SAPS Newsletter to School and Parents April 2010
SAPS Newsletter to School and Parents April 2010
The South African Police Service has always highly prioritized the safety of our children and learners at school on a National basis. At Table View Police Station our priority is no different.
Our ambition and focus has always been to develop a close relationship with ALL the schools in the Table View area and with this foster a closer relationship with the parents and the children of our area.
We trust in bringing you this Newsletter via your child’s school on a frequent basis we will achieve this goal of fostering and nurturing a closer rapport of trust and in so doing, achieve the goal of ensuring their safety and security.
We ask you, the parents and guardians, to impart the valuable tips and hints in this Newsletter to your children to ensure their safety and security which is paramount to our concern and please feel free to forward this Newsletter to your family and friends and others who you feel will benefit from its information.
CELL PHONES
We appreciate the need all parents have in being able to communicate with their children during the day. We also recognize the child’s need to be able to communicate with either parent and for emergency purposes, but there has been an alarming increase in the theft of cell phones where children are robbed of their phones because they are deemed “easy targets” by criminals.
The highest incidence of theft occurs either before or after school when talking on them outside of the school grounds. If your child’s cell phone is stolen, they are placed in an extremely vulnerable position because their means of communication in the event of an emergency is lost.
It is imperative that you tell your child to conceal their cell phone and any valuable property when walking or cycling to or from school.
Cell phones are considered “desired items” as criminals have an immediate market for these goods and are able to sell them within an hour or two after stealing the cell phone.
WORLD CUP SOCCER 2010
We, the South African Police Services have prepared ourselves on a National basis for this International event. In the Western Province
we are ready and equipped for any eventuality of criminal behaviour and will deal with crime and any criminal element on a ZERO TOLERANCE basis.
A short while ago, our CPF Table View sent out a report via our ALERTS system of two failed abduction attempts of a child in Eshowe, and a child in Richards Bay, KZN. Only a few weeks ago we had an incident of
a failed abduction attempt at a Table View shopping center.
Our information is there are Nigerian cartels willing to pay upto R20 000 or more for a child and we urge YOU the parent to know the whereabouts of your child 24 hours a day.
DO NOT LET YOUR CHILDREN OUT OF YOUR SIGHT !!!
We cannot stress this point enough.
In any missing child case, the first 48 hours are the most critical in finding them, as the clock ticks beyond this time period, the opportunity diminishes in returning them to their parents.
If you are aware of any child trafficking activities happening call this number immediately SAPS HELPLINE : 0800 555 999
SOCIAL NETWORKING WEBSITES
As the internet has grown in size it has brought about a huge number of social networking sites where the individual can join for free or a nominal cost. For example, FACEBOOK, Digg, Squidoo, Twitter, My Space, HI5 and many, many others including MXit.
Police Forces around the world have detected a dramatic increase in the number of predators’preying on the unsuspecting person, including adults, but the most vulnerable of these are children. Whilst we may not have had any incidents of these predators or victims in Table View yet, it may only be a matter of time before we do.
Prevention is always better than cure and we urge ALL parents to monitor their child/ children’s activities on the internet – its NOT snooping, its being a responsible parent !
NEVER EVER allow your child to meet anyone in person that they have met online WITHOUT parental supervision.
Those parents who are not “computer or internet literate” we urge you to consult with an expert to get the best advice on how to check and monitor your child’s activities on the internet and even Install “blocks” to certain web sites, search words, terms and phrases.
If you do not know of an expert, then very often staff at computer shops and internet café’s are the best to approach for assistance.
MXIT – Guidelines for parents
Guidelines for parents:
• Understanding the environment in which your child communicates is of utmost importance, so install MXit. You wouldn’t let your child stay over at a friends’ house without getting to know the family, so download and spend some time on MXit so that you understand
where your child is interacting.
• The only way that your child can interact with a stranger is if your child invites this person into their friendship group by admitting them as a contact or friend. Help your child to understand the dangers of befriending or trusting strangers by having a frank and open discussion with them.
• Tell them about the potential dangers and ask them to tell you if they ever feel that someone is not who they say they are (teens are switched on to this).
• Allocate the amount of time your child can spend on MXit and use your cell phone to monitor this.
• If you notice that your child’s time on MXit suddenly drops, check to see if he / she has a secret phone (it could simply mean that they are out of airtime, but check nevertheless).
• Check your child’s contact list regularly and follow up if with them if there is anyone that you don’t feel comfortable with.
• Constantly remind your child (every day if you need to) never to hand out their personal information on MXit.
• Tell your child that he / she should never, under any circumstances, agree to a private offline chat with a stranger.
• Help your child understand that they should never forward or post pictures that could cause embarrassment if passed on.
• If your child fails to heed your warnings and advice, simply install the chat room blocking feature. The educational route is advisable, as children will always find another way to communicate online, whether or not on MXit.
IMPORTANT CONTACT NUMBERS
SAPS emergency 08600 10111
SAPS flying squad 10111
SAPS HELPLINE 0800 555 999
Ambulance Emergency 10177
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR YOUR CHILD
Parents, it is important to address the following safety tips with your child or children.
• Most importantly parents, be open with your child or children, let them know they are loved and can talk to you about their problems.
• Be very clear in the agreements with your child in what IS and what is NOT allowed and what TO DO in the case of an emergency.
• Impress on them to NEVER get into a car with someone who they do not know. Before or after school, they MUST wait INSIDE the school property for their organized lift or ride to come and fetch them.
• They are to NEVER accept a “sweet/chocolate etc” from anyone who they do not know. It could be spiked with a drug.
• They are NEVER to open the front door for anyone who they do not know.
• Ensure that your children know of YOUR whereabouts at all times.
• Ensure they have an adult’s contact number who is known to them, an aunt, an uncle, grandparents and so forth.
• Impress on them, their body is PRIVATE – the law WILL protect them when they say NO!!!!
• Ensure they know the telephone numbers of the Police Station, the Sector Commander, the Sector vehicle. Make copies of the Sector
Policing numbers and put a copy on the fridge door and stick one behind every bedroom door in the house.
• In your home, make a bedroom with a telephone line your family’s “safe room” where your child can go and lock the door and
phone for help in the event of an emergency.
• Parents, ensure the emergency telephone numbers are keyed in and saved on your child/s cell phone AND they know how to find them in the event of an emergency.
• Parents, ensure your child’s name is NOT visible on their lunch box, school bag nor on their clothing. If it is, this will put them on “first name terms” with any stranger.
• Parents, ultimately the responsibility of your child lies with YOU. At SAPS we will always be willing to help and advise you, but neither
we nor the Principals nor the teachers can take over your responsibility – this will always remains YOURS.
The two greatest “things” you can share with your child or children is YOUR ALL-EMBRACING LOVE and YOUR INNER WISDOM!
Our hope is this Newsletter will help YOU to help US in ensuring the safety and security of our children.
Download the full newsletter in pdf, click Download File 1 – 203.3 KB!
This Newsletter was compi led by Barry Meyer , Chairman, CPF Schools Forum for SAPS Table View in the interests of our children their parents and the amazing Principals and teachers into whose care our children are placed each day.
