SPPD Shares Child Safety Tips with Parents

The South Pasadena Police Department sent Patch a list of safety tips for parents to share with their children.  Following these suggestions will help kids to be safe and teach them to recognize danger signs. 

It’s also a good time for parents who have special rules, for example a list of people who can pick up their children or secret safety words, to review those.  Here’s what to tell the kids:

On the way to and from school and activities

• Don’t talk to strangers and never get close to a stranger’s vehicle
• Don’t believe any story they may tell to get close
• Never accept rides from a stranger
• Walk with friends
• Know the routes to school and consider having a safe place, such as a friend’s home or store, on the way
• Never give your name of address to a stranger
• If a stranger is following you, walk in the opposite direction and return to school or go to a store and call police
• Yell and scream if a stranger attempts to grab you, and run away
• Know where emergency call boxes are located. They have a blue light atop a red pole and connect directly to the police department.
• 911 is a free call from any pay phone
• If you have a cell phone, store the police department number on it. In South Pasadena, (626) 403-7297 goes directly to the dispatcher.
• Carry identification with the names and phone numbers of your parents or guardian
• Avoid wearing clothes, backpacks, or other items with your name easily visible; a stranger can pretend to know you if he or she knows your name

At home alone

• Never open the door to strangers
• Have all emergency numbers listed
• Never say that you are home alone
• Let the answering machine pick up telephone calls
• Do not allow anyone in the house without your parent’s permission
• If you return home and notice an open or broken window, do not go in; call the police from a neighbor’s house

For parents

• Know your children’s friends and who they hang around
• Children are curious. Lock up all medications and firearms.