Archive for February, 2009

In your neighborhood, do you feel safe? Thanks to the University of West Florida, women just like you can start feeling more secure walking home, on campus, or just about anywhere.

Women can learn realistic self-defense tactics and hands-on defense training at the University of West Florida’s next Rape Aggression Defense course beginning Feb. 28.Classes, taught by nationally certified instructors, educate women on rape awareness, prevention, risk reduction and risk avoidance, and teach basic self-defense techniques and training – an essential for a woman living in the West Florida region.

Many classes like these have sprung up across the nation in community centers and college campuses alike. Not only are women receiving self defense training, but some programs are now offering Self Defense Product Training where students can become educated on the proper protocol for using items like Pepper Spray. Call your local community center to find out what kinds of programs exist in your area.

The first two of the four-session classes will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 28 and March 1 at UWF. The cost is $15. To enroll or for more information, call Officer Wendy Boles at 474-3274.

The latest Census Bureau figures show 4.5% of the homes and 16.6% of the rental apartments and condos in Florida are vacant, among the highest rates in the nation. In south Florida alone, specifically Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, 3.6% of the homes are vacant, while 13.1% of the rental apartments sit empty. This high rate of vacancy has been found to be connected to a higher rate of burglary, especially in conjunction with the chaotic economy. We already now why burglars are searching for easy targets. Now we know where they are looking.

The foreclosures and empty homes can be a draw for burglars and thugs, who view the empty houses and condos as easy targets for stealing items like appliances, left behind personal property, glass, copper piping, or other materials that could be sold. The foreclosed properties are an issue for local law enforcement agencies also.

“It’s definitely a problem that we’ve seen and that we have to deal with. We did see an increase in homes that are foreclosed become targeted,” Sgt. Tom Gendreau with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said in an interview with a Florida media station.

Don’t let your neighborhood become a target for criminal activity. Start protecting yourself and your home with Self-Defense Products found at DefendWell.com. From Pepper Spray to safes, stun guns and focus training, DefendWell.com is here to help Florida homeowners like you protect their livelihood and send a clear message to burglars in your community: this behavior will not be tolerated.

When times get tough, people can expect to see a rise in crime, but just because there’s a rise doesn’t mean your business should be at risk. Do you feel safe with your current security systems? Do your employees feel safe working? Do you trust your employees to do their jobs, without worrying about them stealing?

If any of these things have crossed your mind, it may be time to start thinking about an innovative approach to security in your business. Hidden cameras just might be the thing you need to keep your assets protected from burglars or prying employees.

Designed to blend in naturally and discretely, the Hidden Cameras from DefendWell.com are ideal for placing near registers, doors, and windows to track criminal activity both on and off the job. Hidden inside common objects like Clocks, Pencil Sharpeners, or even Thermostats, these innovative security cameras can capture the evidence you need to bring criminals to justice.

In recent article featured in the Kenyon College campus newspaper, students voiced their take on a recent incident involving students and campus safety officers. The staff editorial reports:

“Safety officers are employed to protect students from the harm of outsiders, other students and the effects of substance abuse, but sometimes, it is the students who cause harm, and in these cases, our Safety officers deserve the right to defend themselves. Last year, when students attacked Safety officers, the officers should have had the option of using pepper spray to protect themselves. We are not definitively asserting that the officers should have used pepper spray in those situations, or even that they would have, but we believe that they deserved the right to decide, in that instance, how to defend themselves.”

With campus incidents on the rise, it’s important for security and safety professionals to recognize and understand the risks that are associated with protecting those they serve. Safety is a dangerous job – but someone has to do it. For the men and women in the security and law enforcement industries, DefendWell.com is here to provide you with Self Defense Products like Pepper Spray to increase on-the-job safety. In addition, DefendWell.com is proud to support those who put their lives and safety on the line every day to protect the rights that we hold so dear. Do something for your campus or community. Support law enforcement self defense tactics.