Crime Prevention

Stop Sign

To have a check of your home or facility done, please contact The Uxbridge Police Department at (508) 278-7755. Visit the National Crime Prevention Council's page by clicking here.

Remember, it is easier to child proof your gun than it is to BULLET PROOF your CHILD!

Warning: Individuals posing as representatives of banks or credit card companies may be calling you asking you to disclose account information. They may state that the cards you have will not work after January 1, 2000. Do not give your your bank account information to anyone you do not know unless you initiate the contact. The banks already have your account information and should not need to request that information. Also during this time it is important to review your bank statements to assure accuracy. Any concerns should be directed to your bank as soon as possible.

 

Prepare for Safety

 

  1. Trust Your Instincts
    If something looks wrong or dangerous, change what you are doing.
  2. Use Common Sense
    Let someone know where you are going and when you will be returning.
    Never carry a large amount of cash, keep your wallet close to you.
    Do not resist if someone is attempting to take your belongings, Especially if they have a weapon.
    Avoid dark streets or lightly traveled areas.
  3. Work with the Police Department
    Know your police department
    Report suspicious activity
    Watch for unknown or suspicious people in your area and report it to the police.

Personal Safety

  • Wear clothing which will allow you to be seen and not restrictive
  • Hold your pocketbook in front of you and not around your neck
  • Avoid expensive jewelry which may attract attention

Walking

  • Walk with a friend or a group
  • Use areas which are well illuminated
  • Avoid short cuts
  • Take the most direct route to your destination

Traveling in a Car

  • Do not accept rides from strangers
  • Do not pick up strangers
  • Try to park in well illuminated areas
  • When returning to your vehicle, check the area, the rear seat and have your keys ready to use.
  • If you are being followed, drive directly to a public area or police station.
  • Ignore people who become aggravated in traffic.

Being Followed

  • Carry a whistle or some type of alarm device.
  • Let the subject following you know that you are aware that they are there.
  • Go into a public place where there are other people.
  • If the subject attacks, act quickly - you can scream, punch, yell and even strike the subject in vital areas (groin, face, throat)

Tips for Kids

  • Remember to ask permission from your parents or babysitter before going elsewere
  • Use the "buddy system", never go places alone.
  • If you are in a public place and get seperated from the person you are with, go directly to the checkout counter or security office and ask for help.
  • Do not go with anyone without your parents permission.
  • Remember adults should not be asking you for directions or asking you for help, tell a trusted adult if this happens.
  • Never hitch hike.
  • Don't keep secrets, always talk with your parents.
  • If someone touches you in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable, tell them to stop and tell your parents.
  • School is open again!! With this in mind it is important to remind motorists, adults and school children alike to be careful of the increase in pedestrian activity.
  • Uxbridge has been fortunate to have not had a fatal collision involving a pedestrian in many years. In order to keep this streak alive and to decrease the number of collisions involving injuries please observe the following tips:
  • The American Red Cross is urging children to observe the following suggestions while boarding or leaving a school bus:
  • *While waiting for the bus, line up facing the bus door
  • *Don't play in the street while waiting for the bus
  • *Carry supplies in a backpack or book bag
  • *Do not reach under a bus to get anything that may have fallen under it
  • *After exiting the bus go immediately to the sidewalk
  • *Wait for a signal from the bus driver before crossing the street
  • *Walk at least 10 steps away from the front of the bus
  • *Don't cross the street behind the bus
  • Pedestrians (adult and school age): When walking, please use the sidewalks when they are available. This will increase a walkers safety considerably. Make sure you do not cross the street with out first looking both ways and then checking again as you cross. Wear reflective clothing at night and use the crosswalks whenever possible.
  • Motorists: Parking on a sidewalk is a parking violation subject to a parking ticket/removal of the vehicle (tow) or both. Please be considerate of the pedestrians and refrain from blocking the sidewalks with your vehicles. The fines for failure to yield for pedestrians have increased and to avoid monetary penalties when police do crackdowns this summer grant them the right of way whenever they are off of the sidewalk in or close to your lane of travel.
  • Remember it is a violation of the law to pass a school bus when the flashing red lights are activated. The fine for this activity is expensive and the Registrar of Motor Vehicles may suspend your drivers license.
  • Persons on Bicycles: Remember to wear your helmet. Please ride with the flow of traffic and be careful to look both ways before crossing traffic. When it does not interfere with pedestrians it is smart to ride on the sidewalk as opposed to the roadway.
  • It is the sincere hope of the Uxbridge Police Dept. that all the residents and visitors of Uxbridge stay safe. Officers have and will continue to be out in force with radar and other programs to increase traffic safety. A little cooperation goes a long way!
  • If there are any issues you would like to have discussed relative to Crime Prevention, please call us or email us with your suggested topic.

