The 2016 rankings are in and yet again, Plano, City of Excellence has been ranked among the top ten safest cities in the US. Just another reason we can be proud to say #WeArePlano
In fact, Plano, the country’s 70th largest city in the US (current population 275,000), ranks at #7, based on data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, and as published in Law Street Media’s “Crime in America 2016: Top 10 Safest Cities Over 200,000”.
But how can you make living in Plano even safer?
Here are a few pieces of advice from Crime Prevention Officer Mark Dawson, who presented a seminar on women’s safety at a recent Women’s Division Luncheon of the Plano Chamber of Commerce.
- Have a plan. If you absolutely must go out jogging alone after dark, or find yourself crossing a deserted parking lot for example, have a plan for what you would do in the unlikely instance something bad did happen. If you’re jogging you might take your dog or a weapon with you, or perhaps you could choose to have a pepper spray in your purse.
- Trust your instincts. If you do find yourself in a situation that makes you feel uncomfortable, has the hairs on the back of your neck sticking up on end… then do something about it! Call for help, ask someone to walk with you to your car. You can even call the police. Of course you can’t dial 911 to report a “funny feeling”, but you can report suspicious behavior, do that and you’ll find yourself in the company of the Plano Police who will be only to happy to diffuse the situation and help get your home safely.
- Make your home secure. Did you know the Plano Police offer a FREE service to come to your home and check it for security? Well now you do know – so give them a call and get your home checked. They will help you plan for an emergency, point out any insecurities and how to fix them, and generally help make you much safer in your home.
- Dialing 911 from a mobile phone. Despite the fact that Google Maps is capable of pinpointing our location, the 911 dispatch service cannot. This means that when you dial 911 from a mobile the first thing you need to do is state your location, that way if you get cut-off they can find you.
- Get a landline at home. For those of us with mobile phones, the idea of a landline might seem ridiculous and antiquated… but having a landline in your home will help keep you safe! Why? Well as mentioned in point 4, a mobile phone does not pinpoint location for the police – a landline however has an address attached to it and that means help can find you far easier.
Plano Police Department
Main Police Station
909 14th St.
Plano, TX 75074
Non-Emergency Tel.: (972) 424-5678
Emergency: 9-1-1