National Night Out

Mission Division Night Out 

Against Crime & Drugs
 
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
5:00pm to 8:00pm
 
At Brand Park in Mission Hills 91345
Off of Sepulveda on Brand Blvd between 

Columbus Ave & Arleta Ave.

Come and join your Neighborhood Watch group, your Neighborhood Council, your Senior Lead Officer, Mission’s Community Police Advisory Board members and meet the Captains.

It’s a huge Block Party with fun for everyone! 
FREE to the public!
Free Food, Entertainment with a DJ, Face Painting,
LA Kings puck-shoot, youth groups performing &
raffle prizes for kids and adults. And lots of prevention
material against crime and drugs.

Bring the kids, the family and your neighbors…
Bobby Arias our dedicated DJ from Communities in Schools
 

There will be some tables and chairs but feel free to bring picnic blankets.

Sorry No Pets within the event area!!!

Preventing Sexual Assault

Preventing Sexual Assault

Crime and Violence Prevention Center • California Attorney General’s Office
Know the facts about rape

• Rape is a violent crime – a hostile attack – an attempt to hurt and humiliate. It is NOT the result of “uncontrolled passions.”
• Rape can happen to anyone. Students, working women, wives, mothers, children, grandmothers and even males are the victims of rape.
• Rape can occur anywhere and at anytime, in public or in your own home, day or night.
• Rapists are not necessarily strangers. In fact, in over one-third of reported cases, the rapist is an acquaintance, neighbor, friend or relative of the victim.
• Rape is one of the most underreported crimes. Most rapists will keep re-offending until they are caught so it is important to report any kind of sexual assault to law enforcement.

 Prevention tips

The tips in this brochure are designed to help you avoid being the victim of sexual assault. The
more you know about rape prevention, the better your chances are of never becoming a victim.

• First, know the facts about rape. Become aware of locations and situations where rape might occur and avoid them, if possible.
• Consider your alternatives if confronted by a rapist. Practice possible responses so that you can recall them even under the stress of an encounter.
• Safety at home
• Many rapes occur in or near the victim’s home. One of the best ways to prevent sexual assault is to practice good home security.
• Install effective locks on all doors and windows — and USE them.
• Install a peephole viewer in your door, NEVER open your door without knowing who is on the other side. Require salespeople or repair people to show identification.
• If you are alone, use only your last name and initials on mail boxes and in telephone directories.
• If strangers telephone or come to your door, don’t admit that you are alone.
• Don’t let any strangers into your home — no matter what the reason or how dire the emergency.
• Offer to make an emergency phone call while they wait outside.
• If you live in an apartment, avoid being in the laundry room or garage by yourself, especially at night.
• If you come home and find a door or window open or signs of forced entry, DON’T GO IN! Go to the nearest phone and call your local law enforcement agency.

Don’t walk into danger

Be alert to your surroundings and the people around you — especially if you are alone or it is dark.
Know where help may be if you should need it.

• Whenever possible, travel with a friend.
• Stay in well-lighted areas as much as possible.
• Walk confidently, directly and at a steady pace on the side of the street facing traffic. A rapist looks for someone who appears vulnerable.
• Walk close to the curb. Avoid doorways, bushes and alleys where rapists can hide.
• If you think you are being followed, walk quickly to areas where there are lights and people.
• If a car appears to be following you, turn and walk on the other side of the street.
• If you are in danger, scream and run or yell “fire.”

Car safety

• Keep your car in good working order and the gas tank at least half full.
• Always lock your car doors after entering or leaving your car.
• Park in well-lighted areas.
• As you approach your car, have your car keys in your hand, look under your car and check the back seat area before entering.
• If you think you are being followed, drive to a public place.
• If your car breaks down, turn on your flashers, open the hood, attach a white cloth to the antenna and wait inside your car with the doors locked. If someone stops to help, stay in your car and ask them to call the local law enforcement agency, a garage or a tow service for you.

Weapons

Carrying weapons for self-defense is a decision that should not be made without careful research
and adequate training. Also, there are many laws which regulate and/or restrict the types of selfdefense weapons available. BE SAFE — for more information, contact your local law enforcement agency.

If you are attacked...

