Message from The Area Coordinator
As you can see from the statistics, the police have been very active in dealing with crime, but it is worrying to see so many offences occurring in the same streets - PLEASE KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOUR & REPORT TO Crestmead Police Station or the Police Communications branch (phone numbers overleaf). The stealing from vehicles offences are in double figures & with the festive season coming up, please take care to lock your vehicles & ensure all valuable property is removed from sight lock in glove box or in the boot-don’t give criminals any temptation. Graffiti is again on the rise & with school holidays coming up we need to ensure that buildings & signs are not defaced remember it is your money that is spent to remove the graffiti. Ring the hotline if you see an offence to enable it to be removed.
With the holidays nearly here once again remember to check your vehicle before setting off on the road & ensure that you stop, revive & survive - ie take a break every couple of hours of driving.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have helped NHW this year by attending our events and meetings. Why not make a new year’s resolution to come along to a meeting next year & become part of the community - we need more members to give new ideas & aims for the group to
continue - come along to our AGM on November 26th & see what we have achieved & what we hope to do next year.
Stay safe on the roads, ensure your property is locked & protected & let your neighbours know if you are going away. Again don’t give any temptation to the criminals out there - they don’t take a holiday! Take care and have a safe and happy festive season.
Geoff
STRANGER DANGER
The term may be a misnomer since 85% of abuse or
danger to children may be from people who are known or
trusted by the child. The aim is to teach children to be
safe, be aware of predatory strangers & be self protective.
It is a delicate balance of raising awareness, without unnecessarily
alarming children. It is equally important to
emphasise that the majority of adults are caring, loving &
responsible - not ‘bad people’. A typical predator will be
dressed in friendly clothes, be funny or ingratiating &
more likely nice & enticing & bearing treats & offers.
ACTIVE PROTECTIVE BEHAVIOUR
Teach your child :
never to wander off or go out of sight
to always walk and stay with friends - never go alone.
practice saying NO loudly and repeatedly, if they are unsure.
to yell HELP, as loudly & repeatedly as possible until
they are heard. Predators hate noise and attention.
to find a safe adult (policeman or a mum with a stroller) or
a safe spot if they are fearful, such as a school, shop or
safety sign. However don’t tell your child that all
uniforms are safe as some predators do wear them.
Encourage your child to ‘’tell’’ if they felt scared, unsure
or uncomfortable or ‘’yucky’’ with any adult.
Affirm that you will be happy to praise them for telling
they won’t be in trouble, and that you will listen and believe
them.
Be alert to behaviour or interaction, from a relative or
friend that makes you or your child feel uncomfortable.
Also to any overly ingratiating or endearing behaviour
which can lead to separation of child and parent.
Explain to your child in age appropriate terms where
touching is NOT OK such as touching mouths and areas
covered by their swimming costumes.
Be aware for a combination of warning signs of potential
danger - the greatest indicator is a change in several behaviours -
a return to bedwetting, nightmares or disturbed
sleep, or the sudden onset of phobias such as fear of the
dark or leaving the house.
Everyone knows that drinking & driving is dangerous, but so is drinking & walking!Pedestrians and motorists need to look out for
each other’s safety when they’re on (or near) the
road.
Last year more than 12% (or 33 fatalities) of the
road toll was pedestrians, of which 15 were alcohol
impaired. A trend that is on the rise –50%
higher than it was in 2010.
Of the 15 alcohol impaired pedestrian fatalities,
one-third were aged 30–39. Meanwhile one-third
were female and two-thirds were male. These
statistics indicate that people are unaware of the
dangers associated with walking while under the
influence of alcohol and the deadly consequences.
As a pedestrian you should always stay on the
footpath and only cross the road at marked
crossings, lights or other designated areas. If
you are planning on drinking AND walking to or
from a bar, club, party, etc then try to walk with
a group of sober friends to reduce your risk of
injury.
Meanwhile motorists should remember when
driving in heavily populated areas to reduce
speed & keep an eye out for pedestrians.
Prescription, over-the-counter & recreational drugs don’t belong behind the wheel!If you’re using any of the above then you should
plan ahead to avoid driving while under the influence.
Drugs can be incredibly dangerous, making
it hard to safely and competently ‘operate
heavy machinery’… like drive a car. Common
effects of drugs on driving can include:
- slow your reaction time
- affect your reflexes
- reduce your concentration
- distort your perception of speed and distance impair judgment.
So make sure you ask your pharmacist or doctor
if your prescription &/or over-the-counter medication
will affect your driving ability.
Don’t even think about driving after taking illegal
drugs. Police conduct regular random roadside
drug tests that can detect cannabis/marijuana,
speed, ice and ecstasy. If caught the penalties
are significant.
