We all have had that moment when we see something that is not normal.
We then make excuses in our minds on whether to report it or not.
Reporting suspicious behavior is extremely important and is the bulk of solving crimes or preventing others from getting hurt. In today’s world with terrorism at our feet and criminal activity on a rise, it is more important than ever to report suspicious activities no matter how benign it might seem to you.
Suspicious activities can refer to incidents, events, individuals or circumstances that seem unusual or out of place. Some common examples of suspicious activities include:
A stranger loitering in your neighborhood or a vehicle cruising the streets repeatedly; someone peering into cars or windows; a high volume of traffic going to and coming from a home on a daily basis; someone loitering around schools, parks or secluded areas; strange odors coming from a house or building; open or broken doors and windows at a closed business or unoccupied residence; someone tampering with electrical, gas or sewer systems without an identifiable company vehicle or uniform; sounds of breaking glass, gunshots, screaming or fighting; strangers removing license plates or loading valuables into vehicles from a residence even if the moving truck looks legitimate.
Remember - A quick and accurate description of events, vehicles, and persons can make all the difference in apprehending a potential criminal. Any type of activity or circumstance that seems unusual should be reported.
There are four general categories to consider when determining what to report. Our police officer when on the road make note of not normal events by scanning for situations in these four categories. Citizens should generally report:
Suspicious activities, people and vehicles
Illegal activities
Unusual events or incidents
Dangerous situations
By reporting these types of suspicious activities citizens can make their communities safer and more secure, reduce violence, minimize victimization, reduce crime and violence and improve the overall quality of life.
The fight against terrorism and crime is not meant to be fought by law enforcement alone. Citizens in the community play a big part in helping to solve crimes and prevent incidents by simply becoming the eyes and ears in the neighborhood. By working together we can help solve more crimes and most importantly help prevent those events meant by terrorist, to disrupt our lives in a free society.
