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**THE MOST IMPORTANT SINGLE ACT
YOU CAN PERFORM IS THAT OF CALLING THE POLICE TO REPORT CRIMES OR
SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITIES**.
When law enforcement is unaware of
problems, they cannot help resolve them. Although most of these tips
are for homeowners and other private citizens, businesses can be a
significant part of the anti-crime effort too. Many of these
suggestions can be adapted to the business world with only slight
modification (Call Crime Prevention for more information).
Your customers and employees will benefit from a crime free
environment.
Protect
Your Home and Neighborhood
- Install good Deadbolt Locks and
use them.
- Use timers to turn lights on and
off in a normal schedule when away from home.
- Adequately secure all windows
with secondary locking devices.
- Lock garage doors and
windows.
- Leave exterior lights on all
night.
- Do not advertise that you are
away from home.
- Be neighborly, but be suspicious
of strangers in the area.
- Record serial numbers and
maintain a record of your property in a safe place, other than
your home.
- Mark your property with your
Permanent Utah Driver License.
- Organize into a Neighborhood
Watch Program. Call 799-3440 for information.
- Call the police to report all
crimes and suspicious activity.
Protect
Yourself
- Stay alert; be aware of your
surroundings.
- Show you are calm, confident and
know where you are going.
- Trust your instincts. If you
feel uncomfortable, leave.
- Carry your purse firmly and
close to your body.
- Keep your wallet in an inside
coat or side trouser pocket.
- Have your car or house key in
your hand as you approach the door.
- Park in well-lighted areas that
will be well-lighted when you return. Be sure to lock your car
doors.
- If you jog, do not jog alone in
isolated areas.
- Do not hitchhike. Do not pick up
hitchhikers.
- Do not accept rides from
strangers.
- Women living alone should list
only their last name and first initial in the phone book and on
mail boxes. Ask the phone company to not list your address in
the book.
- If you are concerned about crime
and must go out, find a friend to walk, jog or shop with.
If
you are attacked or robbed:
- Remain calm.
- Try not to panic or show any
signs of anger or confusion.
- If the attacker is after your
property, don't resist.
- Don't escalate this crime into a
violent encounter.
- Make a conscious effort to get
an accurate description of your attacker: age, race, complexion,
body build, height, weight, type and color of clothing.
- Call the police immediately,
identifying yourself and giving your location.
If
your home is broken into:
- If a door or window has been
forced or broken while you are absent.. Do not enter or call
out! Someone may still be inside.
- Use a neighbor's phone
immediately to call the police, and wait there until they
arrive.
When You Call the Police Try to
remain calm. Use 911 for medical emergencies, fires and crimes in
progress. Someone should respond within a few minutes on a call of
this type. In many situations, an officer may be dispatched while
you are still providing information to the Complaint Taker.
799-3000 is Salt Lake City
Police Dispatch. Use this number to report burglaries, thefts,
vandalism, prowlers, suspicious or disruptive activities. You will
be asked several questions.
- Be ready to provide the
following information:
Your Address, Name and Phone Number.
- What Happened?
Describe the event in as brief manner as possible.
- When Did it Happen?
Tell if the crime is in progress or when it occurred.
- Who Did It?
Name or describe the suspect or vehicle, if there is one.
- Where Did They Go?
Which way and how did they leave?
Wait for the officer to arrive or
to call you back. The time it takes for an officer to arrive will
depend on many factors. The officer may ask you questions similar to
those asked earlier. Please be patient so the officer can help
you.
In many situations it is
unnecessary for an officer to come to you. Nearly 15% of all police
cases are handled over the telephone. Keep track of the case number
given you by the officer. It will be needed by your insurance
company if you file a claim. All future police activity related to
that event will be linked to that number. If there is enough
information, the case will be passed on to a follow-up detective. It
will be a few days before you are contacted.
If you have new information you
would like to give to the detective, be sure to use the case number
given you by the first officer.
If you need to contact an officer
with information on a follow-up investigation, call the following
numbers:
- Homicide, Assault or Checks
799-3720
- Robbery or Burglary
799-3720
- Larceny/Theft 799-3450 Auto
Theft 799-3720
- Youth or Sex Crimes
799-3420
- Other Cases or Problems
799-3000
**Get involved in Neighborhood
Crime Prevention. Take time to learn how to avoid being a victim,
and learn your rights as a victim of crime.**
THIS IS ONLY THE
BEGINNING OF CRIME PREVENTION INFORMATION AND SERVICES. FOR MORE
INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL CRIME PREVENTION AT 799-3440 AND GET
INVOLVED.
Scruff & McGruff's Tips for
Kids 
Bicycle Safety
DO:
- Ride with traffic. Keep to the right of the road.
- Obey all
traffic regulations.
- Use proper hand signals for turning or
stopping.
- Stop and look both ways in order to make sure that side
walks or streets are clear before you enter a street.
- Walk your
bicycle across busy streets at corners or crosswalks.
- Use proper
headlights and red tail light or reflector when riding at
night.
DON'T:
- Show off. Keep your hands
on the handlebars.
- Zigzag, race or stunt-ride in traffic.
- Hitch rides on trucks or cars.
- Accept passengers.
- Carry large
packages which could get in your way (use luggage carrier or
basket).
- Ride against traffic.
- Wear dark clothing at night.
Wear reflective clothing or light colors.
- Tailgate or ride too
closely to cars or trucks.
Accidents involving bicycles are steadily
increasing. Major streets are the most dangerous. The peak traffic
hours between 4:00 and 6:00 P.M. are the most dangerous and
hazardous for cyclists.
Being Home Alone To be home alone, you need
to know the following things to protect you and your family:
- To
check in with a parents or a
 neighbor immediately after arriving
home.
- How to call 9-1-1, or your area's emergency number or call the
operator.
- How to give directions to you home, in case of emergency.
-
To never accept gifts or rides from people they don't know well.
- How
to use the door and window locks, and alarm system if you have one.
-
To never let anyone into your home without asking permission from a
parent or adult.
- To never let a caller at the door or on the phone
know that you are alone. Teach them to say "Mom/Dad can't come
to the phone (or door) right now."
- To carry a house key with
them in a safe place ( inside a shirt pocket or sock). Don't leave
it under a mat or on a ledge outside the house. How to escape in
case of a fire.
- To not go into a empty house or apartment if things
don't look right - a broken window, ripped screen, or a opened door.
-
To let you know about anything that frightens them or makes them
feel uncomfortable.
Creating Safer Schools
Here are some ideas how
to make your school a safer place:
- Settle arguments with words, not
fists or weapons.
- Report crimes or suspicious activities to the
police, school authorities, or parents.
- Learn safe routes for
traveling to and from school, and know good places to seek help.
-
Don't use alcohol or other drugs, and stay away from places and
people associated with them.
- Get involved in your school's
anti-violence activities - have a poster contests against violence,
hold anti-drug rallies, volunteer to counsel peers. If there's no
program start one.
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