Security
Ideas Away From the Courthouse for Judges, Spouses, and Family (cont)
Home Security Strategies
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Using a home security system. Consulting Consumer Reports and local experts. The signal from your home should feed into an answering service capable of processing your call quickly. Some systems cause unnecessary delays because they receive too many other calls or excessive other accounts such as physicians’ answering services.
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Using an intercom system to answer the door. If a litigant appears at your door, explaining that the judge in your household can meet with them only at the office during office hours.
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Considering whether to have an audible or silent duress alarm.
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First looking through a peephole or knowing who is on the other side before answering the door. Avoiding opening your door to a stranger. Covering any glass panel next to your front door.
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Keeping a cellular telephone close at hand and/or by your bed.
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Using security lighting at your home.
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Installing deadbolt locks
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Living in a gated community or building or at the end of a street or cul-de-sac.
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Not using your name on your mailbox or lamppost.
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Having dogs. Posting “Beware of the Dog” signs.
- Listening to your pet birds,
who are typically hypersensitive to the sounds of strangers.
Mail
and Newspaper Safety
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Never opening suspicious packages. Calling law enforcement or the U.S. Postal Service if packages or letters arrive with grease marks or no return address. Calling the U.S. Postal Service for speakers or a flier describing bombs in the mail.
- When going out of town, making arrangements with others to have your mail and newspapers secured.
Campaign Precautions
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Arranging for security at parades, dinners, and events.
- Taking someone along for door-to-door campaigning.
- Avoiding riding in parades unless there are provisions made for security and crowd control.
- Appearing at campaign fundraising events only when you have arranged for security. Considering control of admission by invitations or limited ticket sales or distribution.
- Not personally posting or removing your campaign signs if you can have someone else do it for you.
- Avoiding use of your residence address on any campaign material.
- Limiting your campaign signs at your residence or bumper stickers on your personal vehicles.