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 JPD Holiday Task Force
Jacksonville Police Holiday Task Force will return on Friday, November 25th and proceed through the holiday season, wrapping up on December 31, 2011. The Holiday Task Force is a proactive approach to deter crime and keep shoppers safe. This is the program’s 12th year. The Holiday Task Force is made up of teams of officers that patrol shopping areas. Officers will be on foot, bike and in patrol cars to deter criminal activity. Plain clothes officers will also walk through shopping areas keeping an eye out for shoplifters. The help of concerned citizens and the cooperation of merchants are essential to the success of the Holiday Task Force.
Holiday Safety Tips
The holiday season is a busy time with preparations, festivities and travel. Help make the holidays happy and safe with the following safety tips:
While Shopping
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- Coordinate shopping trips with a friend.
- Shop before dark, if at all possible.
- Never park in an unlit lot or area, no matter how convenient it is!
- Lock your packages and gifts in the trunk of your vehicle out of sight. Keep your doors locked and windows closed.
- Avoid carrying large amounts of cash.
- Pay for purchases with check, credit card or debit card, when possible.
- Don’t carry excess credit cards. Take only those cards for the stores where you shop.
- Be extra careful with purses and wallets. Don’t place your purse in the shopping cart. Carry a purse under your arm. Carry a wallet in an inside jacket pocket, not a back trouser pocket.
- Stay alert to your surroundings. Don’t allow your attention to become distracted from your purse or packages.
- Teach children to go to a store clerk or security guard to ask for help if you become separated in a store or shopping mall. They should never go into the parking lot alone!
- Don’t hesitate to notify store security if you see suspicious activity.
- Call 911 or 455-4000
- If you are a victim of a crime, report it to the police immediately.
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At Home
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- Be extra cautious about locking doors and windows when leaving your house or apartment, even for a few minutes.
- Don’t display holiday gifts where they can been seen from a window or doorway. Store gifts out of sight before departing on a holiday trip.
- When going out for the evening, turn on light and a radio or television in order for your home to appear occupied.
- When away from home for a longer period, use an automatic timer for your lights. They are under $10, available at most hardware and superstores and very simple to set and use.
- When away from home, ask a neighbor or family member to keep an eye on your residence, pick up your mail and newspaper and park a car in your driveway from time to time.
- Don’t post details of your trip on Facebook or other social networking sites. Burglars use information from these sites!
- Be cautious of strangers coming to the door requesting charitable donations. They may attempt to take advantage of people’s generosity during the holiday season. Ask for ID, how donated funds are used, if contributions are tax deductible, etc. If you are not satisfied with the answers, do not contribute. Instead, help the organizations that you are familiar with.
- Be sure that holiday lights and electrical connections are safe from curious children and pets.
- After the holidays, mark new gifts with an id number and /or record new serial numbers.
- Don’t advertise to thieves what you got for Christmas by leaving boxes from purchases (especially TV’s, DVR’s, computers, etc) out at the curb or visible for trash pickup. Break the boxes down.
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More Safety tips are available from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
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