Your personal safety does not have to be left up to chance. Though you cannot eliminate all possibility of becoming a victim, there are steps you can take to reduce the odds. An attacker looks for essentially three things when picking a victim:
Vulnerability
Accessibility
Availability
Practicing the following personal safety tips as you go about your daily activities may make you less attractive to a would be criminal.
BE ALERT!! Know who is near you and what activities going on around you.
Walk with authority, look ahead and scan your surroundings
Do not walk in poorly lit areas.
Avoid standing at a bus stop alone, especially at night.
If approached by someone in a car, change your direction and enter a crowded store or business.
Carry a cell phone and some type of safety device (i.e.: flashlight, whistle, pepper spray and etc) when walking at night.
Be alert to someone who asks for directions and/or continues to engage you in conversation.
Obey all of the robber's orders. Keep all communication with the robber short and simple. Don't argue!
Be identification conscious. Observe your attacker's personal appearance, type of weapon used, and type of vehicle so you can accurately describe them to police.
Immediately report the incident to the police and do not hang up until the police arrive.
Shopping Safety Tips
The Leesville Police Department would like to remind you of some helpful Shopping Safety Tips.
Park in well lit areas.
Walk with confidence, be aware of people around you, and know where you parked.
Always lock your car doors after leaving or entering your car.
Have your keys in your hand so that you do not have to linger before entering your car. Check the back seat before you get in.
Don’t leave packages on the car seats. Keep packages out of sight in the trunk or under a covered rear cargo area.
Safety While Shopping
Pay with checks or credit cards when possible. Do not flash large amounts of cash.
Don’t leave any purchases or your purse unattended while shopping or in a dressing room.
Try to carry as little as possible. Make multiple trips to your vehicle to store your purchases.
Never leave your children alone.
If your children get separated from you, teach them to find a cashier or a security officer and ask for help.
Report all suspicious activity. Call 911 with a description.
You are here
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.
Home Safety Information
If you are concerned about residential burglaries in your neighborhood, you do not have to feel powerless to change the situation. Most residential burglars look for crimes of opportunity. They pick what appears to be an easy mark. There are many steps that you can take to keep your home and your neighborhood safe. The most important step is for you and your neighbors to work together.
What can you do?
Never allow people you do not know into your home, such as a door-to-door sales person, a person asking to use the phone or looking for a supposed neighbor.
Always keep your doors and windows locked day and night.
Never leave your garage door open.
Don't have your valuables visible through windows.
Keep ladders locked in the garage. Burglars can use them for access to otherwise inaccessible second story windows.
Don't forget when going on vacation to hold or to have someone pick up your mail/newspapers.
Don't hide a key outside for visiting friends and relatives.
Don't advertise new gifts or purchases. Break up the cartons before leaving them at the curb.
Call the police immediately when you see suspicious persons or activities
Get to know the police officers in your area.
If you live in an apartment complex let management know of any problems in the community.
Vehicle Burglary Prevention
The last thing you need is to find your vehicle’s window broken or items missing. The Alexandria Police Department suggests taking these simple, but important steps to maintain your car’s safety:
Do not leave valuables in your car. That sounds like common sense, but drivers/passengers do leave items of value in plain view every day. If you leave valuable items visible in your car, your car is automatically a target.
If you must leave valuable items in your car while out and about, place items out of sight before reaching your destination or move them inconspicuously.
Once home, unload your valuables immediately. Do not store valuables in your car any longer than necessary, and certainly never overnight.
Try to park in busy, well-lighted areas, or in your garage (if you have one).
Raise your windows and lock ALL of your vehicle’s doors even if you plan to be gone for only a brief time. Every week, items are stolen from unlocked vehicles where the owner expected to be away for “just a second.”
Set any alarm or anti-theft device. If you have one, use it! Many people believe that car alarms no longer make a difference, but they can be an effective deterrent to an auto burglary.
Don’t think your dark tinted windows will hide your valuables. Thieves often use flashlights to see through tint, and after-market tint is handy to keep all the broken glass in one “sheet” when they break out your window.
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR VEHICLE IS BURGLARIZED:
As soon as possible, call the police to report the incident.
If you see suspicious activity, call the police immediately.
Holiday Safety Tips
The Leesville Police Department would like to provide you with some home security tips for the holiday seasons.
Make sure your home is well lit. Turn on outside lights, spotlights, motions lights, etc. Leave several lights on timers while you are away to give your home that lived in look.
Keep all shrubbery trimmed. Do not allow shrubbery to conceal windows or doors.
Remove anything a burglar could climb up on to gain entry or use to knock out a window or door; items such as ladders, tools, tables, and chairs.
All exterior doors should be solid, rather than hollow core.
Don’t leave garage roll down doors open, even while you are home or while you are doing yard work.
Use a deadbolt lock to secure your doors. A good deadbolt should have a 1” throw, if you have glass within 40” of the lock a burglar could reach in and unlock the door. A double cylinders lock (this type needs a key on both sides to unlock) should be used if glass is near the lock.
If you are going away contact a trusted neighbor or friend to pick up your mail, newspaper and other delivered items.
Try not to leave gifts in open view. This is an invitation to burglars.
Don’t advertise new gifts or purchases. Break up cartons before leaving them at the curb or dispose of them another way the morning of trash pickup.
10. Don’t forget to engrave new gifts or purchases with your Drivers license number.
11. Don’t open your door to strangers. Be wary of solicitors and salespersons. If a stranger asks to use your telephone, tell them to stay outside, lock the door behind you and make the call for them. Never let a stranger inside your home.
12. Don’t give any information about yourself or your neighbor to a stranger.
You are here
Trigger Lock
A trigger lock can be used to keep someone from being able to pull the trigger. Trigger locks are available in a variety of configurations, from basic key lock options to those that require combinations to open the lock.
Cable Lock
The cable lock can be used on most firearms. The cable is most often placed through the gun barrel, which generally impedes loading and firing.
Storage Case
Storage cases come in various sizes and can be used for both storing and locking up a firearm. The case can be locked, but the lock must often be purchased separately.
Lock Box
A lock box is like a small safe that allows you to store your firearm safely and securely via key or combination lock or by a digital keypad, to prevent unauthorized access to the firearm.
Locking Safe
This safe comes in a number of sizes to accommodate long guns, such as rifles and shotguns, and includes spaces for storing handguns as well. Much like the lock box, the gun safe has the option of a combination lock or digital keypad to lock it.
Record Your Firearm
The rights and responsibilities of a firearms owner do not end with secure storage. If the firearm is lost or stolen, it is imperative to work quickly to report the theft or loss. https://www.atf.gov/file/4831/download
Cable Lock
Storage Case
Lock Box
Locking Safe
Record Your Firearm