Johnna Pinholster
VALDOSTA — Protection against criminal activity was the subject of a Tuesday night seminar hosted by the National Crime Prevention Task Force.
Representing the National Crime Prevention Task Force, Lt. Thommy Halfen spoke to the audience of mostly women about protecting themselves and their families during a 60-minute Street Smart seminar at Mathis City Auditorium.
As a law enforcement officer who has worked in vice, narcotics and undercover departments, Halfen shared a wide range of knowledge during the seminar.
A person’s car parked at their place of employment is a likely target for crime, he said. Items inside the vehicle can also be used as a gateway into a person’s home.
Halfen said that garage openers, insurance cards, registration and other items with a home address should never be left inside a vehicle.
If different individuals drive the vehicle, they should each carry the insurance card designated for them and not leave one in the car, he added.
When several in the audience expressed concern over taking their registration and insurance out of the vehicle, Halfen succinctly responded, “When a cop pulls you over, do they ask the Honda or you for the insurance?”
A person should never program their vehicle’s home GPS button to their actual home address. The number one thing stolen out of cars is the GPS system, Halfen said.
If the vehicle is stolen, the culprit then has the address to a person’s home.
Halfen said that he programs the police department’s address into the home button feature and suggested that the people in the audience do that too.
A child’s full name and address should also never be put on their clothes or bags. He said that it’s an easy way for abductors to take advantage of children.
Initials and the address of the child’s school or the parent’s place of employment should be used.
While children are vulnerable, women are the number one victims of crime. Women are most often harmed in the parking lots of grocery stores and large retail stores, he said.
The easiest way to cut down the threat of an attack, he added, is for women to not go alone and to constantly be aware of their surroundings.
Acting a little bit nutty or mean can also help, Halfen said.
While Halfen said he would not deter women from carrying their hand-bags, he did suggest that they carry the essentials — credit cards, driver’s license and money — in a wallet on their person.
He said that a checkbook only needs to be carried when it is needed, and if only one check is needed, the whole book does not need to go to work or to a store with a person. The amount of credit cards a person carries at any given time should also be considered, he said.
If a person does get in the car and demand to be taken somewhere, Halfen said the easiest way to cause commotion — besides screaming — is to rear end another vehicle. The accident immediately brings attention and law enforcement to the scene.
He also urged the men in the audience to practice what they preach to their female counterparts and children. He said seeing men practice safe actions encourages the women in their lives to do the same.
A second Street Smart seminar was conducted Tuesday at St. Paul AME Church on South Ashley Street.
