Police

Will Dennison, Tim Fleck (Marshall), Justin Gearhart

Car Crime Prevention

ATM Safety

What to do if you suspect someone is in your house

Tips for Keeping Your Child Safe

Staying Safe at Home

Securing Your Home While You're Away

Avoiding being taken by a scam

Seat Belt and Child Seat Law

Keeping Your Family Safe on the Internet

 

 

Car Crime Prevention

Over a quarter of all recorded crimes are car thefts or thefts from cars- like stereos and mobile phones. It's a costly problem that diverts much police time.

A few simple precautions can make all the difference.

If your car is stolen or broken into, it could mean weeks of expensive inconvenience and losing your no-claims bonus. It may be difficult to protect your car from a determined, professional thief, but most car crime is opportunist and you can put them off with vigilance and relatively cheap security precautions.

Basics - Never leave a car door unlocked or a window or sunroof open - even when just going into a shop for a moment or two.

Don't leave belongings in your car. A thief won't know that a bag or coat doesn't contain something valuable and might break a window to get at it. If you can't take them with you, never leave things on display - lock them in the trunk.

Security mark your stereo and if it's removable, always take it with you. Make a note of the serial number and keep it in a safe place.

Don't leave credit cards or checkbooks in the glove compartment. 1 in 5 stolen cards are taken from cars.

Remove the ignition key and engage the steering lock, even when parking in your own driveway or garage - and don't forget to lock the garage door. Always try to park in a well-lit, open location.

Double check that all of the doors are locked and the windows and sunroof are fully raised before leaving it. Together we can reduce crime.

Control your keys. Never leave an identification tag on your key ring. If your keys are lost or stolen, it could help a thief locate your car and burglarize your home.

Keep your car’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and a complete description in a safe place at home. Since 1969, the federal government has required manufactures to engrave a unique number, the VIN, on all passenger cars in one visible and several hidden locations. One VIN is engraved on a metal plate on the dashboard near the windshield. VIN’s of stolen cars are registered with the FBI’s National Crime Information Center.

License plates frequently are stolen from cars used in other crimes. Get in the habit of checking your plates when you drive. A few drops of solder on the bolts or blurring the threads can help safeguard your plates.

ATM Safety

Try to plan your visits to automatic teller during the day, rather than after dark.
Choose an ATM location that is in a busy public place.
Avoid making withdrawals in isolated areas.
If at all possible, take along a friend who can watch the surroundings while you are conducting your transactions.
Pre-plan your transaction carefully, and don’t spend too much time at the machine.
When you make a withdrawal, quickly place the money in your purse or wallet and leave as soon as you finish your transaction.
Watch out for suspicious-looking people waiting around an ATM–they may not really be customers. If someone offers to let you go ahead of them, decline politely and leave.
When visiting a drive-through ATM, keep your doors locked and be prepared to drive away quickly. If anyone approaches your car on foot, roll up your window and drive off.
If you have not finished your transaction, and you are approached by a suspicious character, press the CANCEL button, receive your card and leave quickly.

 

What to do if you suspect someone is in your house

Quietly call the police and wait calmly until they arrive. If you can leave safely, do so. Otherwise, lock yourself in a room you are in, pretend to be asleep.

Tips for Keeping Your Child Safe

A great thing about kids is their natural trust in people, especially in adults. It’s sometimes hard for parents to teach children to balance this trust with caution. But kids today need to know common-sense rules that can help keep them safe–and build the self-confidence they need to handle emergencies.

Teach kids that "bad guys" can be anyone. Society teaches kids bad guys are always ugly, mean and scary, and look like monsters. Bad guys are almost always portrayed as strangers and as men.

Remember, a stranger is someone who is not known by the child. A friend of parents, a friend of the child's friend or a neighbor can be a stranger. And a stranger can be a good guy or a bad guy.

Some bad guys act nice, friendly and are attractive. Some bad guys play tricks on kids. Typical bad guy tricks include bribes (money, toys, games, or promises of those things), lies (your mom told me to pick you up at school), requests for help (my puppy ran away, can you help me find him?), or threats (if you don't come with me I'll hurt your mom). Teach kids that a bad guy is someone who asks them to violate family rules, e.g. someone who says they don't need permission to accompany them.

Develop a family "code word". If someone other than a parent is going to pick up a child at school unexpectedly, that person should repeat the "code word" first before the child agrees to leave the safety of the school grounds. The code word should remain a secret and be changed should others learn of it.

