Crime prevention and safety tips

Search by subject from the list below.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A

Alarm systems - What to look for in an alarm system.

Answering machines - Be careful what you say.

ATMs - Tips for ATM users.

Auto theft - Prevention.

B

Babysitter's guide - Guide to being safe.

Bicycle skills - Safety skills for bicyclists.

Bicycle theft - Prevention.

Business: Shrinkage - Ways to prevent money and merchandise losses.

Burglary prevention - How to avoid being burglarized.

C

Child safety - Safety tips to teach children.

Credit card fraud - What to do if you are a victim.

Curfew - Ages and times.

Cyber cons - How to avoid Internet fraud.

Cybersafety for kids - Basic tips for safe use.

D

Date rape - Prevention tips.

Disabilities - Crime prevention tips for persons with physical disabilities.

Domestic violence - Getting help.

Drug house - What to look for, what to report.

F

False alarms - Police department is targeting false alarms.

Fireworks - Legal and illegal examples.

H

Holiday safety tips - What you can do to protect yourself at home and while shopping.

House numbers - Why they are important.

M

Motorized vehicles, recreational - Describes local ordinances for trail bikes, mini-bikes, powerboards, go-carts and scooters.

N

Neighborhood Watch - Police and residents work as partners.

O

Operation Identification - Personalized number to use to mark your personal belongings.

P

Protecting yourself - Personal safety tips for everyone.

R

Recreational motorized vehicles - Local ordinances for trail bikes, mini-bikes, powerboards, go-carts and scooters.

Road rage - Tips on avoiding road rage.

S

Safety for seniors - Personal safety tips for seniors.

Scooters - Local ordinances for trail bikes, mini-bikes, powerboards, go-carts and scooters.

Shrinkage, business - Ways to prevent money and merchandise losses.

Small motorized vehicles - Local ordinances.

Suspicious persons - What and how to report.

T

Traffic safety - A community emphasis program.

V

Vehicles, motorized recreational - Local ordinances for trail bikes, mini-bikes, powerboards, go-carts and scooters.

Answering machines

Remember, answering machines are great for when you are away, but be careful what kind of message you leave. Don't tell people that you are away, just indicate that you can't come to the phone or some other generic response.

ATMs (Automatic Teller Machines)

Here are some safety tips regarding the use of an automatic teller machine (ATM):

Never approach an ATM if you see suspicious people near the machine.
Never leave your vehicle running or keys in the ignition while using an ATM.
Never give your access number over the phone or to people claiming to be police or bank officials.
Never let others see you punch in your access number at an ATM - use your body to shield the keypad.
If followed from an ATM seek a safe place where people, activity and security can be found.

Curfew

Bloomington does enforce curfew hours. They are:

Under 12 years of age:
Sunday - Thursday, 9 p.m.
Friday - Saturday, 10 p.m.
12 - 14 years of age:
Sunday - Thursday, 10 p.m.
Friday - Saturday, 11 p.m.
15 - 17 years of age:
Sunday - Thursday, 11 p.m.
Friday - Saturday, 12 p.m.

Cyber cons

Internet fraud often consists of scams that con artists have been using for years - only now they have a new medium and new victims to exploit. Here are some tips to help you navigate safely through cyberspace.

Shop online only with companies you know. If you don't know a company, ask for a print catalog before you decide to order electronically.
Use a secure browser that will encrypt or scramble purchase information.
Never give out your Internet password. Never.
Make sure your children know to never give out their full name, address or phone number.

Drug house

Do you have a drug house in your neighborhood? Here are some things to look for:

Abnormal amount of vehicles and/or pedestrians arriving at the residence.
Visitors who tend to stay at the residence for a short period of time.
Visitors and/or vehicles tend to be the same (repeat visitors....varied frequencies).
Increase in traffic at the residence during the first few days of the month.
Residents seem to have no jobs or means of supporting their lifestyle.
Residents receive frequent deliveries from UPS, Federal Express, etc.

What to report to the Police Department:

Address of the suspected drug house, including a description of the residence.
Known names of the residents.
Vehicle descriptions, including license plate numbers of residents or frequent visitors.
Time of day, day of week, week of month of most frequent visits.
Deliveries? Which companies? Is it on a certain day?

House numbers

Please make sure that your address is clearly displayed on your house. Emergency vehicles responding to your address must be able to find your address quickly. It is also helpful to the police department if you display them on the back of your house. Officers responding to a call for assistance do not always come to the front of the house. At a minimum, make sure they are displayed on the front. It could save your life.

Suspicious persons, vehicles and noises

The Police Department defines "suspicious" as anything out of the ordinary. Who knows better than you the persons, vehicles or noises that are familiar. If you see a suspicious vehicle, try to get the license plate and model. But do so without placing yourself in a position of possible harm. Call 911 immediately and give the dispatcher as much information as you can.

For more information, contact:

Proactive Police Services, Bloomington Police Department
1800 West Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington MN 55431-3027
PH: 952-563-4900, TTY: 952-563-8740, FAX: 952-563-4936
E-mail: police@ci.bloomington.mn.us

Crime prevention tips