Child Restraint and Seat Belt laws

Virginia law requires all children through age five to be restrained in a child safety seat, regardless of the child's weight.

Child-safety seats must fit snuggly. To be effective, they must not slid or wiggle in the vehicle seat. All child restraints should be installed in the manner recommended by the seat manufacturer and your automobile owner's manual. Read both carefully before installing your seat. Contact your State or Local Police if you need assistance installing your seat or if you would like information on receiving a free Child-Safety seat.

Small Children should not be placed in front of air bags regardless of whether or not they are in a child safety restraint!

Domestic Violence Information

If you have been or feel you are about to be a victim of domestic violence contact the Salem Police Department immediately at 375-3078. In doing so, you may request a protective order if you have reason to fear an assault by a family or household member. Other information is readily available that will help you in these situations.

A family or household member includes a spouse, regardless of whether or not you live together. Also included are; parents, children, stepparents and stepchildren, brothers and sisters, grandparents, grandchildren and in-laws (if you live in the same home) cohabitants (those who live together) and those who cohabited in the past year and their children; and persons who have parented a child together even if they have never lived together.

Emergency protective orders can be obtained by a law enforcement officer responding to your home or by a magistrate (by telephone or in person). Additional protective orders such as a preliminary protective order and a permanent protective order might be applicable in your situation. Contact the Salem Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court or the Salem Victim Witness Coordinator for more information on these important orders of the court. Remember, if you feel your safety or the safety of another is in jeopardy, contact the Salem Police Department immediately at 375-3078!

Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, Domestic Violence Victims, 1997.

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Home Security

Approximately one in every ten homes will be burglarized this year, but there are steps you can take to reduce your chances. Here are just a few;

Locks

• Make sure every external door has a sturdy, well-installed dead bolt lock. Key in the knob locks are not enough.
• Sliding glass doors can offer easy access for would be burglars. Consider installing commercially available locks and / or "Charlie Bars" to prevent the door from being lifted of the track. Also, an effective lock can be created by simply drilling a hole in the frame and inserting a pin or nail.
• Lock double-hung windows with key locks and secure basement windows with grills or grates.
• Instead of hiding keys outside of your home, give an extra key to a trusted neighbor or friend.
• When you move into a new home or apartment, re-key all locks!
  
  

Doors

• All outside doors should be metal or solid wood.
• Install a peephole or wide-angle viewer in all entry doors so you can see who is outside without opening the door. Door chains offer little protection.
• Replace doors that do not fit snuggly.
  
  

Outside

• Install outside lighting around your home, and if not motion activated, leave them on at night.
• Prune your shrubbery and trees to prevent hiding doors and windows from common observation.
• Cut trees that might offer access to upper levels to your home.
• Clearly display your house number so police and EMS personnel can find your home quickly.
• If you are going to be away, install timers that will activate lights throughout your home during the evening hours. Lights left burning 24 hours a day signal an empty house.
• Make a list of all valuables in your home and record all serial numbers and full descriptions. Consider video taping and / or photographing your valuables.

Alarm systems

• Check several companies before you buy. Do business with an established company and check references before signing a contract.
• Less expensive options include motion sensors that plug into outlets or light fixtures. Contact your home improvement center for the latest options.

Remember, most burglars will spend no more than 60 seconds attempting to break into your home. Strong locks, sound doors and good lighting can be big deterrents to burglars.

Start or join a Neighborhood Watch program.

National Crime Prevention Council, Crime Prevention Tips.

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Protecting your Privacy

Passwords

• Change your passwords regularly. Do not use words that could be easily guessed such as a spouse's or children's name or a home street address.
• If you have the option of letting your computer automatically remember your password, don't use it.
• Consider establishing a password for all banking transactions, even in person transactions. This procedure can prevent withdrawals from your account even if a person has an identification card belonging to you.
  
  

Shopping in cyberspace

• Only do business with companies you know and trust.
• Check with your state consumer protection agency to determine if a company is licensed to do business in Virginia. Fraudulent companies can appear and disappear very quickly.
• Be sure all return, cancellation policies and guarantees are clearly specified.
• All prices are clearly listed including applicable taxes, fees and handling charges.
• Use only sites that offer secure browsers. If sites are not encrypted or scrambled, consider using the company's toll free telephone number.
• Never give bank account or credit card information to anyone you have not checked out and never provide information that is not necessary to complete the purchase. Use credit cards on transactions whenever possible so as to utilize the consumer protections they can offer.

ATMs

• Treat ATM cards as if they are cash.
• When using ATMs, remove cash immediately and wait to count it at a secure location. Never use ATMs in isolated areas or when people appear to be loitering near the machines.
• Never dispose of receipts at the ATM site.

Credit Cards

• Do not give credit card information over a cell phone or unscrambled cordless phone.
• Do not let someone use your card on your behalf.
• Watch store clerks when giving your card to ensure extra imprints are not made.
• Ask for all carbons to be given to you and destroy them.
• Save all receipts and compare to your monthly statements.
• Keep a master list in a secure place at home of all account numbers and phone numbers for reporting lost or stolen cards.

National Crime Prevention Counsel, Crime Prevention Tips.

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Kids and Drugs

Signs and symptoms of drug use.

• Acting intoxicated
• Bloodshot or red eyes
• Imprecise eye movement
• Wearing sunglasses at inappropriate times
• Abnormally pale complexion
• Change in speech patterns and vocabulary patterns
• Repressed physical development
• Sudden appetite
• Unexplained weight loss
• Neglect of personal appearance and grooming
• Unexplained periods of moodiness, depression or anxiety
• Inappropriate overreaction to mild criticism or simple requests
• Loss of interest in previously important things such as hobbies and sports
• Loss of motivation and enthusiasm
• Lethargy, lack of energy and vitality
• Loss of ability to assume responsibility
• Changes in values and beliefs
• Changes in friends, unwillingness to introduce friends to family
• Decline in academic performance
• Reduced short term memory and ability to concentrate
• Use of eye drops and / or mouth wash
  

D.A.R.E. Parents Guide Book,

What do you say to your kids?

1. Tell your kids you do not find drug and alcohol use acceptable
2. Explain how drug use hurts people. For example, disease, accidents and emotional harm
3. Criminal aspects of drug use and damage drug convictions can have on future plans
4. Tell your kids you love them and want them to be happy and healthy!

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Travel Safety Tips

When traveling by car

• Always carry a cell phone!
• Become familiar with your route of travel and make others aware of the route and your estimated time of arrival.
• Make sure your car, personal or rental, is in good repair and ready for the trip.
• Don't advertise you are a traveler, remove rental stickers from bumpers of the car you are driving and avoid leaving maps and guidebooks in plan view.
• Stop only in well lit, populated, places while traveling.
• Never pull over unless you are certain the vehicle stopping you is a police officer. If unsure call 911 immediately and keep driving to a well-lit area.
  
  

Hotel safety

• Women traveling alone should consider registering in a gender-neutral manner (J. T. Jones) and request a room near the front office.
• Use your business address instead of your home address when registering.
• Ask about hotel security and how to reach them.
• Once in your room, make sure locks work well and are securely fastened. Also inspect the peephole to ensure anyone coming to the door would be clearly visible.
• Do not leave anything in the room that contains your personal information.
• Leave the "Do not Disturb" sign on the door when you are not in the room.
• Never open the door for anyone you are nor expecting. Verify all hotel employees with the front desk before opening the door to your room.
• Every time you reenter your room, make sure the door to the adjoining room is locked.

Virginia State Police, We’re Here To Get You There Safely. (handbook)

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