WHAT TO DO IF STOPPED BY THE POLICE A traffic stop is one of the most frequent encounters between citizens and police. Usually, police officers will pull a vehicle over if they have reason to believe that some offense has occurred. You may feel anxious, irritated at the delay, or concerned about a possible citation. However, officers are also concerned about possible threats to their personal safety while performing their duties. The following recommended procedures will ensure that the traffic stop can be completed quickly and safely. This is not provided as a legal advisory but as a courtesy to you. When signaled by an officer, safely pull over to a place out of traffic flow. Sit calmly, with your hands visible on the steering wheel. If you have passengers, ask them to sit quietly with their hands visible. Avoid sudden movements or ducking in the seat; these actions can unnecessarily alarm the officer. If it is dark, turn on your inside light when you pull  the car over. For safety reasons, the officer will want to visually scan the cars interior before proceeding. Do not exit your car unless the officer asks you to step out. If you are asked to do so, comply in a calm manner. A sure way to put an officer at ease is to communicate what you are doing. If the officer asks for something, and that item is in your glove compartment, tell the officer it is in there before you reach for it. If you receive a citation, accepting it is not an admission of guilt, but an acknowledgment that you have received the citation. A courtroom is the place to air arguments or protest about the citation, not on the street with the officer. If you are stopped for speeding, you have the right to request a check of the radar, but you do not have the right to see the radar unit. This is for your safety and the safety of the officer.   PERSONAL SAFETY TIPS FROM MAPLEWOOD POLICE     PROTECTION AGAINST ASSAULT   Most crimes against people happen on the streets. So it is important that you are street smart. Wherever you are: in a parking lot, on a sidewalk, in a public hallway, at a mall or in your car, stay alert to what’s going on around you. People who are aware of their surroundings are less likely to become victims of crimes than people who are unaware. Stay alert and don’t daydream. Show confidence through your mannerisms. Send the message that you are calm and confident and that you know where you are going. Trust your instincts. If something about your surroundings makes you feel nervous or uncomfortable, leave the area. Know what stores and restaurants are open at night. Know where well-lighted public phones and police stations are located.   SAFETY WHILE WALKING   Avoid streets in unfamiliar neighborhoods. Know where you are going. Vary your route. Avoid shortcuts-stick to well-lighted and well-traveled streets and parking lots. Don’t carry a lot of money or unnecessary credit cards. Only take what you need. Women should avoid placing money and credit cards in purses. Carry the valuables in an inside coat pocket, bra, or shoe. Men should carry valuables in the front pants pocket. Wear proper clothes. Expensive clothes and jewelry are invitations to trouble. Stay aware from doors and shrubbery as these are potential ambush points. Have your key ready. Make sure you have the key in your hand before you reach the door of your car, home or office. Vary your route if you walk at night. If you are working late at night, get an escort to your car.   PREVENTING PURSE GRABS   If you must carry a purse, carry it on the side away from the street. Clutch your purse but do not wind the straps around your wrist as you can be injured if someone grabs the purse. Never put purse straps across your body as someone might attempt to slash a strap with a knife, causing injury to you. If someone attempts to grab your purse, throw it away or dump the contents on the ground. If you believe someone may try to steal your purse and a mail box is nearby, drop the purse into the box. Don’t hang your purse on a bathroom door hook or the floor when using the facility. If your purse is lost or stolen and someone calls and claims to have found it, call the police to retrieve the purse. If you carry a wallet, place a large comb in the wallet or wrap a rubber band around it. Both techniques hamper the ability to remove the wallet from your pocket.   CARJACKING PREVENTION   Park in a well-lighted, well-traveled area. Beware of loitering people. When returning to your car, use the closest exit door to where your vehicle is parked. Check for suspicious people. Walk directly to your car with key in hand. Do not walk in between cars zigzagging. Before entering the vehicle, check inside with a small flashlight, making sure no one is inside the car or in the back seat. Check underneath the car for someone hiding under it. Once inside, keep your windows rolled up and doors locked. Keep your car in good running condition. Purchase a cellular phone. It provides instant access to help and offers a safeguard during car breakdowns when you can be vulnerable to attackers. Don’t pick up hitchhikers or strangers. If traveling with small children in the vehicle, lock all doors, keep windows up and stay alert. Be aware of your surroundings. Don’t shop alone with small children. Shop with a friend or a spouse. Maintain