“Doing the necessary background checks on domestic staff before hiring them may seem like a time consuming exercise but could make all the difference to your home security. In many cases of break-ins and house robberies we find there has been inside information shared with criminals,” he says.
Kotze recommends starting with a criminal record check which can be obtained through the police with the potential employee’s consent. He also suggests doing a reference check with several previous employers.
“Ask questions about dismissals, responsibilities, any security issues, tardiness, and so on. It’s important to speak to more than one previous employer so you can get a good idea of the employee’s track record,” he says.
Security training
Domestic staff play a key role in home security, so not only should they be vetted before employment but should also be educated on security.
Sadly some domestic workers are often reluctant to press the panic button because they are worried their employer will have to pay for the armed response call-out if it is a false alarm. “It’s always better to be safe than sorry. They need to feel confident that help is available should they need it. It would be good to highlight that a certain number of call outs are free every month so they can feel rest assured,” he says.
“Your domestic staff should also understand what security measures you have in place and how to react should your alarm be triggered, for example. It needs to be clearly explained how they need to deal with an alarm activation, what to do when the security company calls and when an officer responds.
“Along with that a vital responsibility is verifying who enters your property when you are not at home. Unannounced workmen or suppliers should not be let in and suspicious persons or activity should be reported to a security company or police.”
Kotze adds that the primary rule that needs to be shared with domestic staff is that nobody can be trusted. “Whether you think you know someone well or not, the rule applies. You cannot trust anybody! Even if the domestic worker knows the person, it is never advisable to allow that person access into the main home.”
When answering the intercom, domestic staff should do the following:
• Ask the person to identify him/herself by full name
• Ask them to state their business
• Ask them to show identification – company ID card, ID book or driver’s license
• Verify – by calling the homeowner to find out if they are expecting the person or call the company the person works for to check if this is indeed a legitimate visit.
“It’s also a good idea for domestic staff to exchange cell phone numbers with other domestic staff at properties adjacent or opposite so that you can alert each other of suspicious people or vehicles.
“Lastly, consider enrolling your domestic staff in local crime-prevention forums which take place in most neighbourhoods every month. These are often arranged by the police or community members and teach domestic workers valuable crime-prevention and safety tips,” concludes Kotze.
