As seen in The Desert Sun, police will check your home while you are away. Let your local officer help keep an eye on the house. For years, all nine Coachella Valley cities have offered free home checks to help put snowbirds and vacationing residents' minds at ease. Even us full-timers planning a summer vacation can benefit from this free service.

"We know that people go away on vacation, and burglaries are an issue anywhere, so if we can help reduce the number of burglaries and help residents feel better, we're happy to do it," said Jim Knabb, community resource specialist for the Desert Hot Springs Police Department.

Indian Wells, which has offered the service for 25 years, has the most homes signed up in the valley for its free vacation home checks with an average of 100 homes during the summer, said Indian Wells Police Chief Lt Matthew Jimenez.

The Indian Wells free Vacation Home Checks consist of having the officer inspect the perimeter of the home as well as check to see if doors and windows are locked. And while other city programs do the same, Jimenez said Indian Wells officers go a step further and try to visit each home up to five times a week. Jimenez said he believes that doing these frequent checks is a great preventive measure and, in the event that a crime does happen, helps expedite investigations.

For instance, upon a home check, Jimenez said officers discovered a burglary recently occurred and were quickly able to recover the stolen items. "The city has embraced this program and the citizens really love it," Jimenez said.

Residents who live in cities that contract for police services with the Riverside County Sheriffs Department - Coachella, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage - all have access to this free service.

Cities that have their own police department - Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, Indio and Palm Springs - have similar programs offered throughout the year. Some gated communities also offer their own home checks conducted by security officers upon request.

Going On Vacation?

All Coachella Valley cities offer free home checks throughout the year for residents, including snowbirds going back home for the summer or desert residents who take a vacation. To request the service, contact your local police department or city hall:

•Cathedral City police:
(760) 770-0300

• Coachella police:
(760) 836-3215 Ext 5

• Desert Hot Springs police:
(760) 329-6411

• Indian Wells City Hall:
(760) 346-2489

• Indio police:
(760) 391-4057

• La Quinta police:
(760) 777-7376

• Palm Desert police:
(760) 836-1600

• Palm Springs police:
(760) 323-81I6

• Rancho Mirage police:
(760) 836-1600

The Desert Sun, By Mariecar Mendoza, June 17, 2010