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Police Officials Offer Safety Tips For Parents and Children
New York State Police Major John Noonan, Kent Police Chief Donald L. Smith, Carmel Police Chief Michael Johnson, Cold Spring Officer-in-Charge Darrell Burris, and Putnam County Sheriff Donald B. Smith are urging parents to talk to their children about personal safety.
The law enforcement officials say that parents need to reinforce the old axioms-such as "don’t take a ride from a stranger" and "don’t open the door to a stranger"- and must be on guard against newer dangers like predators who surf Internet chat rooms trying to exploit youngsters.
This safety reminder comes in the wake of a report that police received this past week about a suspicious person who approached a child at a school bus stop in Carmel. On May 11th, a man -described as having dark skin and wearing sunglasses and driving a large black car - pulled up to the bus stop at the corner of Collier Drive and Circle Drive, where a lone teenaged girl was waiting for the bus, and asked the girl to come closer to his car. The girl refused and the man repeated his request. Moments later, the school bus drove into view and the man drove off.
Investigators have not found any evidence of criminal activity in the bus stop incident, and point out that it may simply have been a matter of a lost motorist seeking directions. But, while the officials do not wish to overstate the case or unduly alarm residents, they are taking the opportunity to remind parents to be more safety-conscious for themselves and their children.
Youngsters are particularly susceptible to the tactics of predators, the officials noted, and for that reason parents should discuss common sense safety rules with their children and regularly reinforce those rules. Parents should remind children not to talk to strangers on the street and not to give personal information to anyone over the telephone or Internet. It is important for parents to explain that a stranger is not necessarily someone who looks scary or threatening, but anyone whom the child does not know, even someone who might appear friendly. Predators can be quite adept at using ploys and deception to disarm a child’s defensive instincts, such as pretending to have lost a puppy and asking the child to help him or her find it.
Parents should warn children not to go off with anyone - even a person known to the child - without a parent or guardian’s permission. Parents should encourage a "buddy system" among children and not allow a child to go anywhere alone, even if it’s just down the block.
Even within the home, children can be targeted by predators prowling about the worldwide web. For that reason, parents must regularly monitor what a child is doing on the home computer and should be especially circumspect about allowing a child to visit on-line chat rooms.
For their part, too, adults should adopt reasonable protective measures in and around the home, such as locking doors at night, turning on security lighting, and activating alarm systems. The officials note that Putnam County is one of the safest counties in the country, but residents should still be vigilant when it comes to safety.
The police officials welcome parents to call their respective departments for more information and for tips on how to talk to children about staying safe. The department telephone numbers are as follows: New York State Police 845-677-7323, Carmel Police Department 845-628-1300, Kent Police Department 845-225-4600, Cold Spring Police Department 845-265-3407, and Putnam County Sheriffs Department 845-225-4300. In emergencies, or to report a suspicious person or an unsafe situation, residents should dial 911.
The law enforcement leaders stressed that citizens should never hesitate in reporting suspicious activity to police. The officials said that their departments preferred to investigate a report that later proves to be unfounded rather than not learn about suspicious activity until after a crime has been committed.
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