Therefore it is very important to help children make
good decisions when they are on their own.
Here are some general
safety tips for parents to help their children stay safe:
-
Instruct your child
on how to contact the Police Department, Fire Department or Ambulance
by dialing 911 and how to contact a known family member or responsible
trustworthy neighbor or adult should an emergency arise.
-
Check your child's
route to and from school. Call attention to any dangerous spots
such as vacant lots, alleyways, etc. Advise them what to do if
a strange person follows or approaches them.
-
Instruct your child's
school to notify you immediately if your child is absent. Inform
the principal who is authorized to pick your child up from school.
Try to have the same person pick your child up every day when
possible.
-
Instruct your child
to never take a ride from any strangers even if the person says
that they are there to pick them up because their mom or dad sent
them.
-
Choose a secret code
word to use with your child in case of an emergency. Tell your
child never to go with anyone who does not know this code word.
-
Advise your child what
to do if they feel lost. Help them to identify the safest place
to go or person to ask for help in reuniting them with you or
other caregiver. Examples of safe helpers could be a uniformed
law-enforcement or security officer, store salesperson with a
nametag, person with a nametag who is working at the information
booth.
-
Teach your child to
tell you if anyone asks them to keep a secret, offer them gifts
or money, or asks to take their picture.
-
Teach your child to
always tell you if something happened while they were away from
you that made them feel uncomfortable in anyway.
Especially for Younger Children:
-
Teach children their
parent's names, phone number, including area code and your full
address.
-
Teach your child how
to use the telephone to make emergency, local and long distance
calls and how to reach the operator.
-
Never allow your child
to use a public restroom unattended.
-
Don't "personalize"
your child's clothing or accessories with his/her name. Children
may respond to a stranger who calls them by name.
-
Teach your child that a stranger is someone
that neither you nor they know well.
Especially for Teens:
-
As you always want to
know where your child is, let your child know where you are or will
be.
-
Talk to your child. Listen
to your child. Find out what they're thinking, and what they're
feeling. Every day, know whom they hang out with, what they do,
and where they're going. Not only will it help you influence and
keep track of your child, but you also can get to know each other
better.
-
Discuss the effects of
alcohol and other drug use and why they are especially bad for young
people. The more your child knows, the better informed their decisions
will be about drug use.
-
Advise your child what
to do if there is drinking or drug use occurring at a party and
make it easy for your teenager to leave - always have a back-up
driver your teen can call for a ride home.
-
Insist that your teen
NEVER accept a ride with someone who has been drinking or taking
drugs.
-
Insist that your teen
NEVER tolerate party activities that include vandalism, theft, sexual
intimidation, assault or other illegal activity in addition to drinking
or drug use. Encourage your teen to call 9-1-1 if necessary.
For additional information
please review the following youth safety tips:
If your child is missing,
call 911. Do not wait. Have a recent picture of your child. Know his/her
friends and hangouts. Have a good description of your child, including
his/her clothing.
Pine Bluff Police Department
- Telephone Reporting Unit 870-730-2086
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
- www.missingkids.com
Child Abuse Hotline - 1-800-482-5964
If your child has been sexually abused,
call 911. Do not wait. Do not bathe the child or change his/her clothes.
If the suspect is a relative contact the Arkansas
DHS
at 1-800-482-5964, in addition
to the Police.
If you have any questions concerning
crime prevention topics please contact the Public Relations Department
at pbpd@pbpd.org.
Pine Bluff Police Department
200 East 8th Ave
Pine Bluff, Arkansas 71601
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