NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH SUMMER 2012

NEXT NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK CAPTAIN MEETING: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2012, 5:30PM @ 140 W. PINE STREET (MRA Conference Room)
Rob Scheben-Missoula Police Department-552-6335 Jason Johnson -Missoula County Sheriff Department-258-3322

15 Ways to Keep Your Personal Belongings Safe

Europe, especially the United Kingdom, has been practicing Crime Prevention for many years before we have been here in the U.S. This is one of the best articles/suggestions Ive seen in a long time. One thing I would like to emphasize is to mark your belongings. All too often, after a personal item gets stolen, the owner doesnt know the make, model or serial number. All this information aids in recovery! Remember, some of the slang terms used in this article are United Kingdom based, but are still applicable to us!

1. 2.

3. 4. 5.

6.

7. 8.

9.

10.

Dont leave items on show ANYWHERE Not on show in the car, not on an exposed windowsill, not in a shared kitchen, not in a room you THINK is secure. If its visible to others, its a temptation for thieves. Mark your belongings Computers, iPods and expensive electrical equipment is best off marked with your postcode, or similar personal identifier. Do it with a marker, or with an invisible UV pen. You could even go as far as customizing your stuff with a personal branding or logo. Dont be too pretentious though! Log your mobile phones IMEI number Still not done widely enough, an extra layer of protection for mobile phones is to note your IMEI number so the phone can be switched off when thieves try to use it. You can find your IMEI number by typing *#06# on your phone. Make notes and inventory Keep a list of the items you have. If youve got the time, go the whole hog and take photos of everything too. Dont just think of thieves, think of backup protection too If your hard drive crashes on your computer or laptop, how would you cope? What about your digital photos and music files? Make backups of your electronic files so you dont have to start literally from scratch again. Lock doors, even if youre only going away for a few moments People dont always see the point in locking up unless theyre going out for a specific longer-term purpose. But Ive seen people who go out and dont come back for hours (they get caught up in something else) and Ive heard stories where a door was left open for about two minutes while the student went to the communal area of the house, but valuable items were stolen in that time (possibly a friend who couldnt resist the grab, or a visitor who spotted an opportunity?). If youre leaving the area, keep it secure! Password protects computers, laptops, USB sticks, etc. Yes, even USB sticks. If you dont secure them with password details, they could fall into the wrong hands and your personal data, passwords, and important documents could be compromised. Insure your belongings Dont chance it. If youre going to have most of your possessions with you at uni, youd be daft not to open a contents insurance policy. Even if the worst does happen, at least youd be due a payout. Without insurance, youre left with absolutely nothing. A bad move. Check the safety of properties you may rent Just how secure is that house your mates want to move in to? It may have a lot of space and facilities, but if the landlord is lax on security and you can see a number of easy access points, would you really want to keep your personal and expensive belongings in an unsecure area? Dont carry (and certainly dont show off) large amounts of money Youre an easy target if someone spots you wielding loads of cash.

11. If you need money for a night out, get it before the event Sometimes you cant avoid having a wodge of cash on your person. If thats the case, dont make a habit of going to the cashpoint at the last minute, when everyone knows youve suddenly got money on you. Be a bit more discreet and nobody around you will think about it, or carelessly mention it to anyone else 12. Report crimes immediately Dont wait to report a crime. The longer you leave it, the worse things can get for you. Mobile phones, for instance, are not the only thing you need to worry about. Its the fact that thieves can start making expensive calls from the phone. The later you leave things, the more time thieves get to call. All calls made before you report a phone stolen will still result in you being charged for the calls. 13. Secure your items when you go away Christmas, Easter, and all the long breaks away from your student home are fabulous times for criminals to linger. If youre planning a lengthy time away, either take the valuable items with you, or make sure they are stored as securely as possible. Just locking your door and forgetting about it will not provide enough of a deterrent for a criminal who wants your goods! 14. Dont let people follow through in secured areas In many secure communal areas, you will need a key, swipecard, or passcode to get through. However, its commonplace for people to make their way in, only to be followed by another person and let in without a thought. If you want to keep your belongings as safe as you can, dont let anyone in just because they happen to be behind you. Its bad enough when people you dont know are visiting others within the communal area, but at least you wont add to the problem by blindly letting anyone in off the street. 15. Dont leave bikes and outdoor equipment outdoors! A chain may be the start of securing your items, but your best protection from thieves is to bring your outdoor equipment indoors, if thats possible. Out of sight is a much better deterrent than a chain or a lock. These are just a few ideas. The main thing is to be alert and take it seriously.

