Police Hand Out Free LED Bulbs To Offer Residents More Protection
DENVER (CBS4) - Police in Denver say leaving your front porch light on may be the most effective way to protect your home.
"A lot of times the criminals or bad guys lurk in the darkness and keeping the lights on will get them to move on," said Denver Police Cmdr. Ron Saunier.
On Wednesday police in Denver's Capitol Hill neighborhood went door-to-door with community volunteers to deliver free LED light bulbs to homes that needed more light on the entryway. The program was organized after a commander in the Highlands neighborhood tried it as a cheap and effective way to reduce property crime.
"Bottom line in one precinct they had four crimes that occurred. The next four weeks they had zero," said Saunier.
Violent crime is relatively low in Denver, but police say property crime has ticked up.
Neighbors who volunteered with the program say the door-to-door introduction is a return to old school policing where police and residents know each other face-to-face.
"Building better relationships like this can start changing the tide," said Chris Chiari, a Capitol Hill resident. "We'll always need and have police officers. Let's make sure we know them so they're working with us and the communities they represent."
