Blog November 18, 2016 How to Protect Your Property from Protesters The idea of protesting has been around for years. We’ve seen everything from peaceful protesters to violent riots. Although these events are not often, as a property manager, it’s always good to be prepared for events such as these. You never know when your property could be at risk. Here are a few ways to protect your property and tenants from such acts. Build on Community Awareness and Communication Reach out to your tenants as well as other neighboring areas of your community as early as possible and let them know that there may be some protesters in the area. Not everyone watches the news so your insight may be more valuable than you think. Approach everyone in a calm manner and politely inform them of that matter at hand. Let them know that you’re prepared to call the police if necessary and remind them to lock their doors and windows in case things get out of hand. The other importance of communicating with your tenants is that they may also have information that you are not aware of that can help you elaborate more in-depth with the next person you speak to. Clean Up! One of the best ways to prepare for potential protesters near your building is to make sure all valuable items are put away or locked in a safe place. The more items you have out; the higher risk you take in something getting damaged or stolen. Have your tenants park their cars in their garage or other safe parking areas. Make sure your mailboxes are emptied so that no important information goes missing. Put away anything of value such as a bicycle or children’s toys. Set Up Proper Warning Signs Since many protesters use signs to express how they feel, it wouldn’t hurt to create a few signs of your own. Place a couple of signs around your property saying “No Loitering” or “No Trespassing”. This may be a subtle approach but you never know – people may respect your wishes. Security Cameras Installing a few cameras around the main areas of your location can help identify what exactly happened and at what time. Although cameras can’t physically protect your property, they can still provide clear proof as to what happened and who did what. They can also capture important information like vehicle license plates, description details of an individual or any other valuable information. Hire Security Guards If you don’t already have property security, now may be a good time to look into it, even if it is only for a specific amount of time (like during an event or rally). The best part about hired security guards is that you’d have trained eyes protecting your property. You wouldn’t have to worry about any robotic alarms and triggered censors going off. The guards know exactly how to respond to any alerts and are solely focused on making sure your tenants and property are unharmed at all times. While some may expect protesting to be peaceful, history has revealed how reckless and dangerous it can get. Be aware of your neighborhood news and be prepared for all levels of protesting. In case of an emergency, don’t hesitate to dial 911 or call your local police department. This article was written by Justin LaRocque (Marketing Communications Manager) for Planned Companies, the industry leaders in janitorial, maintenance, concierge/front desk, and security services in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Catering to both residential and commercial properties, we proudly provide services throughout New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC. For more information about our services, please visit our website at www.plannedcompanies.com or call us at 888-706-8600.