Make sure your kids know how to call 911 in emergencies and how to use a public phone. Help them practice making emergency phone calls. Teach them their full name, address, and phone number (including the area code), and your work and cell phone numbers.

Teach them to walk and play with friends, not alone and to refuse rides or gifts from anyone, unless it’s someone both you and your child know and trust, and to tell a trusted adult immediately if anyone, no matter whom, touches them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable.

Establish a system of accountability. Learn the full names of your kids' friends, their parents' names, addresses and phone numbers. Check to verify the accuracy if you get the information from your kids. When your child is at a friend's home, who else is present? Parents? Older kids? Other neighbors? No one?

Know your child's routes to and from school, play and errands. Insist they stick to the same route - no shortcuts! If you have to look for them, you will know where to begin. Kids should be taught never to go anywhere with anyone without parental permission. This includes getting permission a second time if plans change and calling to check before going from one friend's home to another location.

Kids should never play in isolated areas of parks or playgrounds, and should avoid public restrooms, building sites and dark streets. Teach kids alternatives; if they are bothered or followed on the playground, walking to friends' home, school or store, where do they go? Walk these common routes with our child and look for choices. Can they go back into the school, in a store or business (kids are reluctant to enter a strange store or business unless given permission) into a fire station or approach someone doing yard work?

Knocking on the door of a stranger is a last resort. If they have no other choice they should look for a house with a light on (at night) or toys in the yard if possible and ask the homeowner to "please call the police, someone is bothering me", but not to go inside the house. Kids' best defenses are their voices and their legs. Teach them to runaway from someone who is bothering them while yelling to attract as much attention as is possible. Have them practice yelling!

Teach kids not to approach cars that stop to ask for help. Most legitimate adults would not ask a young child for directions anyway. If the car follows them or the driver gets out they should run away and yell.

Know your child's involvements. Learn about warning signs that your child might be involved with drugs or gangs. Spend time listening to your children or just being with then. Help them find positive, fun activities that they can take part in.

Always know about your child’s activities. Know where your child is, and when he or she will return. Be sure you and your child are clear on your rules and expectations for activities. Make absolutely clear what is OK and what is not.

Teach your child Internet safety tips. The people they talk to online might not be who they say they are.

Your child should know your rules about acceptable activities when you are not at home; such as phoning you at work or a neighbor or grandparent who is at home. They should also know not to let strangers, adults or children into the home for any reason, not to tell telephone callers that they’re alone, that door and window locks must always be used, and not to go into the home if a door is ajar or a window is broken, but to go instead to a neighbor’s or public phone and call the police.

If kids are home alone and answer a phone call for an absent parent, they should say "she can't come to the phone right now", and take a message or tell the caller to try later - don't make excuses, they sound phony.

Staying Safe at Home

Put yourself in the burglar's position. How would you get in if you were locked out? Chances are that a burglar will use the same route!

If there's no one in all day, and your home isn't overlooked, you'll need to take particular care. The majority of burglaries take place during daytime - not at night, as many people think, and the intruders often get in downstairs at the back. In many cases a burglar can be in and out in just a few minutes.

Make sure that all doors to the outside are metal or solid, 1 ¾" hardwood and have good, sturdy locks. Use the locks you have. Always lock up your home when you go out, even if it’s only for a few minutes. Secure sliding glass doors with commercially available bars or locks, or put a wooden dowel or broomstick in the door track.
Make sure your windows, especially at ground level, have good locks and use them.

Make sure all porches and other possible entrances are well-lit.
Trim any bushes or trees that hide doors or windows. Keep ladders, tools, toys, and recreational equipment inside when you’re not using them. Don’t hide your house keys under the doormat or in a flowerpot. It’s much wiser to give an extra key to a trusted neighbor.

Keep written records of all furniture, jewelry and electronic products. If possible, keep these records in a safe deposit box, fireproof safe, or other secure place. Take pictures or a video, and keep purchase information and serial numbers if available. These help law enforcement agencies track recovered items.

Clearly display your house number, so police and other emergency vehicles can find your home quickly.If you see a screen that has been cut, broken windows, or a door that’s been left open, don’t go in. Call the police from a neighbor’s house or a public phone.

Think carefully before buying a firearm for protection. Guns can be stolen and sold to anyone, or captured and used on you or the police. If you do own a gun, keep it locked up, with the ammunition secured separately, and learn how to use it safely.

