable is an invitation to break in and search for the cellphone.

• Stuff that looks like it is hidden under sheets / blankets is an invitation to discover what is hidden.

• A car door left unlocked will be quickly found and your car ransacked, stolen, or slept in.

• Consider disabling the honk beep that some cars emit when remotely locked, this can draw attention to the availability of you, your keys, and your car.  If you do use a horn beep, do it from a considerable distance away, not while next to your car.

• If you drive a make of car like a Honda with airbags popular with thieves, buy a $30 steering wheel lock that covers the air bag.

• Steering wheel locks really do deter car theft, are cheap, and are quite easy to use.

• At home, consider keeping your key fobs in a small metal box or a cheap RFID proof bag, thieves have access to inexpensive technology that can use nearby key fobs to remotely open nearby cars.

 While Driving

• When approaching stopped traffic, leave sufficient room in front of your car (one car length) to be able to change lanes and escape a “box in.”

• Beware of situations where your car may be tapped from behind to get you out of your car and your car available for theft. (look for cars working in pairs)

• Know where the hospitals are and how to get to them.

• Drive-through ATMs are a bad idea at night.

• Be observant to people in distress.

• Always keep your car doors locked and windows rolled up.

• Keep valuables in the trunk and out of view.

• Park in well-lit areas.

• Consider simple GPS tracking devices such as Apple AirTags that the police can also use to track your car.

• Keep your vehicle and house keys on separate key chains.

• Never leave your vehicle unattended with keys in the ignition.

• Do not leave your vehicle running even if you have your key fob with you.  Vehicles with push button ignition and key fobs can still be driven without the key fob inside.  Thieves can drive these vehicles until they run out of gas.

• If you are confronted by a car jacker, give up your car and leave the scene quickly.

• Avoid physical / verbal confrontations with carjackers.

• If you have a child in the vehicle, let the carjacker know “My child is in the car.”

• When reporting, note details of the suspect and details about your car (license plate, make, model, color, noticeable features (e.g., sunroof, damage, bumper stickers)).

• Know your license plate number.

• Be firm but polite to those who approach your car wishing to sell materials or services that you do not want.

• Do not use cellphone payment methods for these services / materials (e.g., CashApp) or hand your cell phone to a purveyor.

• You may get ticketed for purchasing services/materials from unlicensed “vendors” while driving in Baltimore.

• Use 411 to report driving hazards, missing signs, etc.  Do this while parked!

It can be risky out there, but with good awareness of what is happening around you and a modicum of preparedness, you should be just fine.  Many of us have lived here for years without any trouble.

Finally: Believe that young people are the future and are not the enemy.