STAY SAFE: PREVENTING VIOLENT CRIME

Violent crimes strike our community deeply. Injury is to our neighbors and occasionally our loved ones. Sometimes we, ourselves, become victims. Violent crime also attacks the quality of our lives by making us afraid. We fear going out and many fear staying in. We've always believed in our inalienable rights of: "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness."

Remember these valuable tips:

You Can Do Something
Stay Safe: When You Walk
Stay Safe: When Going to Your Car
Stay Safe: While Driving
Stay Safe: When Getting Out of Your Car
Stay Safe: While Riding (Buses, Cabs, Elevators, etc.)
Stay Safe: Inside Stores
Stay Safe: While Alone

YOU CAN DO SOMETHING

One solid way of reducing our anxiety about crime is to reduce the chance we will become a victim. Because we cannot and do not want to cut ourselves off from all that happens outside our homes, we need to develop a realistic immunity that reduces the likelihood of our being victimized. To do this we need to THINK about staying AWARE and ALERT. Many victims tell us "It was a total surprise!" or "I never thought this would happen to me!"

Become Aware and Stay Alert - Be on the Lookout For:

• Obvious crime opportunities
  
  
• Your own vulnerability
  
  
• The precautions that reduce that vulnerability
  

Stay in control of your activities by staying out of situations that deny you the ability to retreat from them. This includes driving techniques.

General Safety Tips

• Never leave keys in the ignition
  
  
• Never leave a purse on the seat
  
  
• Valuables: "Out of sight, Out of mind"
  
  
• Do not make a display of storing valuables in the trunk
  
  
• Always lock your doors
  
  
• Take your large dog with you
  
  
• Change habits and alternate patterns

As you think about the situations where you are vulnerable, plan to use methods which best preserve your control. Use those suggested here or devise your own, but rehearse your plans in your mind until they are a part of your routine. Remember, these methods enhance your safety and can transform your fears into awareness.

Personal security combined with active neighborhood crime watch efforts intensifies safety. Does your neighborhood have one? Could one be organized?

• Be alert for others, particularly children, the elderly, and the vulnerable. You can alert others; Get descriptions, use a cell phone and/or acar horn. Review this with your loved ones.
  
  
• Keep a copy of all I.D., credit cards, etc. that you carry. Ask yourself, "What if" they are stolen. Itemize home items, including I.D. numbers.
  

Whenever we go out, we always walk, ride or drive. You can feel safer and be safer when you stay alert for a criminal's opportunities and take these precautions against them. Change patterns. We *are* "creatures of habit."


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STAY SAFE: WHEN YOU WALK

• Be alert; Don't daydream
  
  
• Be aware of footsteps - especially if they tell you someone is running behind you (think purse snatching)
  
  
• Do notice those who pass by (criminals often first pass and then turn to follow their victims)
  
  
• Walk with someone if possible
  
  
• Do not walk alone if upset or inebriated
  
  
• Change directions if being followed, move to the middle of the street if you have to and head for a well-lighted area where there are people
  
  
• Avoid walking in dark or deserted areas
  
  
• Avoid taking shortcuts - especially through parks or alleys
  
  
• Be aware of cars that pass repeatedly; Observe the license number and description
  
  
• Maintain some distance from buildings or parked cars
  
  
• Respect your "gut feelings"
  
  
• Be aware of your apparel; dress to fit the occasion. High-heeled shoes may be a defensive weapon in some circumstances, but they are not good for maneuverability. Tight clothing can also hinder mobility. Scarves and long necklaces can provide an immobilizing stranglehold.
  
  
• Try not to become laden down with packages when shopping; Keep your hands as free as possible
  
  
• Carry a loud whistle to draw attention, if necessary, attached to your wrist - never around your neck
  
  

If carrying pepper-spray, think, practice, and decide to usebeforehand. Carry in your hand, and have it ready to use - you will have no time to fumble. Get training if you feel that you need it.


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STAY SAFE: WHEN GOING TO YOUR CAR

• Have your key ready and always check the back seat so that you are sure no one is hiding - before you get in
  
  
• Be alert to the area around your car before you walk to it
  
  
• In parking lots: Is anyone walking behind you? Let them pass by while you are out in the open. Is anyone standing around or near your car? Watch and wait until the situation changes. Look under your car as you approach it.
  
  
• Do not walk directly to your car. If you are unsure, get a security person to see you safely to your car.
  
  
• Before you open the door, check the car next to you. Is there someone on your side of their car? Is their door ajar? Some criminals will open their door thereby blocking one way of escape. Often a second criminal will block the other route and trap their victims between the cars.
  
  
• Once you are inside your vehicle, immediately lock all of your doors and keep your windows rolled up
  
  
• Be aware of vans

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STAY SAFE: WHILE DRIVING

• Consider keeping a cellular phone
  
  
• Keep your car in good condition and at least one fourth filled with gas. Check your tires and keep a spare. Learn how to change a tire quickly.
  
