Purpose
The purpose of a Safe House is to provide assistance to children who are frightened, injured, lost, victims or witnesses of a crime or involved in an emergency situation.
Safe House participants are concerned adults who have volunteered to be available for the protection and assistance of children in need. Participation in the Safe House program is not restricted to the parents of school age children, but is open to any adult who is concerned about the safety of children. There are many retired people who participate in Safe House. You do not need to be home all the time either. Children need aid in the evenings and on weekends too. Businesses also make a great Safe House.
Program Outline & History
- The Safe House program began as the Block Home Program sponsored by the Crime Prevention Association of Oregon (CPAO).
- In April 2002 the CPAO discontinued the program and recalled all the Block Home signs.
- The Dallas police chief at the time started a new, similar program, naming it "Safe House."
- Our Safe House program retained the same rules governing it as the Block Home program, resulting in minimal changes for the volunteers and children.
Requirements
A participant is responsible for placing a Safe House placard in the window of his/her residence or business. The sign needs to be placed in a secure, visible manner. At no time shall the sign be placed outside the residence or business.
- All household members or employees, 12 years of age or older, must sign a release for a background investigation. Custodial parents signing this application authorize a background inquiry of their children 12-17 years of age. Refusal to sign a release by any household member or employee will result in denial of the application.
- Background investigations will be conducted on both adults and juveniles by the Dallas Police Department and are performed as part of a yearly routine.
- Background investigations will also be conducted on any daily or weekly household help such as housekeepers, house-sitters or boarders, who normally occupy the residence between the hours of 8:00am to 5:00pm.
- Participants must notify the Sade House Coordinator of any changes in the household occupancy within 24 hours.
- Participants may not have intimidating factors present that would prevent a child from utilizing their residence as a Safe House. For example, a large dog tied in the front yard, any intimidating signs, or portions of the house in disrepair.
Safe House Incident Report Form (364 KB) 
