By Julia Boyle
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Rose Martin moved to Oakcrest in Parkville, two years ago because she wanted a greater feeling of security than she felt at her house in Crystal Lake, Pa.

“I feel very safe here,” she says. “I love that it’s a gated community; there are so many people looking out for you that I feel more comfortable.”

According to local law enforcement officials, the security measures at both Oak Crest and Charlestown not only keep the communities safe, but they keep the surrounding areas safe as well.

Immediate response
“Oak Crest sees only a small number of incidents, and most are not crime-related. So their full security and medical staff can respond quickly to those calls. It reduces our number of calls and gives us more time and resources to cover the surrounding area,” says Officer Mark Dorsey of Precinct 08-Parkville.

At both communities, all full-time security officers are certified emergency medical technicians (EMTs). “We strategically position our security officers within the community so if someone should ever require immediate medical attention, they can respond within three minutes,” says Eric Trautman, Oak Crest security manager.

Additionally, residents can wear emergency response buttons. If they need assistance of any kind, they push the button and a security officer responds immediately.

Security latches installed on the exterior of every apartment door are one of Erickson’s most innovative security features. When security officers make their midnight rounds, they set the latch to the “up” position.

When the resident opens the door the next day, the latch will drop.

If it hasn’t dropped by late morning, the day shift officers take note and check whether the residents are out of town.