What is Stranger Danger?

A stranger is someone you don’t know. Not every stranger is a bad person, but you can not tell if a person is good or bad just by how they look, people who look nice can still be dangerous. The safest way to be sure you are safe from dangerous strangers is by not talking to, or trusting them. Strangers can hurt children and can even steal children from their parents. Strangers may offer you drugs, alcohol or other things that are bad for you and can hurt you.You should never take anything that is offered to you by a stranger, you should never trust a stranger, and you should always tell your parents or the police if a stranger tries to get you to do something that is not safe.

  • If a stranger stops and wants to give you a ride home, you should yell, "NO!" and run away.
  • If you are playing outside and a stranger comes over to you and wants you to pet a puppy, you should say "NO!" and run away.
  • If a stranger offers to give you candy, you should say "NO!" and run away.

One day you might get lost or separated from your parents. This may be scary because all the people around you are strangers. If this happens, you should try to find a police officer or a telephone to call 911 and ask for help. If you can not find a police officer or a telephone, you should go into a nearby store and ask someone who works in the store for help. They will help you and it is much safer than asking the strangers around you for help.

Teach Children About Dangerous Situations Not Certain People

Throughout the history of this program, children have been taught to stay away from strangers and people they don’t know. This can be a difficult concept for children to grasp and, often times, the perpetrator can be a person that the child knows. It is more productive and beneficial to the child to build their confidence and teach them how to respond in a potentially dangerous situation, rather than teaching them to be aware of a particular type of person.

 

National Center for Missing/Exploited Children (NCMEC)

The National Center for Missing/Exploited Children (NCMEC) is the national resource center for protecting children. This resource contains safety and education programs and material that contain tips and information that assist parents in teaching their children how to be safe in dangerous scenarios. 

Tips for Parents

  • Always know where your child is and whom he or she is with.
  • Be alert for changes in your child’s behavior that could be a sign of sexual abuse. These include sudden secretiveness, withdrawal from activities, refusal to go to school, unexpected hostility toward a babysitter or relative or increased anxiety and nightmares.
  • Children should not walk next to curbs, where a car could pull up to them quickly.
  • Children should never be alone, they should walk and play in groups. Tell them to avoid strangers at playgrounds, public restrooms, etc.
  • Do not force your child to kiss, hug or sit on an adults lap if they do not want to. This gives them control and teaches them they have the right to refuse.
  • Never allow your child to let anyone into the home without the parent’s permission.
  • Parents should listen carefully to children’s fears and feelings about people or places that scare them or make them uneasy.
  • Show your children safe places to go in your neighborhood in an emergency, like a trusted neighbor.
  • Teach children to go to a store clerk, security guard or police officer for help if lost in a store or on the street.
  • Teach children never to take rides or gifts from someone they do not know. They should not approach anyone in a car asking for directions, looking for a "lost puppy", offering candy, etc.
  • Teach your child that no one, not even someone they know can touch them in a way that makes them uncomfortable and to say "No".

Amber Alerts 

When law enforcement has been notified about an abducted child, they must determine if the case meets the AMBER Alert program’s criteria. The U.S. Department of Justice recommends the following criteria for issuing an AMBER Alert.

  • The abduction is of a child age 17 years or younger
  • The child’s name and other critical data elements, including the Child Abduction flag, have been entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) computer
  • The law-enforcement agency believes the child is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death
  • There is enough descriptive information about the victim and abduction for law enforcement to issue an AMBER Alert to assist in the recovery of the child
  • There is reasonable belief by law enforcement an abduction has occurred

If this criteria is met, the alert information is gathered and distributed to the public. Things such as a description of the missing child, photos of the missing child, the suspected abductor, a description of the suspect’s vehicle, and any other information that is available and considered valuable in identifying both the child and the abductor.

The information is then faxed to radio stations designated as primary stations under the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Emergency Alert System (EAS). These primary stations send the information to area radio stations, television stations and cable systems via the EAS. The participating stations immediately broadcast the information to millions of listeners. Radio station programming is interrupted to announce the Alert. Television stations and cable systems run a "crawl" on the screen along with a picture of the child.

The NCMEC is notified by law enforcement when an AMBER Alert is released for a specific geographical area. Once NCMEC validates the AMBER Alert, it is entered into a secure system and transmitted to authorized secondary distributors for dissemination to customers within the specified geographic area.