One of the best deterrents to crime is
visibility, as it tends to increase the likelihood of a witness to
any activity. The Light Up the Night Campaign was designed to improve residents' sense of
security by increasing light on the streets. This campaign is
traditionally launched Halloween Night. However, over the years we
have expanded this to a year-round initiative.
We have all heard about turning lights on and off in our homes
while we are away in order to give the appearance of someone being
at home. This works on much the same principle. While it is true
most home break-ins happen during the day, some do occur at night.
Your risk of becoming a victim is reduced if your property is well
lit.
Most streets in our city have street lamps and a number of the back
lanes are lit as well. However you may have noticed that these
lights are provided for vehicles, not people. Particularly in
mature neighbourhoods, the boulevard trees tend to prevent this
light from reaching the public sidewalks. By turning on your front
and back lights, you not only provide pedestrian safety but you
increase visibility in your yard as well.
We encourage you to either install a motion-activated or
photosensitive spotlight to the exterior of your home. Motion
activated lights are more common but some individuals have reported
that the constant on and off lighting often created more
anticipation of problems. Whichever you choose, the cost is only
pennies a month. You acquire peace of mind while saving the
financial and emotional costs of being a potential victim of
crime.
The final benefit of this program is, that in the event a police or
emergency response is required at your home, a neighbour's light
will help them to identify the home address much more
quickly.
