A. Whenever possible, all office machines and equipment should be bolted to counter or desk tops, or otherwise secured with locking hardware or cable and padlock devices commercially available.

B. All office machines and equipment should be included in an up-to-date inventory and marked with an owner-applied identification code. (Many municipalities have such marking programs. Check with your local law enforcement agency to determine if such a program exists locally and what form the code should take.)

C. Valuable portfolios and files should be stored in fire-resistant metal cabinets. The best type of cabinets will have fire ratings awarded by Underwriters Laboratories and will be tagged for identification as fire-retardant chests or cabinets with a UL sticker. Most quality storage units have built-in locking devices. It should be noted that fire-resistant files and chests do not normally have a high rating for burglary resistance.

D. Key control for all doors should be strictly maintained. Key possession should be limited to a "must have" basis or one of "demonstrated need." If a key-holder leaves the institution or changes position, and no longer requires a key, the cylinder should be changed and all keys reissued.

E. Ideally, high-value items should be stored in a safe. The safe should be secured to the floor with a reinforced concrete base.

Next: Types of Incidents