Child Safety

Free Child Safety Programs

Kids today are busier than ever and their world is full and stimulating. Whether you are at home, at school, at the park or at the mall, it is important that children begin the process of knowing how to keep themselves safe. Learning the necessary common sense tips and tools to personal safety and prevention are essential in educating our younger population.

Protecting our children is a priority we all share and the Boise Police Department is committed to supporting this responsibility in our community. Here at the Boise Police Department, we offer free child safety programs to the public. Topics are:

Child Safety - Beware of Strangers

This course is designed for the younger grades (K-3rd). A video is shown and handouts are provided in this 30-minute presentation. Topics include strangers, places to go for help and appropriate touching.

Child Personal Safety

This allows children in the upper elementary grades (4th-6th) to participate in a half hour presentation on protecting personal property, internet safety, cyberbullying, parties and daily home alone issues.

Scheduling is flexible and the material can be customized to fit a specific time or a specific topic. For further information about these classes please contact us.

Tips for Parents

While most kids pass through childhood without ever experiencing physical harm, some are frightened or hurt by crime. As a parent, one of your responsibilities is to teach your children how to protect themselves and respond to threatening situations. It is important to always take the time to listen carefully to your children’s fears and feelings about people or places that scare them or make them feel uncomfortable. Strike a balance between instilling a sense of fear and avoiding the issues.

Protecting our children is a priority we all share and the Boise Police Department is committed to supporting this responsibility in our community. We offer free Parent Safety Tip workshops and presentations. If you would like to schedule a class, please contact us.

Tips

• Do you have a family safety plan? Review the criteria for safety at home. Keep doors locked and windows closed.

• Could you give the police a complete description of your child, and do you have current identifying information about each of your children? Do you know where it is? Do you know what your child was wearing when s/he left the house? Having these details available can be extremely important.

• Make sure you use check-in procedures and always know where your children are. Know the routes they use to get to and from school or their friends’ homes.

• Have you taken a Safety Walk with your children? Take a walk in your neighborhood and become familiar with your neighbors and safe places to go in case of an emergency and always review the importance of avoiding shortcuts or places that could be dangerous such as vacant buildings, alleys, irrigation canals or construction sites.

• Do your children know their own address and phone number, and do they know the emergency number, (911) and how to use the phone? Have parents, friends, neighbors and emergency service numbers listed and readily available.

• Can you describe to your child what a stranger is, and have you talked with your child about what to do if approached by a stranger? Teach that just because someone knows your name doesn’t mean that they know you or you know them. Make your child aware of the enticements used to lure children.

• Do you have safety rules in place and monitor the amount of time your child spends on the internet and with whom? Children are online now more than ever, and it is important that your children are educated about the safety precautions on the internet and on social media.

Teen Personal Safety

Experts from the Boise Police Crime Prevention Unit will teach teens and youngsters, junior high and high school age, how to take steps to protect themselves and their property. Depending upon the age and gender of the audience, topics may include date rape and substance abuse. 

Prom, Graduation and Celebration Tips

Fun and safety can go hand in hand. Because you don’t want to visit a friend in the hospital or explain your actions to law enforcement, keep a clear mind and healthy body free from drugs and alcohol. Remember:

• Underage drinking and the use of illicit drugs are illegal. Alcohol impairs your vision and response time. Alcohol and drugs can make you ill. Alcohol and drug convictions will go on your police record. This type of behavior can lead to life-changing consequences.
• Loss of inhibitions may be harmless on the dance floor, but if you aren’t sober, there is a higher likelihood that someone could take advantage of you while you're in an impaired state.
• Take your cell phone and extra money with you in case the car breaks down or your date is making bad decisions and you need a cab ride home. Have a backup plan.
• Make sure your parents know where you’ll be for the evening. And yes, curfew is still a legal requirement if not a parental one. By law, individuals younger than 18 years of age must be indoors by midnight.
• Trust your instincts. If you know it isn’t right, don’t do it -- you’ll be glad the next day that you didn’t.

Protecting Yourself from Property Theft

Teens today carry a variety of technological devices, and these items are often targets of theft. Such items as school books and clothing can be targets of theft as well.

Theft in schools may sour students’ feelings about their school environment or make them feel unsafe. While many schools have security personnel or School Resource Officers on site, some schools rely on teachers and administrators to police the halls. Regardless of the level of security, it’s important to teach teens to prevent theft, remember to:

• Keep lockers locked. Do not keep money or anything valuable in lockers, especially overnight.
• Always lock bikes and do not leave them in isolated areas.
• Don’t leave backpacks, purses, other bags, or anything valuable unattended during school hours or at an after school meeting or practice.
• If bringing valuables to school write down the serial numbers and keep in a secure place and make sure they don’t leave valuables in backpacks or on desks.
• Keep valuables locked out of sight in the car’s trunk or glove compartments.

Recovering Stolen Property

• Stolen property is hard to recover, but there are cases in which stolen property is found and turned over to the appropriate authorities. If teens take appropriate steps before and after a theft, they might be able to retrieve their valuables.
• Keep a record of all of the valuables brought to school.
• Immediately report a theft to school resource officers, school security staff, or other law enforcement. When reporting a theft, remember to note the date, time, and location of the incident. If someone else witnessed the theft, ask for the person’s full name and contact information for the police report. Prompt reporting is an important factor in recovering stolen items and in catching the thief.

Summer and School Vacation Day Tips

When your kids are home alone during school vacations, always remember these important safety rules:

• When home alone, lock your doors and windows. If you don’t have air conditioning and want fresh air, insert a modified stick or dowel in the window sill. This will permit the window to open only a few inches, but not enough for someone to enter the house. No one wants to be surprised by an uninvited visitor.
• Be wary of solicitors at the door or on the phone. During the summer days, many solicitors approach homes. This allows a potential robber to look inside your home, evaluate your belongings, and note if you are alone. Tell them they do not have to open the door or answer the phone and to never say they are by yourself. State that your parents are napping, busy, or working in the backyard. Never give out personal information.
• Establish house rules on computer use. Whether it be on social media sites or online gaming, guard your privacy and protect your reputation. Nothing is private online; you should assume everyone is watching and be careful of what you write and how you write it and think before you post. If you wouldn’t say it in person, then DON’T say it online. Don’t be a bystander; if you see something, say something.
• Walk, jog, board or bike safe routes. Carry your cell phone and don't forget to check in and out with parents.  Let your parents know your various routes in case you are missing and we need to search for you and who you will be with. 
• Always be aware of your surroundings. This means removing your headphones, or wearing only one ear plug, and putting down your cell phone.  Avoid shortcuts at night through parks; stay on the sidewalk or in well-lighted areas and pay attention and trust your gut when you get an uneasy feeling.
• When the river is flowing heavy and fast with the snow runoff, be extra cautious and do not put yourself or others in a dangerous situation.
• Remember there is safety in numbers, stick with your buddies.  Memorize your address and important phone numbers, or have your parent program then in your cell phone.  Always remember you have the right to SAY NO, GET AWAY, AND TELL A TRUSTED ADULT.