>> Crime and Quality-of-Life Quiz (12/2008)

To kick off 2009, we put together a quiz based on citizen questions and crime/quality-of-life problems we encounter regularly in Jeffco.  We invite you to take the quiz and see if you know the best way to handle the following scenarios.

 

You want to teach your young child to stay away from adults who could harm him or her.  What's a good phrase to help them remember?
a. "Trust no one"
b. "Say no to strangers"
c. "Check first before you go anywhere with anyone"

ANSWER: C
Because strangers aren't the only people who can harm a child, the Sheriff's Office encourages children to "Check first before you go anywhere with anyone." And, "If you cannot check, the answer is no."  This mantra is designed to include everyone: their friends, relatives and other familiar adults, as well as strangers.  For more on the Charlie Check-First curriculum, visit our Web site.

 

You discover tagging (graffiti) in your neighborhood.  What do you do?

a. There is nothing you can do
b. Report it to the sheriff's office
c. Paint over it

ANSWER: B, and maybe C
Report new graffiti to the Sheriff's Office as soon as you see it by calling our non-emergency number: 303-277-0211.  The Sheriff's Office will send a crime scene technician to photograph the graffiti so that we can try to identify the tagger. 

A property owner is responsible for graffiti on his or her property.  If your property or business is affected by tagging, your best course is to paint over the markings as soon as possible (after the Sheriff's Office responds), to discourage tag wars on your property and the surrounding area.  If tagging appears on public property, like street signs or park benches, please report it as well.  The Sheriff's Office will notify the government agency or park district to remove or cover the paint.

 

You're going to go for a bike ride.  You drive to the area, park, and prepare for your ride.  You've got your wallet with you.  What should you do with it?

a. Leave the wallet on the passenger seat
b. Put it in the console or glove box
c. Put it in the trunk of your vehicle
d. Ride with it

ANSWER: D
Cars left at open space lots and parked by roadsides are easy targets.  Criminals know that the owners are off recreating and may be gone for a long time.  Leave valuables at home, or take them with you to prevent having them stolen from your unoccupied car.  Putting your valuables in the locked trunk of your vehicle is also an acceptable option.  Criminals usually take the path of least resistance, so if they can't see the items, they will be less likely to steal them.  Remember, if someone steals your wallet, they may steal your identity too.

 

You decide to go for a walk in your neighborhood.  You won't be gone long.  What should you do when you leave your house?

a. Lock your doors
b. Shut your garage door
c. A and B

ANSWER: C
Especially if you have an attached garage, you should always close your garage door -- even when you're only going to be gone a few minutes.  Garages often contain valuables like bikes and golf clubs.  Golf clubs, bikes, beer -- all sought after by thieves big and small.  What's worse, the door from your garage into your house is probably unlocked.   If you leave the garage door open, you've just given criminals the chance to steal from your garage AND your house.  It's also important to keep these doors closed and locked when you're home.  Thieves can quietly get in and out of the garage or house while the residents are home.

 

You are awakened in the night by the sound of glass breaking somewhere on your street.  You hear it more than once.  What do you do?

a. Go back to sleep
b. Call 911
c. Call the Sheriff's Office non-emergency line

ANSWER: B
Always call 911 to report a crime in progress, even if you looked and didn't see anything.  A deputy in the area can be dispatched to the street to try to catch the vandals in the act.  The neighbors whose car windows were smashed will thank you.

 

It's okay to leave your vehicle unoccupied and running when:

a. The car is parked in your driveway and you're just warming it up
b. The car is parked on the street and you're just warming it up
c. You are dropping your kids off at daycare and will only be inside for a minute
d. You are parked at the coffee shop and running in to grab a cup
e. You have just pumped gas and are paying inside
f. None of the above

ANSWER: F
A running car should have you in it.  Car thieves look for puffing exhaust on cold mornings in driveways and on the street.  They also know the kinds of businesses customers visit for "just a minute."  In Jefferson County, vehicles have been stolen from daycare centers and coffee shops while patrons are inside only briefly.  Criminals take the path of least resistance, and stealing an unlocked running car is just too easy. 

Behind the Badge Archive

Last Modified: Dec 7, 2009 09:55 AM