Crime Prevention Week

Today is the 15th National Crime Prevention Week. We all know that ensuring the public safety is the job of the Philippine National Police. But crime prevention does not solely depends on the full regulation by the government especially by the uniformed men. Sometimes those uniformed men who are trained to use guns misuse and abuse the power given to them thus become a threat to people's safety. There are many things that each of us can do to prevent crimes from happening. We need to be aware and to be concerned and familiarize ourselves with informations. Here are some of the things we can do to keep our families safe and to reduce our chances of being victims of crimes.

1. Know the whereabouts of each member of the family. If possible, prepare a board where everyone can write or post the itineraries of each member.

2. Tell every member of the family not to talk to strangers or even entertain them at the gate/door or even on the phone. This is a simple rule that is always observed even by children.

3. If someone asks of the whereabouts of a family member, never, never give them any information. Even if its a friend or a relative. Just politely tell them to call again later or ask for any messages that can be relayed to the person concerned as he or she comes back.

4. Never let children play outside the gates. Never let them go out without you knowing as to where they are going. Children are the most vulnerable to crimes.

5. Know your neighbors and be active with your neighborhood association. Look after their houses when they are away. They will return the favor to you in case you'll be the one who's out.

6. Always have a background check of household helpers, yayas or school service drivers because nowadays many child abduction cases are being participated by them.

7. Always check that the doors and windows have locks that are properly working. Always check that they are properly closed especially at night.

8. When outside, do not flash too much jewelries as they are "hot" in the eyes.

9. And most importantly, be alert and observant and learn to recognize any sign of crime. If possible, report all crimes to the authorities even if it's only an attempt. A crime can't be prevented if it is not reported. And remember, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.

Have a safe home everybody!