Remember, your main concern must always be YOUR SAFETY. No one can tell you whether you
should fight back, submit or resist. IT DEPENDS ON YOU AND THE SITUATION.

Keep assessing the situation as it is happening. If one strategy doesn’t work, try another. Possible
options are: negotiating, stalling for time, distracting the assailant and fleeing to a safe place,
verbal assertiveness, screaming to attract attention or physical resistance. Your best defense,
however, is to BE PREPARED — know your options ahead of time. Your safety may depend upon
your ability to stay cool and calm.

If you are a victim of rape...

• Go to a safe place immediately and call your local law enforcement agency, a rape crisis center,
  doctor, friend or relative. The sooner you make the report, the greater the chances the attacker
  will be caught.
• Do not wash, douche, change clothes or clean up in any way until after talking to law enforcement and going to the hospital. You could destroy valuable evidence for court use.
• Remember, you are the victim. You have nothing to feel guilty or ashamed about. You may
  want to contact a treatment or crisis center to help you deal with the consequences of the
  assault.

Crime and Violence Prevention Center
California Attorney General's Office
Bill Lockyer, Attorney General

Break The Cycle of Violence TODAY

Advisory: Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233) to break the cycle of violence today

Indicators of domestic violence can be:

• Telling you that you can never do anything right
• Showing jealousy of your friends and time spent away
• Keeping you or discouraging you from seeing friends or family members
• Embarrassing or shaming you with put-downs
• Controlling every penny spent in the household
• Taking your money or refusing to give you money for expenses
• Looking at you or acting in ways that scare you
• Controlling who you see, where you go, or what you do
• Preventing you from making your own decisions
• Telling you that you are a bad parent or threatening to harm or take away your children
• Preventing you from working or attending school
• Destroying your property or threatening to hurt or kill your pets
• Intimidating you with guns, knives or other weapons
• Pressuring you to have sex when you don’t want to or do things sexually you’re not comfortable with
• Pressuring you to use drugs or alcohol

As always, in the event of an emergency, please dial 9-1-1.

Some 4th of July tips to stay safe, from the LAPD.

The 4th of July is not only traditionally fun, but it is also traditionally the holiday with the most fires. These fires can be as small as a burning bucket and some burned fingers. However, it can be entire neighborhoods.

The worst part is that many children are the ones that are injured in these types of fires. This is because they are not prepared to use fireworks safely.  

Make sure that the area you are lighting fireworks off is also free of bushes, dry grass, trees, streamers, balloons, flammable helium, and other fire hazardous materials.

Have a fire extinguisher readily available. Or a hose or a bucket of water. This way if there was an accidental fire, the fire can be put out quickly.

When you are disposing of 4th of July decorations and fireworks, make sure that they are completely free of heat and fire. This way there will not be a smoldering fire happening after the party is over.

PLEASE secure your dogs/pets in a safe place.  So many dogs get frightened at the sound of fireworks and end up running away.

In the event that anyone becomes aware of illegal firework activity, please take action.  During non-business hours, calls can be made to Mission Police Station Desk at 818-838-9800.  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477). 

Tipsters may also contact Crime stoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.”  Tipsters may also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on "webtips" and follow the prompts.

Jury Duty Scam

There have been reports of callers insisting the consumer has failed to report to jury duty and will be arrested due to this absence. There is a quick fix, though! The consumer won't be arrested if they simply pay a fine-- immediately. This fine is often requested via pre-paid debit card, so the scammer can easily access the money through the number on the card. In previous cases, the scammer has asked for personal information such as social security number and birth date, for "verification" purposes. The ultimate objective of the scam seems to have evolved from identity theft to an attempt to get money.

Do not provide these cons with information or money. Protect yourself with these tips if you encounter a scam caller:

• Never reveal any personal information when fielding an unsolicited phone call. Court staff will never call to ask for payment for a fine. Most courts correspond with prospective jurors through mail. 
• Challenge the caller. Ask for their name and other defining details. If they claim to work for a specific county or city, hang up and contact the alleged organization at a number you know is correct. The scammer is likely to hang up once you begin asking questions.
• Caller ID can be spoofed. Scammers can make calls seem even more legitimate by spoofing caller ID to make it seem like they are calling for a law enforcement office. Don't rely solely on caller ID to identify who is on the other end of the line.

