Personal Safety | Smoky Lake County Rural Crime Watch

What is Personal Security?

Personal security involves taking steps to keep yourself safe and protecting yourself from potentially violent or criminal situations. Personal security is important because you can replace property, but YOU ARE IRREPLACEABLE.

Personal Security involves:

Recognizing, anticipating, and assessing the risk of a crime occurring.
Being aware of your surroundings at all times and not placing yourself in situations that might jeopardize your safety.
Remember, suspects can be very unpredictable and may have weapons.
When in doubt, call the police for assistance.

IF YOU ARE ATTACKED

Call the police as soon as you can.
Be assertive – sometimes, this can be enough to deter an attack.
Head towards a group of people.
Cause a scene – scream – run away.
Only you can decide to resist or not.
Try to obtain as much of a description of the attacker(s) as you can. This includes:

Ethnicity
Approximate height and weight (small, medium or large build)
Hair colour
Approximate age
Scars/marks/tattoos or any other distinctive features such as piercings.
Clothing description
Did the attacker have an accent?
Were any weapons used? If so, what?
Did he/she leave in a vehicle or on foot?
Direction of travel (did they leave out the front door, they headed down which street, etc...).

IF THE ATTACKER IS UNARMED

Employ basic self-defence techniques.
Kick, bite, scratch, and punch – target the throat, eyes, face, knees and groin.

IF THE ATTACKER IS ARMED

Comply with the attacker's demands.
A thief normally wants money – give it to them.

WHEN OUT WALKING

Plan your route, avoid shortcuts through vacant lots, unlit areas or parks.
Be aware of your surroundings. Know what is going on around you and exactly where you are.
Limit distractions such as texting, talking on your phone or listening to loud music.
Carry a cell phone with you in case of an emergency.
Use assertive body language and walk with confidence. Keep your head up!
Always carry identification.
Do not carry large sums of money or valuables.
Use cross-walks.
Wear bright clothing.
Carry a flashlight at night.
Walk facing traffic. Never assume a driver has seen you.
If a vehicle stops, do not approach unless you feel safe to do so, and even then, do not approach too closely.
Have your keys ready when you get to your car. Check your seat before entering and then drive away as soon as safe to do so. Predators have an opportunity to approach you if you sit in your car.
Report suspicious people and/or vehicles to the police as soon as possible.