  
• Travel busy and well-lighted streets. Short cuts can spell trouble, especially if off a man road. Back streets deny you the benefit of being in the view of the general public.
  
  
• Keep your car in gear at traffic lights or stop signs. If you are threatened, blow your horn and drive away as fast as possible. Space your vehicle.
  
  
• Frequently check your rear view mirror. Do not turn into a driveway or stop in a deserted area if someone is tailing you. Pull over to the curb in a busy area and let the car pass. Attempt to get a license number and report it to the police. When you stop, avoid getting blocked in.
  
  
• If a car does follow you into the driveway, sound the horn until the car leaves or the driver is identified and his intentions are established.
  
  
• Do not stop to offer assistance to stalled cars. Some "breakdowns" are a ruse to find victims. Drive on and call police so help can be safely provided.
  
  
• If a car collides with your car, do not get out. Roll down the window only a little to communicate and have the other party send for the police. If they refuse or you have a bad feeling about the situation, write down the license number, drive away, and immediately call the police regarding your accident. Your safety is worth the inconvenience.
  
  
• If your car breaks down, get out, open the hood, get back inside and lock the doors. Keep your windows up and under no circumstances get out or unlock the doors for anyone. Helpful persons will not be offended by your safety consciousness. They will probably hope their loved ones are as conscientious in similar situations.
  
  
• If you must leave your car (as a last resort) write on a piece of paper the time you left, your destination and a description of anyone offering assistance. Leave it on the dashboard of your locked car.
  
  
• There is only one rule for hitchhikers - NEVER!

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STAY SAFE: WHEN GETTING OUT OF YOUR CAR

• Survey the general area of the parking lot
  
  
• Park as close to doors as possible
  
  
• Beware if someone follows you into a store or to any door
  
  
• When you drive into your driveway, check your property and the surroundings of your house and garage
  
  
• As you pull into your garage, be certain no one is there or has a chance to slip in behind your car
  
  
• Have your keys ready before you get out
  
  
• If you carry any form of self-protection device, be certain you have ready access to it
  
  
• Even if you have to pay to park in a secure, well-lighted area, it's worth every cent.

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STAY SAFE: WHILE RIDING (BUSES, CABS, ELEVATORS, ETC.)

• Be alert to people when getting out of cabs or off buses
  
  
• Have the cab driver wait until you are safely in your destination before driving off
  
  
• Stay close to the operator on buses, trains, etc. It offers you more security
  
  
• Don't be too quick to get on elevators, particularly if only one other person is there. Many violent crimes take place in the seclusion of elevators in large buildings and apartment complexes. If someone suspicious is in the elevator, wait until it returns. Don't feel obligated to get on. If someone enters and makes you feel uneasy, press the next floor and get off.
  
  
• When riding self-service elevators, stand next to the control panel. You have better control and can hit the emergency alarm if necessary.

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STAY SAFE: INSIDE STORES

• Stay aware of your surroundings
  
  
• Watch and remain alert to "feel" and "note" if someone is watching you or following you. (We have had many reports where a person will watch a shopper for as long as an hour!) Sometimes, the person will approach you and ask for your name, address, phone number, occupation, etc. You do not have to answer them! Do not carry on a conversation!
  
  
• If someone is watching you or you are approached by someone who makes you feel uncomfortable, go tell a clerk about what is happening and who is doing it, and ask them to call security.
  
  
• Always make any suspicious situation known to the store employees and security. Don't attempt to handle it on your own or simply walk out by yourself. Request that security officials walk you out to your car. Store security is always dedicated to stopping crimes before they happen. But they need your help!
  
  
• Do not openly display your valuables; Carry your purse securely under your arm. Do not loop strap over your shoulder - you could get hurt if someone grabs it and runs. (You may want to ask yourself if you even need to carry a purse while shopping. Consider carrying a smaller bag or wallet that would fit into your pocket containing only the items that you will actually use, such as your keys, cash, a credit card, etc.)

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STAY SAFE: WHILE ALONE

• It is always risky to accept a ride to or from a place with someone you have just met.
  
  
• It is risky to accept an invitation to a new acquaintance's home - even if it's only for a drink.
  
  
• A person planning to associate with a new acquaintance who will not provide information about his employment or introduce friends and family should not be trusted until more is known about their background.
  
  
• It is better to receive than give a phone number.
  
  
• A person who plans to go out with a new acquaintance should make certain a friend knows their intended plans: the name and, preferably, address of the new associate.
  
  
• Any date that used pressure, guilt, or possessiveness to obtain what they want doesn't deserve you. NO date has a right to use force of any kind for any reason. NO relationship EVER gets better because a party uses force.
  
  
• Make sure your date understands that NO MEANS NO. Date rapes happen when a person goes beyond the permission of their date. People need to understand that there are no "privileges" involved here.
  
  
• You don't have to answer questions, give directions, or look for change or a match.
  
  
• Be aware of the signs of a set-up! An individual may ask your friends to leave. Once they do, the same person will then offer you a ride!

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