SDPD presentation on student safety

On Thursday, February 21, we were fortunate enough to have a visit from Officer Tousely from the San Diego Police Juvenile Services Team. Officer Tousely gave a talk to our students on staying safe in the neighborhood, especially when going to/from school.

While the presentation was geared towards middle school students, and included several real-life scenarios for students to address, Officer Tousely also provided a list of safety tips for parents.

The following in an excerpt from the parent safety tips sheet:
1) Avoid clothing and toys with your child's name on them.
2) Create an environment in which your child feels free talking to you.
3) Keep an up-to-date color photography of your child, along with a medical and dental history; have your child fingerprinted.
4) Always accompany your child on door-to-door activities.
5) Point out safe places for your child to go if need be, such as a school, church, library, or store.
6) Always accompany young children to the restroom in a public place.

Here are some tips older students can use to stay safe:
1) Tell parents where you are at all times; leave a written or voice message at home
2) Never hitchhike
3) Avoid shortcuts through empty parks, fields, alleys.
4) Run home or to the nearest public place and yell if being followed.
5) Learn to recognize suspicious behavior
6)Remember a description of the person or vehicle if being followed/harassed; write the plate number in the dirt if nothing else is available
7) If attacked for money or belongings, give these items up immediately rather than risking injury