at least a quarter tank of gas in the car at all times. Leave room to maneuver. Leave space between your car and the car in front of you so you can get around if there is trouble. Driving in the center lane makes carjacking much more difficult. Avoid driving alone, especially at night. Know how to get to where you are going-get directions. Advise family members of where you are going. Keep your car in gear when halted at traffic lights and stop signs. If your safety is threatened, hold down on the horn and drive away as soon as possible. If you have car trouble, remain in your car with the doors locked and the windows rolled up, except for ventilation. Never go for help with a stranger, ask them to call the police for you. Check your rear view mirror. If you believe you are being followed by another car, do not drive into your driveway or park in a deserted area- proceed to the nearest police station. If someone attempts to carjack your vehicle and gets in the car, let them have the vehicle. Get away. Never go with carjackers. Fight to get away.   ATM AND SHOPPING SAFETY   Follow the safety tips for walking and driving that have been discussed. Park your car in well-lighted, well-traveled areas. When walking to stores or malls, do so with others. Do not wear headphones-pay attention! Take only the cash and credit cards that are necessary. While shopping, utilize one large shopping bag to carry all packages. Keep one hand free. Upon leaving stores, use the closest to your car. Look for loitering people. If the parking lot looks clear, walk directly to your car with key in hand. Check the car with a small flashlight. Check the interior and underneath. If all clear, enter vehicle, place packages inside, and immediately lock all doors. If shopping with a small child, invite a spouse or friend to come along. Do not shop alone. If you’re using an ATM, choose an active location during daylight hours. Be cautious. Look for suspicious people. Wait until any loiterers leave or find another ATM. Don’t waste time. Have your card ready, complete your transaction and leave as soon as possible. Don’t flash cash around. Make sure that you are not followed as your drive away. If you think you are being followed, proceed to the nearest police station. Do not go home.   Protect Yourself from Winter Crime The winter season is rapidly approaching, and so are the winter crime trends. Area residents should arm themselves with as much crime trend and crime prevention information as possible, then take the necessary precautions to greater protect their property, cars and homes. Many types of offenses can be greatly reduced by applying basic crime prevention strategies and techniques: Burglary Prevention Incidents of residential break-ins tend to increase as the cold weather arrives. Thieves recognize that here are less people spending time outdoors to act as the eyes and ears of the neighborhood. They also know that storm windows and the muffling effect of snowfall can serve to mask the noises usually associated with a burglary, such as glass breaking, or doors being forced in. To cut down on incidents of burglary, residents should: 1. BE ALERT. Watch out for your neighbors, and encourage them to watch out for you. Join the local Neighborhood Watch Program, or form a new one if necessary. Call the police immediately if something strikes you as being suspicious, and avoid the urge to rationalize what you feel is out of the ordinary. Many a would-be thief have been foiled thanks to the ardent eye of a sharp resident who thought to call the police. 2. PRESENT YOUR HOME AS A SAFE HOME. Thieves will, by nature, seek out the easiest target. If your home looks well-cared for and well-protected, odds are that they will move on to another target. Never leave the empty boxes from gifts or newly purchased items for a burglar to see what new goodies are inside the home. A new computer or big screen TV is a sure invitation to crime. Remember to cut back bushes and shrubs that may conceal a burglar breaking in, and always remember to secure all doors and windows, including those to the garage. Expensive tools, such as snow blowers and shovels are the frequent targets of winter crime. 3. KEEP YOUR HOME WELL LIGHTED. The best measure of protection may be good security lighting both inside and outside your home. Report a non-functioning street lamp immediately. Use timers for interior lights when you are away. Leave exterior lights on from dusk to dawn, or employ motion-sensitive flood lamps. Remember that porch lights that are left on in the daylight may signify that there is no one home. 4. SET THE ALARM. Alarm systems are highly recommended, but they need to be set in order for them to work. Make sure you have the alarm company add second story window sensors to the system- many  thieves are agile and resourceful enough to bypass a good alarm system by climbing to the second floor. Mail and Package Theft During the holidays, the volume of mail increases dramatically. Thieves know that friends and relatives will send cash and checks via the mail. They have been known to steal quantities of mail in hopes of recovering even relatively small amounts of money. Ensure that friends and relatives refrain from sending cash, checks or money orders. With the advent of internet sales, and the