More Fireworks Safety

National Council on Fireworks Safety Urges Consumers to Practice Safe and Responsible Use of Consumer Fireworks During Their Fourth of July Festivities

Washington, D.C.   Using consumer fireworks on our nation’s birthday is as traditional as cookouts and parades.  And it is equally safe if a few common sense rules are followed, says Nancy Blogin, President of National Council on Fireworks Safety. “We want consumers to be safe from beginning to end when enjoying their fireworks. We want there to be a safe place to shoot, to have a designated shooter that takes responsibility for the show and to have the fireworks disposed of properly.”
The National Council on Fireworks Safety offers these common sense safety tips for using consumer fireworks in the hopes that injuries to consumers can be greatly reduced this season. It is up to consumers to use fireworks in a safe and responsible manner:

• Parents and caretakers should always closely supervise teens if they are using fireworks.
• Parents should not allow young children to handle or use fireworks.
• Fireworks should only be used outdoors.
• Always have water ready if you are using fireworks.
• Know your fireworks; Read the caution label before igniting.
• Obey local laws. If fireworks are not legal where you live, do not use them.
• Alcohol and fireworks do not mix. Save your alcohol for after the show.
• Wear safety glasses whenever using fireworks.
• Only light one firework at a time.
• Never relight a “dud” firework.  Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.
• Avoid using homemade fireworks or illegal explosives: They can kill you!
• Report illegal explosives, like M-80s and quarter sticks, to the fire or police department.
• Lastly, soak spent fireworks with water before placing them in an outdoor, fire resistant garbage can away from buildings and flammable materials.

The National Council on Fireworks Safety urges Americans to follow common sense safety rules this Fourth of July in their holiday celebrations.

The National Council on Fireworks Safety is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose sole mission is to educate the public on the safe and responsible use of consumer fireworks.  For a full list of consumer fireworks safety tips and a safety video, please visit www.FireworksSafety.org.

Contact:   Ralph Apel, Press Contact, at 913 579-4529, or Nancy Blogin, President, at 816 977-5838

Fireworks Safety

National Council on Fireworks Safety Offers Common Sense Tips for Staying Safe During Holiday Celebrations

Using consumer fireworks on New Years is a tradition.  And it can be safe if a few common sense rules are followed, says Ralph Apel, the spokesperson for the National Council on Fireworks Safety. Consumer fireworks go through vigorous third party testing in China before being shipped to the United States.  But he notes, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”), there were an estimated 9,600 fireworks related injuries during the Fourth of July season in 2011.  Most of these injuries would not have occurred if the fireworks had been used under close adult supervision and if some basic safety steps had been taken. The National Council on Fireworks Safety offers these common sense safety tips for using consumer fireworks in hopes that injuries to consumers can be greatly reduced this season:

• Always purchase fireworks from a reliable source.
• Use fireworks as directed on consumer product safety label; never alter products.
• Observe local laws and use good COMMON SENSE.
• Have a designated shooter to organize and shoot your family show.
• A responsible ADULT should supervise all firework activities.
• Parents should not allow young children to handle or use fireworks.
• Alcohol and fireworks do not mix.   Save your alcohol for after the show.
• Use fireworks OUTDOORS in a clear area; AWAY from buildings and vehicles.
• NEVER carry fireworks in your POCKET.
• Wear safety glasses whenever using fireworks.
• Always have water ready if you are shooting fireworks.
• Do not experiment with homemade fireworks.
• Never relight a “dud” firework.  Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.
• Soak spent fireworks with water before placing them in an outdoor trash can.
• Report illegal explosives, like M-80s and quarter sticks, to the fire or police department.

The National Council on Fireworks Safety urges Americans to follow common sense safety rules in their holiday celebrations.

The National Council on Fireworks Safety is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose sole mission is to educate the public on the safe and responsible use of consumer fireworks.  For a full list of consumer fireworks safety tips and a safety video, please visit www.FireworksSafety.org.

Contact:   Ralph Apel, Press Contact, at 913 579-4529