VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Virginia State Police held a Suspicious Activity Recognition and Reports presentation in Virginia Beach on Wednesday.
Held at Altmeyer Funeral Homes, state police officers informed community members on how to detect suspicious actions before a crime happens.
"We're trying to give citizens the tools that they can use to help better protect themselves," said Lieutenant Austin White with the Virginia State Police.
While Wednesday's event focused on protecting places of worship, Lieutenant White says the same awareness can be applied to homes and businesses.
Homeowners should be cautious of people asking for information and keep an eye out for strangers who appear to be surveying their neighborhood.
Lieutenant White says even someone taking pictures can be a precursor to an organized crime.
"A beautiful building, lots of people may take pictures of that, but why would they take pics of the bus stop down at the corner of that building?" said White. "Now there may be a very valid reason for that, suspicious activity doesn't mean anything illegal is happening, but being able to recognize those things, and to articulate that, and to be able to report that to police is important."
Lieutenant White also says not enough people know about their Crime Prevention Specialists.
For completely free, the Virginia State Police will come to your home and assess it for potential threats.
Crime prevention specialists will look at everything from locks, to lighting, and even what type of plants surround a home. Those interested can contact local law enforcement.
Groups can also request suspicious activity training through the Virginia State Police. The Virginia Fusion Center outreach group will come to housing development, schools, churches, and more to teach the community how to detect crime before it happens.
