Washington, DC – U.S. Rep. John Hall (D-Dover) greeted McGruff the Crime Dog on Capitol Hill to support National Crime Prevention Month and highlighted his support for full funding of the Community Oriented Police Services (COPS) program, which recently provided grants to local Hudson Valley communities. Congressman Hall has been working to bring critical resources to law enforcement in his district.
Rep. John Hall welcomes McGruff the Crime Dog to the Capitol to raise awareness of Crime Prevention.
The COPS Secure Our Schools Program provides funding to law enforcement agencies to assist with the development of school safety resources and provide improved security on school grounds. Hall announced today that the following local police departments have received COPS Secure Our Schools grants this month: Cortland Police Department - $250,250, Port Jervis Police Department - $150,000, and the Poughkeepsie Police Department - $116,558.
The Economic Recovery Act that Hall helped pass provided $420,691 in grants for Hudson Valley Law Enforcement. In the Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations bill, Congressman Hall succeeded in securing $365,000 in funding for upgrades for to emergency response equipment for three local police departments in Orange and Putnam Counties.
Congressman Hall, McGruff, and the National Crime Prevention Council offered the following tips to help keep you and your family safe:
Online Safety for Youth
- Never give out personal information online, whether in instant message profiles, chat rooms, blogs, or personal websites.
- Never tell anyone your password, not even friends. If someone sends a mean or threatening message, don't respond. Save it or print it out and show it to an adult.
- Never open emails from someone you don't know or from someone you know is a bully.
- Never open files from strangers.
- Do not harass anyone online.
- Learn what a firewall is and how it can protect your computer from hackers.
- Keep your antivirus and anti-spamware software up to date.
- Protect your computer with a password—one that contains upper- and lowercase letters and numbers. Make them hard to figure out.
- You don’t have to talk to or respond to everyone who sends you an email or instant message.
Internet Safety Tips for Parents
- Talk with your children about the benefits and risks of the Internet.
- Go online with your children. Have them show you their favorite websites, online games, and chat rooms.
- Keep the computer in a common area of the house.
- Agree with your children on rules about what they can and cannot do online, when they can go on the Internet, and how long they can stay.
Bullying Prevention Tips for Parents
- Give children positive feedback when they behave well to help them build self-esteem. Help give them the self-confidence to stand up for what they believe in.
- Ask your children about their day and listen to them talk about school, social events, their classmates, and, especially, any problems they have.
- Take bullying seriously. Many kids are embarrassed to be bullied. You may only have one chance to step in and help.
Protect Against Identity Theft
- When choosing passwords, think of something that is not obvious. The best choice is to use a combination of upper and lowercase letters as well as numbers. Change your password often.
- Cross-cut or shred identifying information that you put into the trash. Anything with an account number or a Social Security number should be carefully disposed of.
- Monitor the balances of your bank accounts and review your credit report regularly. Check for any unusual activity and correct any errors.
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