Tag Archives: crime

General Safety Issues

CRIME HAPPENS EVERYWHERE, EVEN COLLEGE CAMPUSES!

There are many questions both parents and future college students need to ask before choosing and moving to the right college.  Our colleges and universities furnish  information regarding student safety, so find out who to ask.  We have a few tips that will be helpful in your quest to understand how to ensure your safety. 

It is now possible to research campus crime statistics online.  Parents and students can access the Internet, to review campus crime stats for every college and university.  By contacting the particular college campus police, you can find out how to review their annual security report.  While we are talking about online safety, it’s a known fact that personal information should be kept at a minimum on social networks.  Announcing that you will be away from your dorm or apartment may serve as an invitation to intruders.  Sharing Too Much Information (TMI) is a bad idea. 

Colleges have counselors and healthcare providers that students can go to with questions regarding their health.  They may know someone that has an eating disorder, or is drinking too much, and experienced personnel can give them some direction on how to help that person.  By meeting with campus leaders, students can pursue the availability of healthy student activities, as well as safe places to meet with friends. 

Most schools have campus police.  They are not there to harass, but to assist students at any time.  If you feel uneasy about walking to your dorm, don’t be embarrassed to ask one of them to go with you, especially if it is late at night. It’s better to be safe than sorry.  The “buddy system” is a good way to stay safe.  Ask if  the school has volunteers that can accompany you if you feel unsure about where you are going.  Being with a group is the best solution.   Campus police offer safety awareness training and support services for students, faculty, and staff.  Some even give free whistles, a good deterrent to get rid of an attacker.  

It is a good idea to always tell a friend or roommate where you are going and when you plan to be home.  Keep your cell phone safe, and call your friend if you are running late.  You are young adults and it’s your time to establish some independence.  But you must use good judgment in doing so.  There will be off-campus parties that furnish lots of alcohol, but don’t drink too much and let your guard down.  Never leave with a stranger. By all means, don’t text and drive, or drink and drive! 

Search out where your classes will be, and become familiar with the places where you see large groups of students.  There’s always more safety in numbers!  Choose your friends wisely.  If you wander into a deserted area, chances are you are in the wrong place. If you can stay on campus at night, you will be safer.  To call for help on campus, many schools have emergency phones or emergency lights to ensure students’ safety on campus.  Know where these are located on your most often-traveled paths.  Watch for the lights along your route so you know the location of the nearest one in case you need it.  

One last thing, find out what the school’s plan is in case of an emergency on campus.  Find out how they notify all students if there is a threatening situation.  Disabled persons should be informed on how they can access safe places quickly in times of emergencies. 

Have a great and very safe school year! 

 

General Safety Issues

DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT SECURITY (GUEST POST)

By John Anderson 

Getting away for the holidays is both hard work and a rewarding experience.  After finalizing on what you should bring and where you should go, look at the security of the house you’ll leave behind.  Crime against property is at a high of 400,000 from November through December according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

You probably have a checklist for what to bring, here’s a practical list of what to do to secure your home. 

1.       Visibility:  Leave a  good number of lights on, it‘s a double edged advantage.  The burglars will think twice whether you’re at home or not. It would be better if you could have a timer attached to the lightswitch.  It’s best to keep a good visual from the outside looking in making it easy to spot trouble.  So leave a few curtains open. 

2.       Social Network Updates after the fact:  You don’t need to announce to the world that you’ll be going to someplace exquisite for the holidays.  For robbers, it just translates to “Nobody’s home and nobody can get home quickly”.  Show your pictures when you get home.  You’ll enjoy the travel more. 

3.       Arrange upkeep:  Have a friend pick up your mail and water the plants from time to time.  An unkempt house is an obvious signal that no one is looking after the house.

 4.       Unplug: it’s been proven that appliances do consume electricity even if they’re turned off.  A power surge may also destroy your appliances. 

