Sheriff Department

Personal Safety

• Be aware of your surroundings! (Look around, know who or what is there.) Example? Is there someone standing by your vehicle, or walking behind you, or sitting in their car next to yours.
   
• Trust your instincts. (If it doesn’t look right, feel right then it’s probably wrong.)
   
• If you feel these instincts do not ignore them, let someone know, call police and report the situation. (I.e. suspicious subject or vehicle that just doesn’t fit the surroundings)
   
• Walk with a partner or group, ask someone to walk out with you or call police for an escort.
   
• Keep your purse close to your body, not dangling by the straps. Put your wallet in an inside coat pocket or front pants pocket.
   
• While shopping keep your purse and valuables protected. (Ideally your purse should be in your possession but if you need to put it down, put it in the bottom of shopping cart with something over it; you can even wrap or tie your straps around something. Make it harder for a criminal to have access to it, keep you coupons in a separate area so you can have access to them without making your wallet and purse vulnerable.
   
• Again, be aware of your surroundings; remember criminals do not always work alone. A common practice is for someone to distract you while their partner robs you of your valuables.
   
• Plan ahead and make a game plan in the event something happens, you will be more likely to do the right thing if you have already thought about it. (Should be used for everything you do whether you’re driving, walking, shopping, or just hanging out at home.)