On-line Safety

What should you know and why:

·Is someone in your house assessing illegal material online? The account holder of any Internet service can be held accountable for information accessed through that account, no matter who accessed it.

·Is your personal information or situations being made available online? It is not uncommon for someone that you had a few words with to make a post referring to it online. With online diaries and blogs, it is even more common now then ever. Once this information is online, it is available to the world (including your neighbors and co-workers).

·Are your kids posting your phone number address or other information online? Kids post all kinds of things that are unsafe to make available on line all the time. Most of the time it is intended for a friend only, but who knows where that information can end up.


What can you do to protect yourself and your kids?

Most experts tell you to talk to your kids and ask them for their screen names and passwords. I wonder if these experts were ever kids themselves. Just think how you would react when you were a kid, and apply it to today's technology.

Even if you children give you access to everything they have online. It only takes a few minutes to create another e-mail address, blog free website, etc.

Facing reality you need to check the internet and find out what is out there pertaining to you, your kids and/or your family. To check properly takes a little more knowledge then the average internet user would have. If you really want to know if there is anything floating around on line, you may need to use a service like Find Out Now (http://findoutnow.yourdesign2.com).

There are also a lot of computer monitoring programs that you can buy to keep you up to date on anything going on through your computer. Keep in mind that any program can be turned off with only a few clicks of a mouse. Also if your kids find out there is a monitoring program on your computer and your kids are doing something that they don't want you to see, they can simply do it from a friends computer or the local library. So it is important to check the internet also.

Here are a few tips on being safe on-line:

1- Keep all personal information privet, including pictures, passwords full name, etc.

2- Talk with your kids in a friendly manner about if they have blogs, home pages, etc. and make mental notes of the information thy give you.

3- Research the internet using your information and/or the information provided by your kids.

4- Take action when needed. Report any improper postings, websites, etc. to the server that host it (and the police when needed).

5- Think before you click. Thinking first will prevent you from giving out information that you would otherwise not give.

6- Take a 5 minute break! If someone is bothering you online or you find something posted about you online, take a break and walk away for 5 min. You will deal with it a lot better on a clear head.If you feel there should be anything else add to the list.

Please let me know. I will gladly repost with additional at a later date.

Written by A. Wallace

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If you feel a potential threat is near

What should you do if you feel there is a potential threat near?

·First thing to do is assess the situation and prepare to take action
·First course of action should be to move away from the potential threat
·Decide how immediate the threat is and how drastic your action should be
·Join a nearby group of people (any group of people is better then being alone in a bad situation).
·If no one is around, cross the street and increase your pace in the oppisit direction.
·Go to a store or well-lighted public place
·Make notes of every detail that you can recall (written notes are best when you can)
·Call the police immediately
·If you believe a threat is imminent and you see people nearby you, yell, scream, or create a commotion in any way you can.
·If you see someone else in trouble, call the police right away
·After you have avoided a threatening situation, call the police immediately and report incident

What things should you take note of?

1.The persons hight
2.Skin color
3.Hair color and style
4.Clothes
5.Any items the person may have been carring
6.The direction the person came from
7.The direction the person left
8.Any additional information that may be helpful such as tattoos, scars, a limp, etc.

Written by A. Wallace

Visit The Weekly News at http://localnews.yourdesign2.com
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Subway Safety

Those of us who ride the New York Subway’s are only too familiar with the person selling DVD’s, the homeless person asking for a dollar and even the ones that put on a little show and take donations. Just how familiar are with the person sitting in subway seat next to us?

The average person hustling on the subways is out to make a buck and up to no harm. Those riding the subways looking for someone to rob are not looking to draw attention to them selves. They will simply sit back and watch. When you reach into your pocket or purse, they see where you keep your money. This makes you more likely to become a victim.

Should you feel the need to give a dollar to the needy, don’t put yourself at risk in the process. Keep a dollar or two in a separate pocket, just incase the need for it arises. When taking it out, let it be seen that there is only one other dollar. Not too many criminals want to take a chance for only a dollar.

With all this being said, the best advice is DON’T give money to anyone on the subway that is asking for a hand out. You would do much better for yourself and the needy if you give that money to a legitimate charity. The other way to view it is that asking for handouts, selling DVD’s, etc. on the subway is against the law. Don’t support illegal activities and you will be less likely to become a victim.

By A.Wallace

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Know your Neighbor
We live in a society that is based on computers and in personal interaction. However getting to know your neighbors could make the difference between you and/or your home becoming a victim of a crime or not.
When I taught community safety, one of the things I used was what I would call the box (see example below).

Home 2 Home 3 Home 4

Home 1 Your Home Home 5

Using this layout, simply take a sheet of paper and write the information pertaining to your home and the homes around you. The information should include the address, name, phone number. Get to know the people that live in the 5 home’s surrounding yours and let them get to know you. In doing so, this will form a kind on a net, where each home will know those around and the routine’s involving those home’s. When one person in the net sees something out of the ordinary, they can call that home or another from the net if needed. Should something be wrong, those within your net will also notice and be able to call the police, should you not be home or be unable. Think about it, if everyone on your block were part of a safety net like this, the odds on someone falling victim to a crime on your block would be less then it has ever been. Anyone doing a crime on a block like this will be seen by at least one person and police would be called.
You can also coordinate your efforts in forming a safety net like this with your local community affairs officer and/or block association.

Keep in mind that while forming a net like this, there is a fine line between being safe and being nosey, don’t cross the line. The plan is designed as a safety net, not a means of making friends or knowing the business of others. Although in forming a net like this making friends will happen in a lot of cases.

Written by A. Wallace

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Home Safety

We all know the standard rules about locking the door and windows, but did you know that the placement of something as simple as your garbage cans could increase the safety of your home form burglary?

Placement of garbage cans, lawn furniture and other items that could be used to climb on beneath a window will increase the odds of having your home broken into.
Criminals look for things like this. If items of this sort were placed further from windows, they would need to be moved before being used as a means of reaching a window. The movement of items like these creates a possible noise that would alert the homeowner of the criminal’s intent, increasing the chances on being caught. And what criminal is looking to be caught.

Written by Arthur Wallace

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