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Protecting your
children in 2009
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Prepared by Officer David Palmer 10-9-09
The
recent news media coverage of Jaycee Dugard’s kidnapping show
how relevant it is to protect our children. As a father my first
obligation is to ensure that my child is safe from predators.
Parents have a special fear when they are not around their
children so it is important that we hope for the best and
prepare for the worst.
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Set
up a password with your child that only you and the child
would know, make it complex and memorable so that in case a
stranger is needed to pick up your child or deliver news
(i.e. a co-worker, boss etc) that the child knows that the
person can be trusted. Once used change it, never use the
same one twice ever.
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Checkout Meganslaw on the web and be aware that not all sex
offenders who are required to register may be found on the
site, only the really bad ones are listed (rapists and child
molesters). A person caught publically exposing themselves
to another adult may be registered but will not show up on
the site. Meganslaw shows pictures, addresses (most times)
and offences. If you see one of these folks hanging around a
children’s park in San Francisco call 911 immediately. Sure
rehabilitation may be possible but are you willing to take
the risk with your child?
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If
you are going to buy your child a cell phone make sure it
has GPS and the ability for you to see where that phone is
currently at. Are you spying on your kid? Sure you are and
you are also paying for that cell phone and are responsible
for that child. Know where they are.
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Make a home visit and meet the parents of your child’s
friends. Again know where they are and who they are with.
Kids are like a bar of soap, squeeze them to hard and they
will pop off and away, hold them to loose and they will fall
away. Hold and hug your child just right and love them to
life.
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Instill it in your child that if someone approaches them and
claims to be a law enforcement officer and is not in a
uniform with a black and white car to tell the Officer to
call on their Radio and request that a uniformed Officer
show up. This is especially important because there are evil
people which will attempt to you a ruse like “my pet is
missing can you help me find it” or “your mom was involved
in an auto accident” to prey on the natural innocence of our
children.
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Look for signs of drug and alcohol use and deal with it
swiftly and smartly. Drug abuse when treated early and
properly can be overcome through treatment but if ignored
will create a lifelong nightmare. Marijuana is a dangerous
drug period, just because you smoked it as a kid doesn’t
mean that it is the same drug as is being smoked today.
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