FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 26, 2016
Contact:
Kraig Troxell, Public Information Officer, 703-771-5278
[email protected]
Alex Kowalski, Public Information Officer, 703-777-0625
[email protected]
LCSO #CrimePreventionMonth – Child Safety!
Loudoun County, VA –The month of October is National Crime Prevention month and the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office is challenging the entire community to make crime prevention a priority. LCSO strongly believes that citizen involvement in crime prevention can and has played a vital role in helping many communities stay safe.
The National Crime Prevention Council designated October as Crime Prevention Month in 1984. The month-long campaign reinforces the fact that awareness and prevention pays off by keeping communities safer.
As part of an ongoing effort to inform the community on the latest crime trends, the agency has posted tips each Wednesday on social media and through press releases related to four specific categories. This week will focus on child safety.
A family is the first line of protection for our children. Children are naturally trusting, especially with adults. Today, we need to teach our children learn how to react to dangerous situations by balancing trust with caution. The LCSO suggests the below tips are reinforced in a gentle manner to build the self-confidence in children so they can handle emergencies and avoid some tough situations.
Here are 5 tips to protect to protect your child(ren):
1: Parents and their children should have a prearranged code word to ensure that the person attempting to pick up the child was actually sent by a parent.
2: Parents should ensure they know where their children are at all times. Children should have a prearranged check-in time so parents can have an expected overdue time should the child not return home.
3: Parents should encourage and empower their children to say “NO” to someone who is a stranger.
4: Parents should speak with their children about what a trusted adult is and who they are. In younger kids it may be difficult for them to discern good strangers from bad, so a more definitive approach is encouraged.
5: Halloween Safety Tips (courtesy of National Crime Prevention Council)
-Older kids should trick-or-treat in groups; kids walking around alone are never as safe as those in groups, and especially not at night. Younger kids should be accompanied by a parent or trusted neighbor.
-Review the route for trick-or-treating beforehand and set a time set when kids should be home. Also, have a plan if your child gets separated from his or her friends or from you.
-Remind your children not to enter strange houses or cars.
-Check all treats at home in a well-lighted place. Be especially wary of anything that is not wrapped by the factory or that is no longer sealed.
As part of National Crime Prevention Month, over the course of the month the LCSO covered topics on Business Safety, Personal Safety, Home Security and Child Safety.
Take the proper measures to protect yourself from crime watch and use #CrimePreventionMonth to re-tweet and share our posts on social media.
