Personal Safety

Keep Yourself Safe

Thieves will often target individuals who are walking alone and distracted by phones or other electronic devices. A simple yet effective strategy to avoid being robbed is to maintain awareness of your surroundings at all times. Other prevention tips include:

Walk with confidence. Keep your head up and know where you are going.
Limit distractions. Store mobile phones and other valuables out of sight and remove your headphones.
Call a friend. Let someone know where you are going.
Stay visible. Stick to well-lit areas and don’t wear dark clothing at night.
Only essentials. Carry only the necessary identification, money, or cards that you need.
Keys ready. Have your car or house keys ready before you reach the door.

If you are approached, verbally threatened or physically assaulted, you can avoid further confrontation by giving the perpetrator the property they want.

Do Not Engage in the altercation as it increases your chance of getting physically harmed as escalates the situation further. Safety is priority #1. Try to take note of what the suspect(s) looks like and their direction of travel.

The 9 pm Routine

Property crimes are often crimes of opportunity, and maintaining a nightly routine can help deter thefts & break ins. Taking a few simple steps every night can help protect your family, friends, and community from becoming victims of crime.

Every night by 9pm:

Turn outdoor lights on
Close the garage door & any gates
Close & lock your home’s windows & doors (even if you live in a small town)
Double check vehicles are locked, keys are removed, and no valuables have been left inside
Put away toys and bikes in a locked, safe location
Put away tools when you’re finished with them
Put away outdoor equipment such as lawn mowers and weed trimmers
Lock up off-highway vehicles (ATVs, dirt bikes, etc.)
Set your home alarm (if you have one)
Empty your mailbox & retrieve packages/deliveries from your porch
Make sure your valuables aren’t visible from outside

Details to Remember in the Event of an Incident

When you are in a safe location/the threat is no longer present, take the time to write down everything you can think of – Note the physical descriptions of the individuals involved, any vehicles, license plate numbers, or other distinguishing characteristics. Additionally, try to remember the location, time, and date of the incident. Call police as soon as it is safe to do so.

Physical descriptors such as:

Height (In feet & inches, Relative to your own height, or overall: Tall, Average, Short, etc.)
Weight/Build/Size (i.e., Weight estimate in pounds, Slim/Lean, Athletic/Fit, Curvy, Stalky, Average, Tall, Short, etc.)
Age (Estimate in 5 year increment, if possible or range – Senior, Youth, Child, Adult, etc.)
Skin Tone/Ethnicity (i.e., Olive skin, Tan, Dark, Caucasian, Pale, etc.)
Overall Appearance (i.e., Scruffy, Unkempt, Attractive, Clean, Well-dressed, etc.)
Head, Body, & Facial Hair (Colour, Texture, Length, Styling, Hairline, Wig/Dye)
Clothing & Footwear – Shirt, Jacket, Pants/Bottoms, Socks, Shoes, Dress (Condition, Style, Colour, Branding, Cleanliness, Fit, Accessories – Hat, Watch, Glasses, Wig, Jewelry, Scarf, Umbrella, etc.)
Distinguishable Features/Visible Markings (i.e., Completion – Acne/Pores/Rash, Scar, Tattoo, Mole, Freckle, Burn, Limp, Injury, etc.) *note shape/style & locations on body
Voice/Speech (i.e., Pitch, Tone, Rasp, Lisp, Accent, use of slang, Articulation, etc.)
Personal Belongings (i.e., Backpack, Duffle Bag, Purse, Keychain, Cane/Walker, Stroller, Pet/Animal, etc.)

Other important details:

Date of Incident
Time of Incident
Location of Incident (use land markers and physical description if address is unknown)

Transportation

Vehicle (Non-changeable features: Type – Car/Truck/SUV, Make, Model, Age/Year, Body Style – Coupe/Sedan/Convertible; Changeable features: License plate number & province/state, Colour, Damage/imperfections – if any, Rim colour, Stickers, Decals, Tint) *take note of driver description & any/all passengers
Bicycle/Skateboard/Scooter (Make, Model, Colour, Size, Condition/Age, Stickers, Decals, etc.)
On Foot (Pace – Walk/Run, Limp, Visible injury, Assistance – Cane/Walker/Crutches, etc.)
Direction of Travel (i.e., Which direction did person/people approach from?, Which direction did they leave in?)

You may also be able to provide information on:

Crime Type – Stated and/or Assumed (Robbery, Theft/Burglary, Assault – Sexual/Physical, Extortion, Kidnapping/Abduction, Human Trafficking, Murder, Arson, Hate Crime, Predation, etc.)
Motive(s) – Stated and/or Assumed (Substance Misuse, Poverty, Mental Health, Revenge, Anger, Jealousy, Passion, Power, Greed, Opportunity, Intimidation, Thrill, Peer-Pressure, Abuse, etc.)

Child Personal Safety Tips

Parents

Remember/take a picture of the clothes your children are wearing each day in case they get lost
Reinforce the importance of the ‘buddy system’
Teach your children to know their full name, age, telephone number, city, and province so that they can identify themselves
The more children know about their bodies and acceptable, safe behaviours, the safer they will be. Teach them the proper names of their body parts
Children need to be told that their safety is important and that they can play a big part in staying safe. Encourage your children to always report back to you about strange or frightening things that happen
Encourage an open dialogue with your children – tell them that you will not be angry with them about things that may scare or concern them

Online Safety

Never give out or post personal information (addresses, telephone number, name/location of school, etc.)
Never agree to meet face-to-face with someone they have “met” online
Teach them not to respond to e-mail messages that are rude, mean or that make them feel uncomfortable
Never give their Internet password to anyone other than a parent

Adult Personal Safety Tips

In your community:

Know your neighbours
Pay attention to your instincts
Carry only what you need with you
Plan your route in advance
Don’t be afraid to say no

Online:

Use strong passwords
Enable multi-factor authentication
Only log into accounts from trusted sources & devices
Don’t reveal personal information on social media
Never clicking on links received via text message or email

In your car:

Lock your doors immediately after getting into your vehicle
Never pick up hitchhikers
Do not stop to pick up stranded motorists – call police or tow company for assistance
Park in well lit areas & keep vehicle locked when it’s parked
Be alert getting in and out of a vehicle – have keys ready & check to make sure no one is inside before you get in
Do not leave your license, banking information, or other sensitive materials in your vehicle
If your vehicle breaks down, raise the hood & turn on hazard lights – stay inside with windows rolled up & doors locked

Senior Safety

Fraud Protection

Ignore suspicious contests, phone calls from “distant relatives”, travel club offers, retirement estates offered “site unseen”, and telephone, text messages and email solicitation of any kind where you are asked to pay a deposit or other charge in advance
Contact the police and your bank if anyone claiming to be a bank examiner calls and asks for assistance
Be cautious of “just passing by” home repairmen offering repair work at a savings. Check the offer with a reputable repair company. Always inspect the credentials of anyone who contacts you or comes to your door and ask for references
Never sign a contract that you have not read and fully understand
Before investing money, get a second opinion from a spouse, financial advisor or lawyer

In the Home

Keep valuables in a safety deposit box at your bank
Mark valuable items for identification
Don’t keep large amounts of cash at home
Never let strangers into your home – if they require assistance, ask who you might call to help them

In the Community