A Spring Valley police officer is working to educate real estate agents about the dangers they face when on the job.

Detective Matthew Galli is an officer by trade but also owns his own business, Been There Inspected That, as a home inspector. He decided to launch a realtor safety program after hearing about an increase in the number of uncomfortable situations home sellers face.

Galli said some of the most important tips to know are to vet online requests from prospective buyers who provide limited information up front, let the client enter the home first and make sure one has an unobstructed place to leave in case of an emergency.

"They want to turn on all the lights. They want to make the apartment, the home and the condo look nice. You're now first in, your point of egress is blocked and it could become an issue," Galli said.

A quarter of female and 15% of male real estate agents nationwide reported experiencing a situation that made them fear for their safety last year, according to the 2022 National Association of Realtors member report.