5.       Modern-day Security:  The burglars get smarter too.  They learn from the latest technology and some actively profile their victims on the web.  Equip yourself with a good alarm system and/or have the house insured. 

The steps should be taken to ensure the safety of the home especially when there’s nobody home. Enjoying the holidays will only happen if you know that the home you have left behind temporarily remains safe and secure. 

Author Bio: 

John Anderson has been a freelance writer since 2008. His work is almost exclusively on web content about home improvement, home security, technology, green and simple living, and business.   John Anderson, a Southeastern American, specializes in home improvement and occasionally writes about alarm systems. He graduated from Tennessee State University. He’s a blogger and a freelance writer. His Twitter account is @johnanderson090.

General Safety Issues

GET READY FOR DECEMBER – NATIONAL (3D) PREVENTION MONTH

Don’t worry – this doesn’t mean you won’t get to see your favorite movies in 3-D anymore!  The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has designated December as National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month.   Additionally, November 29th through January 3rd, 2011,  is known as “Holiday Season Impaired Driving Prevention” time.   This season, NHTSA, MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), and the Governors Highway Safety Association, are reminding all drivers to keep the party off the road. 

Impaired driving is one of America’s most-often-committed and deadliest crimes!  In 2009, 753 people were killed in traffic crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcycle rider (operator) with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher.  Another eight per cent of the population also admitted to riding in a vehicle with a driver who they thought had had too much to drink.  Although many people have gotten the message loud and clear, there are still millions that just don’t understand that alcohol or drugs and driving just don’t mix – they are a deadly combination! 

Unfortunately, a little holiday cheer can sometimes go a long way.  We all enjoy the holiday saying of “eat, drink, and be merry,” but when partying affects the driver, it can turn a happy time into a nightmare.  Impaired drivers don’t plan ahead and wind up causing unsafe roads for everyone.  Here are some simple tips to avoid a drunk driving disaster (from NHTSA): 

  • Before the festivities begin, plan a safe way home;
  • Designate a sober driver, before drinking;
  • Use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member or use public transportation if you are impaired, so you can get home safely;
  • Don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement if you happen to see a drunk driver on the road; (you could save someone’s life);
  • If you know someone who is about to drive while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.  Remember, Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk! 

Drunk driving has serious consequences.  You not only risk killing or injuring yourself or someone else, but also the trauma and costs of a crash or an arrest for driving while impaired can be significant.  Violators often face jail time, loss of driver’s license, higher insurance rates, and other expenses including attorney fees, court costs, car towing and repairs, and lost wages due to time off from work.  Plan before you go out, and remember, whether you’ve had way too many or just one too many, it’s just not worth taking the chance.  Don’t let your 2010 end with an arrest, or worse! 

Source: NHTSA

General Safety Issues

WAYS TO PRACTICE WORK SAFETY

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Today’s article is presented by guest blogger, Corey Palmer.

When you are at work, you want to stay safe. It can be hard to do, but there are some things that you can do in order to ensure that you are safe. Here are some of those tips for you that you should use when you are working.

One of the first things you can do is be aware of your surroundings. There are many who have said that they have looked around their place of employment and have found that there are things that can be taken care of. When they look at this, they find that there are things that are at the moment a danger.

When you are looking around, one of the areas that is where most accidents happen are on the floor. Falling is something that many have done and it can be prevented. One way is that spills need to be cleaned up and wet areas need to have some kind of protection like rubber matting for better grip while walking. When they are cleaned up, you save others from falling. You need to wipe shoes during rainy or snowy weather as well to prevent this.

Crime is something else that you have to be careful about. Many think that just because there is security there that they are safe. This might very well be so, but you never can assume anything. Many things have happened when security is there. So, to prevent break-ins or car theft, you need to take in your purse and other belongings that might be worth something. You also need to make sure that if you are going to your car at night,  you are walking with someone.

