Melrose Police Department

Working to Make Melrose a Safer Place

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You are here: Home / Safety Tips

Safety Tips

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Home Security Self-Assessment and Safety Tips

The Melrose Police Department is committed to your home security. Prevention is the key to keeping homes and apartments secure. Please download the following checklists and tips, and use them to safeguard your home.

  • Residential Security Checklist
  • Apartment Security Checklist
  • Residential Security Tips

Is your House Number Clearly Visible?

Many people do not have house numbers at all, or have house numbers that are not clearly visible from the street.  This makes it difficult for Police, Fire and EMS vehicles to find your house in an emergency.  Here are some tips to properly display your house number:

  • Place large, easy to read numbers on an area of your house most visible from the street.
  • If your house is set back from the street, make sure you have numbers on a mailbox, post, or fence etc.
  • Make sure the material you use will not fade or wear easily from weather.
  • Choose colors that will not blend into the background they are displayed on.

Safety Posters

  • Car Safety
  • Safe Sleep
  • Water Safety
  • Window Safety

General Safety Tips

  • Pay close attention to your surroundings.
  • Walk with a purpose; project an assertive, business-like image.
  • Use common sense; plan your route to avoid dark parking lots, garages and alleyways.
  • Use well-lit outdoor areas.
  • Develop a plan before you see trouble.  Crossing a street or entering a store may get you out of a potentially bad situation.
  • If a car follows you or beckons you while you are walking, do not approach it. Instead, turn and quickly walk the opposite direction and call the police for assistance.
  • Carry minimal items; overloading yourself can make you appear vulnerable.
  • Walking – Jogging Safety Tips

Spot and Avoid Potential Trouble

  • Be aware of your surroundings and know who is around you.
  • Pay attention to the instinctive feelings that often warn us of potential danger.
  • Do not be afraid to cross the street, return to a business, or ask for help based on a “funny feeling”.

Melrose Alert Program

  • The Council on Aging and the Melrose Police Department have joined to create a recovery plan designed to provide rapid response in locating cognitively impaired residents (of any age) who have been reported missing.
  • Residents with a loved one suffering from a servious cognitive impairment are encouraged to register their loved one. Registration forms may be downloaded at www.cityofmelrose.org/alertform.
  • Please submit the completed registration form to the Melrose Police Department in person or by mail at 56 West Foster Street Melrose MA 02176

Home and Neighborhood Safety

Neighbors working together and staying alert, can really help improve the safety of a neighborhood.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERANeighborhood Security encompasses a lot of different ideas and strategies. However, the unifying element is the need for neighbors to work both as individuals and as a coordinated team.

If your neighborhood is having chronic problems with nuisances such as noise and speeding, or more serious problems such as drug or gang activities, you are not powerless to change the situation. The immediate role of the police is to respond to criminal activity, but when a situation is part of a recurring problem, active neighbors help investigations and allow police to take further action.

Your response can, as well as that of your neighbor, make a difference. Often times the partnership between neighbors and police are required to resolve the problem.

Going on Vacation?

Sunset_on_Hawaii_VacationVacations are more enjoyable when you have taken the necessary precautions to secure your home while you are away.

Everyone looks forward to taking vacations. Unfortunately, this can be an opportune time for a burglar to strike, especially if there are obvious signs that your home is unoccupied. Whether gone for a day or a couple of weeks, take the following precautions:

  • Download the Vacation House Watch form, fill it out, and return it to the Melrose Police Department prior to going on vacation.
  • Check all doors and windows to make sure they are securely locked. If any locks need to be replaced or reinforced, make these improvements before you leave.
  • Use automatic timers on interior lights. A timer can also be used on a portable radio.
  • Use motion sensors on exterior lights. These devices will “automatically” turn lights on/off depending on the level of darkness.
  • If you will be gone for an extended period of time, arrange to have your lawn mowed. It is also a good idea to ask a neighbor to park a car in your driveway and to use your garbage container.
  • Make sure that items such as children’s toys, ladders, lawn furniture, etc. are put away.
  • A trusted neighbor should be informed of your vacation plans; when you are leaving and expected return date. Leave a key with a trusted friend or neighbor so that the position of curtains, blinds can be changed. Also if you don’t cancel newspapers and postal delivery, ask them to pick up and place in the house.
  • Inform trusted neighbors on all four sides of when you’ll be gone so that a complete look-out is maintained. Be selective, however, in announcing your plans to anyone else.
  • If you have an alarm system, make sure it’s activated when you leave. Leave the alarm key with a neighbor and show them how to turn the system on and off.

Melrose PD News

Photos: Officer Al Brown Attends Super Bowl Parade with NEMLEC Motorcycle Unit

As part of the annual call to NEMLEC from the Boston Police Department, the NEMLEC Motorcycle Unit was on scene at the Patriots Super Bowl Parade in Boston on Feb 5. Melrose Police Officer Alan Brown was part of the team that attended.

Main Street Reopened

Both lanes of Main Street are now open.

More News and Press Releases

NEMLEC Member Community
Member: North Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council

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From the Chief

Melrose Police Chief Michael L. Lyle On behalf of the Melrose Police Department, I would like to thank you for visiting our brand new website. It is my honor to serve you as the Chief of Police. I take great pride in working with the dedicated men and women of our department who are protecting and serving this community.
Respectfully,

Chief Michael L. Lyle

Mission Statement

The Melrose Police Department pledges to maintain the highest standards of integrity, ethics, excellence and teamwork in the performance of our mission while at the same time protecting the Constitutional rights of the citizens. Read More.

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Melrose Police

Welcome to the brand new Melrose Police Department website! We are working hard to make Melrose a safer place to live, work, and grow!

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Contact Us

Melrose Police Department

Chief Michael L. Lyle

56 West Foster Street
Melrose, MA 02176

Police Business: 781-665-1212
Media Inquiries: 617-993-0003
Fax: 781-979-4213

In Case of Emergency, Dial 911

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