Crime Prevention

Public safety is vitally important to the City Council and residents of Saratoga. Law enforcement services are provided by the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office West Valley Patrol Division by contract. This page contains a variety of resources and information on preventing crime and crime statistics in Saratoga.

Home Safety Tips

Lock Doors & Windows

All doors and windows should be secured and locked when not in use or anytime no one is home. Lock side gates to the back yard and doors to the garage. Blinds and curtains should be closed when no one is home or after dark to avoid advertising any expensive property. And never hide a key outside.

Have a Well-Lit Home

The Sheriff's Office suggests having exterior, motion-activated lighting at a home's front door, side yard, and back yard. Installing timers on interior lights and setting them to turn on at random times during the day and night can ward off burglars.

Alarm Systems Are Important

Be sure to test them regularly and update all contact information- including an emergency contact-with the alarm company. An emergency contact can be a family member, friend, or trusted neighbor. The emergency contact should have access to the home and knowledge of the property so they know if anything is out of place or missing.

Request Patrol Checks

Residents can also request patrol checks when going on vacation to make sure their homes are being watched while they are away. Request a patrol check online, or call the Sheriff's Office non-emergency number at 408-299-2311.

Identity Theft & Scams

Identity Theft

The Federal Trade Commission estimates that approximately 400,000 U.S. residents had their mail stolen and subsequently became victims of identity theft in 2015. Protect yourself from identity theft by using a secure, locking mailbox, check your credit report every year, never give out personal information over the phone, through the mail, or internet unless you initiated contact or you know who you are dealing with.

The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office offers tips on preventing identity theft (PDF).

Phone Scams

Criminals have made phone calls to residents claiming to be from the Sheriff's Office, IRS, or other branch of the government and requested money to settle outstanding warrants. Other scam phone calls include telling potential victims they have won a large cash prize but demand money upfront, and another scam targeting the elderly claiming to be a grandchild and needing money to get out of trouble.

The Sheriff's Office has put together a Phone Scams Flyer (PDF) with information on what to do if you have been targeted.

Crime Prevention Documents

  1. 2015 Crime Prevention Presentation and Safety Tips (PDF)
  2. 2016 Neighborhood Watch Orientation Presentation (PDF)
  3. 2016 Public Safety Statistics (PDF)
  4. 2017 Neighborhoods Joint Meeting Presentation (PDF)
  5. Burglarly Prevention (PDF)
  6. Crime Prevention Presentation (PDF)
  7. Crime Prevention Safety Tips (PDF)
  8. Presentation on Neighborhood Watch (PDF)

Additional Information

For more information regarding public safety, please visit the Sheriff's Office page.