There are many things about safety that we often take for granted. There are some things that many of you might not even consider as a safety concern. One of those things is sexual harassment. This needs to be addressed and for some of you, you need to realize that if you are being sexually harassed at work, then you aren’t safe. So, know what it is and who to go to if this is an issue.

The last thing that one needs to do is know the rules that your company has. The other thing is that you need to make sure that you adhere to the rules that they have. They are there to protect you. Many think it’s just so the job can cover it’s butt. To some extent, this is true. For you though, it’s to keep you safe.

These are the things you can do. Wear the uniform. Follow the rules. It’s all really that simple whether you think so or not.

Thanks, Corey, for submitting this great information.  We hope to hear from you again!

General Safety Issues, Uncategorized

YOU CAN STOP CRIME!

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Would you want to be a detective?  Watching a crime show or a re-enactment of a real-life robbery or murder makes it look pretty simple to figure out who the bad guy is.  But in the real world, it isn’t so easy.  It takes a village to bring about justice after a crime is committed.  Law enforcement personnel depend on the public to give them information that leads to solving the puzzle.

January is National Crime Stoppers Month.  Crime Stoppers began in 1976.  Albuquerque, New Mexico was a city with one of the highest per capita crime rates in the country.  Citizens were afraid to get involved.  But a gas station robbery/murder, and a Police Detective named Greg MacAleese changed things in that city.  A young college student was working an extra shift at a gas station, in order to give his co-worker a night off.  During this shift, there was an armed robbery and the soon-to-be married student lost his life.  There were no witnesses to the shooting.   Detective MacAleese knew he would need public involvement to help him and others find the killers.  Having previously worked for a newspaper, he felt it would take something original to persuade citizens to get involved.  He had a video re-enactment of the crime produced, promised anonymity and a reward (his own money) to those who called in.

The re-enactment of the crime worked – it triggered the memory of a man who had passed by the station and recalled hearing a loud bang and seeing a car taking off.  He recognized the car and told police that the person who owned it lived in a nearby apartment complex.  Detective MacAleese and other detectives arrested two men within 72 hours and charged them with the murder, as well as other previous armed robberies.

The first Crime Stoppers program was started by the Albuquerque Police Department soon after.  Since adopting this program, Albuquerque’s crime rate has dropped significantly.  It is no longer among the 20 cities with the highest per capital crime rate.  Detective MacAleese was named one of the persons in the 70’s that changed the country, and received the U.S. Police Officer of the Year Award.

Crime Stoppers is not a law enforcement agency.  They encourage you to contact your local law enforcement agency or local Crime Stoppers program with information that can lead to the arrest of someone you suspect has committed a crime.  Governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, Crime Stoppers programs are located in the U.S., Europe, South Africa, Canada, United Kingdom, Central America and many Pacific and Caribbean nations.

The objective of the group is worldwide grassroots gathering of information, with the guarantee of anonymity to anyone who can assist law enforcement agencies.  In the United States alone, Crime Stoppers programs have been responsible for taking millions of tips that have led to nearly 514,000 felony arrests, and the recovery of almost $4 billion in stolen property and drugs.  Their impact across America is amazing.

Recently, Crime Stoppers has been asking the public for assistance in preventing crime during the Winter Olympic Games in British Columbia, Canada, slated for February.  The Canadian government is working diligently to keep everyone:  athletes, trainers, staff, and the public safe.

If you have any relevant information, call Games 1-800-222-TIPS(8477) or text keyword “BCTIP” to 274637 crimes, or go to website: www.solvecrime.ca.

We commend Crime Stoppers for the success this program has had worldwide.  They have brought the importance of crime prevention to the forefront, followed by news media and programs such as “America’s Most Wanted” that ask for the public’s help in apprehending criminals.  Now it’s time we do our part to help keep our world safer.  Instead of being an “armchair detective” at home, we must pay closer attention to what’s happening in our neighborhoods.  If you haven’t considered joining your local Crime Stoppers program, think about it.  It’s time to get involved!

Source: Crime Stoppers International