increase of catalog orders, many more homes are receiving valuable packages and gifts via UPS or FEDEX type services. Instruct the sender to require that the package be hand delivered and not left on your porch. Never leave a signed delivery card stuck to your door, as this clearly signals an empty residence. Motor Vehicle Theft With every winter season, incidents of vehicle theft tend to increase. Many of these vehicles are taken while they are running and unoccupied. This crime is sometimes a result of thieves actually scouting for victims while they warm their cars up in the driveway, or run into a convenience store. Some incidents are the result of opportunist criminals who can't resist an easy target. Either way, never leave a vehicle running and unattended. Not only is it a violation of NJ Motor Vehicle Law, it is a predictable way to have your car stolen. The Maplewood Police Department is fully dedicated to preventing crime, and apprehending those responsible for it. Please contact the Crime Prevention Unit at 973-762-3400 Ext. 489 with any questions or to schedule a free Home Security Survey.   Tips For A Safe Halloween From the New Jersey Automobile Club (AAA) 1. Try to Trick-or-Treat when it is still light outside. 2. Wear a costume that makes it easier for you to walk, see, and be seen. 3. If you must go out at night, make sure that your costume is light in color. 4. Carry a flashlight with you so you can see and be seen easily. 5. Use retro-reflective tape on your costume to be seen easily. 6. Use make-up instead of a mask. 7. If someone older cannot go with you, Trick-or-Treat with a group. 8. Cross only at corners. Never cross between parked cars or mid-block. 9. Tell your family on which streets you will be Trick-or-Treating. 10. If there are no sidewalks, always walk facing traffic.   Summer Safety Tips for Parents and Guardians From the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

1. Be sure to go over the rules with your children about whose homes they can visit when you’re not there and discuss the boundaries of where they can and can’t go in the neighborhood.     2. Make sure children know their full names, address, and telephone numbers and how to use the telephone. Be sure they know what to do in case of an emergency and how to reach you using cellular or pager numbers. Children should have a neighbor or trusted adult they can call if they’re scared or there’s an emergency.     3. Caution children to keep the door locked and not to open the door or talk to anyone who comes to the door when they are home alone. If you have arranged for a family friend or relative to stop by, make sure your children feel comfortable being alone with that person. Make certain they understand not to tell anyone who calls that they are home alone.     4. Don’t drop your children off at malls, movies, video arcades, or parks. These are not safe places for children to be alone. Make certain a responsible adult supervises your younger children at all times when they are outside and away from home.       5. Teach your children in whose car they may ride. Children should be cautioned never to approach any vehicle, occupied or not, unless accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other trusted adult.         6. Make sure your children know to stay away from pools, canals, or other bodies of water without adult supervision.         7. Since daylight lasts longer during the summer months, be sure your children know their curfew and to check in with you if they are going to be late. If you allow your children to play outside after dark, make sure they have reflective clothing on and stay close to home.         8. Choose babysitters with care. Obtain references from family, friends, and neighbors. Many states now have registries for public access to check criminal history or sex-offender status. Observe the babysitter’s interaction with your children, and ask your children how they feel about the babysitter.         9. Check out camps and other summer programs before enrolling your children. See if a background screening check is completed on the individuals working with the children. Make sure there will be adult supervision of your children at all times, and make sure you are made aware of all activities and field trips offered by the camp or program.         10. Investigate daycare settings thoroughly before placing your children. Make certain the center or family-daycare home is licensed; completes full background screening for all employees at, volunteers of, and others affiliated with the facility; and allows parents and guardians to freely come and go as they wish. Observe the personnel and activities several times before making your decision and visit unannounced after placement.         11. Be sure all custody documents are in order and certified copies are available in case your children are not returned from a scheduled summer visit.         12. Always listen to your children and keep the lines of communication open. Your children are your best source for determining if everything is okay. Teach your children to get out of dangerous or uncomfortable situations right away and practice basic safety skills with them. Make sure they know they can tell you about anything that makes them feel scared, uncomfortable, or confused.