These guidelines may educate both parents and children on personal safety, and may
also prevent a tragedy. The guidelines are provided by Lieutenant Nancy Burns from
the Leon County Sheriff's Department, Crime Prevention Unit. Lieutenant Burns may
be reached by e-mail at:
BURNSN@mail.co.leon.fl.us
1. Rehearse with your children their full name, address and telephone number. Teach
them how to make emergency calls.
2. Have children avoid hanging out around lonely parks, woods, parking lots or even
school yards late after school. Work out the best route to school or other places
they go to often and then have them stick with this route.
3.Teach your children to pay attention to what is going on around them at all times.
4.Play games such as "What if" to help a child think about dangerous situations.
Design role plays using situations that might be tempting or confusing to help him/her
decide the best protective action. (example someone looking for a lost puppy in
the park) (example-being touched on private parts by anyone).
5. Teach your children to never accept a ride from anyone they don't know.
6. Do not approach a vehicle to talk to the occupants. Stay back away from the vehicle.
If an occupant gets out, immediately run to a safe place. Run the opposite way if
possible.
7. Make sure your child knows their neighborhood and knows where to go if there
is an emergency.
8. When personalizing clothing or backpacks, make sure your child's name is not
visible to strangers who could use the information to confuse your child and lure
them away.
9. Monitor your child's computer use. Make sure the areas they are going into are
safe for children. If they use chat programs learn who they are communicating with.
Advise them to never give out personal information online. Also, tell them to never
arrange to meet with anyone they meet online.
10. If someone appears interested in your child - or too good to be true- they probably
are. Remember child predators are good at the art of coercion. They will attempt
to befriend your child and win their confidence.
11. Teach them to say "No" if someone they don't know asks them to go to anywhere
with them. Let your children know that it is okay to say "no" to an adult, especially
in a dangerous situation.
12. If they are grabbed by someone trying to abduct them, instruct them to yell,
scream, kick, scratch, bite, fall to the ground, do anything to draw attention from
bystanders. Yell "This is not my mommy (or Daddy)" keep yelling.
13. NEVER GIVE UP! Keep fighting to get away. For additional information on child
safety tips, please contact 1-888-FL Missing.