Securing your home while you're away

Ask a trusted neighbor to collect your mail and newspaper, and offer to return the favor. Leave word about when you’re leaving, when you’ll return, and how you can be reached in an emergency. Put automatic timers on at least two lights (and possibly a radio) to help your home look and sound lived-in.

Avoiding Being Taken by a Scam

Con-artists are not always easy to spot. Smart, extremely persuasive, and aggressive, they invade your home through the telephone and the mail, advertise in reputable newspapers and magazines, and come to your door. Most people think they’re too smart to fall for a scam. But con artists rob all kinds of people from investment counselors and doctors to teenagers and elderly widows of billions every year. It’s up to you to say no. Use common sense and learn about old and new scams.

Don’t let greed overcome your common sense. Be wary of high-pressure sales, demands for ‘cash only’, pressure for quick decisions, secret deals, and no-risk, high-yield investments.

Always get a second opinion from someone you trust. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

If a caller asks for your credit card number to verify a free vacation or other gift, hang up. Your number may be used to charge purchases by phone.

Ask for financial reports if a caller requests a charitable donation. Reputable charities will always send this information if you ask.

Seat Belt and Child Seat Law

You MUST wear a seat belt if one is fitted. There are few exceptions to this and the driver is liable to prosecution if a child under 14 years does not wear a seat belt.

You MUST NOT carry an unrestrained child in the front seat of any vehicle.

Children under three years traveling in the front of any vehicle MUST be carried in an appropriate child restraint. The adult belt may not be used.

If an appropriate child restraint is fitted in the front, but not in the rear, children under three MUST use that restraint.

If an appropriate child restraint or seat belt is available in the front, but not in the rear, children between 3 and 11 and under 1.5m in height MUST use the front seat restraint or seat belt.

Drivers and front seat passengers should sit as far back as is reasonably possible from the steering wheel or dashboard to reduce the possibility of serious head or chest injuries in an accident.
Lap-and-diagonal belts provide more protection and should be used before lap-only belts.

Never put the same seat belt around yourself and another passenger (adult or child).

Adjust the seat belt properly. Place the lap belt as low as possible over the hips - not over the abdomen. Ensure the shoulder belt lies on the chest and over the shoulder.

Do not leave any slack in the belt.

Many cars are now fitted with height adjusters for the diagonal strap. The diagonal strap should be adjusted to lie centrally over the shoulder and away from the neck.

Adjust the strap so that it lies in contact with your shoulder and slopes up and back to the anchorage point.

Do not interfere with the correct function of the seat belt by fitting any comfort devices that are not recommended by your vehicle manufacturer.

Do not attempt to improve seat belt comfort with padding or cushions, It is also not advisable to sit on any mats or cushions other than those originally fitted by the vehicle manufacturer.

Avoid thick clothing (such as coats and jackets) under the seat belt.
The centre rear seats of many cars are fitted with a lap-only seat belt that must be adjusted manually. It is important that you adjust such belts for a snug fit over your hips, without any slack.
Seat Belts save lives and help avoid injury - make sure you belt up - especially in the rear.

Keeping Your Family Safe on the Internet

Use the Internet with your kids. While you're spending time with them, you can teach them to be safe and responsible online. Learn about the technology together, ask lots of questions, and don't be intimidated if it seems like your kids have a better understanding of the technology than you. Remember, it's your family, and you have the power and responsibility to keep an eye on what your kids are doing.

Teach kids never to give their personal information to people they meet online, especially in chat rooms and on bulletin boards. If you have a family web site with your children's pictures up, don't include information like where they go to school, where you live, your phone number, or any other personally identifiable information -- that's giving personal information out every bit as much as sending an e-mail or talking to someone in a chat room.

Instruct your child never to plan a face-to-face meeting with online acquaintances, and to notify you if they are approached for an offline meeting.

Establish clear ground rules for Internet use for your family. Think about signing a Contract with your children that reflects those rules. Learn about the different parental control tools, protective software, and controlled access options that are available, and decide which, if any, are best for your needs.

Tell your children not to respond if they receive offensive or dangerous e-mail, chat requests, or other communications, and to leave if they go to a web site that makes them uncomfortable. Also tell them to show you anything they receive that makes them uncomfortable. Assuring them that you won't be angry with them and that they are not to blame can help you to develop a trusting, open relationship.

If you become worried that your child or another child is in danger, don't hesitate to contact the authorities.