Violent crime is on the rise in Chicago and one group of volunteers is out to help everyone feel safer. This past Sunday, CCL Shul Members hosted an in-person and zoom, home defense, and safety seminar for more than 100 people.
Since October 2nd there have been at least 5 armed robberies and 2 involved shootings in Rogers Park, the heart of the Jewish Community in Chicago. Chicago Police Officers are recommending to not travel alone and to practice situational awareness.
As the pandemic continues the senses of fear and separation widen. But long before the pandemic, Concerned Citizens League Shul Members, a 501c3 nonprofit, was working to foster safety through community engagement. To push away the fear of the unknown and focus on ways to educate and protect, CCL Shul Members believe knowledge is power.
The seminar, entitled “Defending Your Castle” was led by their Shul Security Director Craig Lawrence CPP CAS, a security and counter-terror assessment veteran, with more than 25 years of service. The conference discussed the 5 core elements of a home security strategy. These are- deter, detect, deny, delay, and defend as well as tips and tactics to support each element. This included low-cost and realistic security equipment recommendations, up to date strategies for preventing and disrupting home invasions and robberies, and how to integrate security cameras, panic buttons, and self-defense weapons into your home security plan.
Mr. Lawrence emphasized the necessity of making the risk for the criminal higher than the reward. “Each layer of defense makes you a less attractive target.” Those small steps can make a huge difference in keeping your home and family safe, and your peace of mind intact.
The seminar, which was free to community members, is available as a digital recording. For more information about this and other CCL programs such as “Stop the Bleed"- how to tie a tourniquet to save a life- visit CCLShulMembers.org.
CCL Shul Members is a non-profit organization founded in 2016 to empower the Jewish community to protect and defend their homes, shuls, and communities through training, education, information sharing, security awareness, preparedness & support.
