A Letter from Chief David Majenski

As parents and guardians, you are the most important and influential people in your children’s lives. This also makes you the best source for safety information. The rules and procedures your family discusses can help empower your child as he or she becomes more independent. I hope that you find the following safety guidelines from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children informative and helpful as we all work towards making our community a safer place to live and work.   Sincerely David Majenski Chief of Police

TEACH your children.
• Set boundaries about places they may go, people they may see and things they may do.
• Reinforce the importance of “taking a friend” when they go places or play outside.
• It’s okay to say NO-tell your children to trust their instincts. If someone should try to grab them, tell them to make a scene; yell loudly “this person is not my father/mother/guardian” and make every effort to get away by kicking, screaming and resisting.
• Teach your children to TELL a trusted adult if anything makes them feel scared, uncomfortable or confused.
• Practice with your children what they should do if they get lost by identifying people who can help them, like a uniformed law enforcement or security officer, store salesperson with a nametag, the person with a nametag in the information booth or help center, or a mother with children, and telling the “helping person” that they are lost. Children should never go to an isolated area with these helping adults, rather they should stay in an open and safe place until their parents or guardians can be found and brought to them.

GET INVOLVED
• Know where your children area at all times.
• Participate in your children’s activities.
• Your children should check in with you on a regular basis and if there is a change in plans.
• There is no substitute for your attention and supervision.
• PRACTICE safety skills with your children so that they become second nature.
• Review family rules and guidelines frequently.

HOME
• Keep contact numbers and emergency numbers near the telephone. Make sure your children know how to reach you in an emergency by learning your work phone, cell phone or pager number, and when to dial “911” “0” or any other appropriate number.
• Teach your children never to answer the door unless the person is a trusted family friend or relative, your children feel comfortable being alone with that person and you have told your children that it is okay
• Decide whether or not the telephone should be answered and what your children should say to a caller when you are not there.
• Children should have a trusted adult to call if they are home alone and feel scared, uncomfortable, confused or have an emergency
• Make your children part of securing your home. Show them how to lock doors and windows and set an alarm system if you have one.
• Establish reasonable rules and guidelines for using the computer by your children. Even if you don’t own a computer, be sure to identify other places your children may have access such as libraries school and friends houses.

SCHOOL
• Walk the route with your children and point out safe places they can go if needed.
• If your children take the bus, go to the stop and review what to do when waiting for the bus. For example, if a car pulls up to the bus stop, walk away in the opposite direction to a safe location or trusted adult.

NEIGHBORHOOD
• Make sure your children know which neighbors you feel are people they can turn to for help.
• Take a walk around your neighborhood and discuss how far your children can go away from your house and the proper route to take. Don’t let them take shortcuts.
• Remind your children to never go out alone but take a friend and always tell a trusted adult where they are going.
• Never drop your children off alone at a movie theater, mall or park, even if you plan to meet up later.
Family Outings, Events and Amusement Parks
• Make sure your child knows his or her name and address, emergency telephone numbers and your names in case he or she gets lost.
• Discuss where you are going so your child is aware of the new situation before getting there.
• Discuss what to do if you get separated. Teach your child to go up to a uniformed law enforcement or security officer, store salesperson with a nametag, person with a nametag in the information booth or help center, or a mother with children and tell that person he or she is lost. Also teach your children to stay in an open and safe place until you are found and brought there.
• Never leave your children unattended in an automobile.

We hope this information helps reinforce your commitment to teaching your children what they can do to be safer.