=====================================================================================

Don't Let Your Family Go Down the Tube - Use Television Wisely

Set limits on what children can watch. Homework and meals with the family take priority. Watch TV with your children and talk about what each of you liked and didn't like. Set an example. Carefully choose your own programs and the amount of time you watch television. Make one room a TV-Free Zone - a comfortable place to read, talk, and listen, with no television set. Don't use TV as a babysitter. Encourage your children to spend their free time in activities such as sports, hobbies, playing with friends, or reading rather than sitting in front of the tube. Limit video games to a half-hour a day. Use a kitchen timer. Look for TV Programs that encourage kids to do something positive - build a playhouse, start a hobby, help out at home, volunteer to help someone. Look for TV programs that relate to a book, something your child is studying, or an experience from your own childhood or that of a relative. Don't use TV as a reward or punishment. If you find a TV ad or program offensive, write or call the sponsor and the station.

Raising Streetwise Kids: A Parent's Guide

Would your child know what to do if...

He got lost at a shopping mall? A nice-looking, friendly stranger offered her a ride home after school? A friend dared him to drink some beer or smoke a joint? A babysitter or a neighbor wanted to play a "secret game?"

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. Start with the basics...
Make sure your children know their full name, address (city and state), and phone number with

area code.
Be sure kids know to call 9-1-1 or "0" in emergencies and how to use a public phone. Practice

making emergency calls with a make-believe phone.

Tell them never to accept rides or gifts from someone they and you don't know well. Teach children to go to a store clerk, security guard, or police officer for help in lost in a mall or

on the street.
Set a good example with your own actions -- lock doors and windows and see who's there

before opening the door.

Take time to listen carefully to your children's fears and feelings about people or places that

scare them or make them fee uneasy. Tell them to trust their instincts. At school and play...
Encourage your children to walk and play with friends, not alone. Tell them to avoid places that

could be dangerous -- vacant buildings, alleys, playgrounds or parks with broken equipment and litter. Teach children to settle arguments with words, not fists, and to walk away when others are arguing. Remind them that taunting and teasing can hurt friends and make enemies. Make sure your children are taking the safest routes to and from school, stores, and friends' houses. Walk the routes together and point out places they could go for help. Encourage kids to be alert in the neighborhood, and tell an adult -- you, a teacher, a neighbor, a police officer -- about anything they see that doesn't seem quite right. Check out the school's policies on absent children -- are parents called when a child is absent? Check out daycare and after-school programs -- look at certifications, staff qualifications, rules on parent permission for field trips, reputation in the community, parent participation, and policies on parent visits. Check babysitter references.

Leave a phone number where you can be reached. Post it by the phone, along with numbers for

a neighbor and emergencies -- police and fire departments, paramedics, and the poison control center.

 Have your child check in with you or a neighbor when he or she gets home. Agree on rules for

having friends over and going to a friend's house when no adult is home. Make sure your child knows how to use the window and door locks. Tell your child not to let anyone into the home without your permission, and never to let a caller at the door or on the phone know there's no adult home. Kids can always say their parents are busy and take a message. Work out an escape plan in case of fire or other emergencies. Rehearse with your children. Protecting your child against sexual abuse...
Let your child know that he or she can tell you anything, and that you'll be supportive. Teach your child that no one -- not even a teacher of a close relative -- has the right to touch him

or her in away that feels uncomfortable, and that it's okay to say no, get away, and tell a trusted adult. Don't force kids to kiss or hug or sit on a grownup's lap if they don't want to. This gives them control and teaches them that they have the right to refuse. Always know where your child is and who he or she is with. Tell your child to stay away from strangers who hang around playgrounds, public restrooms, and schools. Be alert for changes in your child's behavior that could signal sexual abuse such as sudden secretiveness, withdrawal from activities, refusal to go to school, unexplained hostility toward a favorite babysitter or relative or increased anxiety. Some physical signs of abuse include bedwetting, loss of appetite, venereal disease, nightmares, and complaints of pain or irritation around the genitals. If your child has been sexually abused, report it to the police or a child protection agency immediately.

If your child is a victim of any crime, from stolen lunch money to sexual abuse, don't blame him or her. Listen and offer sympathy. Take a stand!
Work with schools and recreation centers to offer study time, activities, tutoring, and recreation

before and after school.

Start a school callback program. When a student -- elementary, middle or high school age --

doesn't arrive as scheduled, volunteers at the school call the parents to make sure the absence is excused. Volunteer to help with a McGruff House or other block parent program. If you can't offer your home as a haven for children in emergencies, you can help in other ways -- telephoning, fundraising or public relations.

Articles c/o National Crime Prevention Council.