Crime prevention means being aware that a crime can occur, anticipating its form, location, time and victim, and taking action to reduce the chances of its happening.
There are three elements the criminal must possess for a crime to occur:
- Desire
- Ability
- Opportunity
You have no control over the first two elements. Whether a criminal has the desire or ability to commit the crime is solely up to him. However, you can have great control over, if not eliminate, the third element - opportunity.
Crime prevention is using instinct, common sense and actions to eliminate or greatly reduce the criminal's opportunity. There are practical, common sense precuations you can take to reduce the odds of becoming a victim of a crime. We all have a personal part to play regarding crime prevention.
Operation Safe Child was created by the governor's office to raise awareness about child safety. Using digital fingerprint technology and high-resolution photography, officers produce a Safe Child identification card.
Each card contains the child's name, photograph, fingerprint images and biographical information (gender, height, weight, hair color, eye color and specific identifying characteristics).
The card is produced in minutes and is provided to the parent or guardian at no cost. In the event a child is missing, this card can be presented to law enforcement. Since the data can also be stored in a New York State digitized file, it is available to be transmitted immediately to other law enforcement agencies, to assist in Amber Alert notifications and to the media to aid in investigations.
Where to obtain a card
Safe Child cards are issued by the Westchester County Department of Public Safety by appointment only. To set up an appointment, or for general questions about the program, contact the county police at (914) 864-7700.
Safe Child card events are also held periodically at various locations throughout the county, including in county parks and at community events.
Download the form to complete
Prior to attending an event or scheduling an appointment, you will need to print and complete the Operation Safe Child Authorization Form. Bring the completed form with you.