To identify the greatest threats you may face, you need to know how to create a risk profile.

So, how do you develop your own risk profile? You simply ask yourself the following questions and create an honest assessment of your vulnerabilities.

How to Create a Risk Profile #1) What Do I Have to Protect?

You ask yourself this question, so you know what your most important assets are based on your situation.

People - Family, friends, etc.

Hard Assets - Home, car, stereo

Animals - Pets, livestock

Consumables - Food, cash, etc.

Intellectual Property - Wi-Fi, Computer files, etc.

The list of things to protect will be different for everyone.

How to Create a Risk Profile #2) What Do I Need to Protect It From?

You’ll want to protect your assets from either Mother Nature (natural disaster) or human threats (intentional and unintentional actions).

What are the natural disasters that are most likely in your area? For example, you may want to install hurricane-resistant glass, create a storm cellar, or look into securing your belongings better in an earthquake-prone area.

When you create a risk profile, you'll want to research your local crime statistics, so you understand the current threats in your area. When looking for this information, check with the local police or on the web. The website CityData can be an excellent resource for this type of research.

How to Create a Risk Profile #3) What Do I have to Protect It With?

There are many possibilities for keeping the people and things you are protecting safe from the threats that you have identified while you create a risk profile.

Depending on your risks, consider:

Alarms

Installing storm shutters

A dog

Locks

Fencing your property

Building a storm shelter

Firearms

Cameras

Gates

Also, consider CPTED – Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design.

This is the use of natural and visually appealing man-made features to provide security options. An example of this is all of the planters around federal buildings. While they are nice to look at, they are meant to keep vehicles from attacking the building.

The Next Part of How to Create a Risk Profile Focuses on Solutions.

Focus first on the threat. What does the threat want from you? Does the threat want to harm you? Steal from you? Kidnap your child?

Your research and threat assessment can aid in identifying this. For example, you own a blue Honda, and the local police tell you thieves are stealing blue Hondas. This gives you a specific target to protect.

Define Your Perimeter

Your perimeter is not necessarily the outside skin of your home. You may have to expand your “perimeter” past your house or even past your property line to deal with actual threats.

Your threat assessment and research will help you determine where your security perimeter should begin.

Physical Security Protocol

The 5 Ds of home security are Deter, Detect, Asses, Delay, Respond, and they are the basis of a physical security protocol.

Deter

You can deter criminals by making your neighbor’s home look like a more natural target. No, you're not putting up any signs pointing to their house.