Keaveny: Tips for Your Safety from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department

The Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department (STLMPD) operates on the philosophy of providing the best possible service to the citizens of St. Louis. This service is not only the active protection of our community. The department also provides citizens with useful tips to help ensure their own safety.

The police department stresses that feeling safe in your home and neighborhood is the number one priority. If your neighborhood does not have a neighborhood watch program, you can contact your community outreach officer at (314) 622-4800 to start one. Supporting safety as a community will have a strong effect on the overall well-being of your neighborhood. You can call your area patrol station in order to increase the police presence in your neighborhood. Alarms, visible street address numbers, surrounding lights and secure entrances are all great ways to protect your home. In addition, it may be helpful to get to know your neighbors so that if and when you travel, they can keep an eye out for suspicious activity.

Preventing auto-related crime is another concern. The police department suggests you park your car in a well-lit area, locking all doors after entering your vehicle, always having your keys in hand when walking to your vehicle so that you won’t have to fumble for them, never leaving your title or other important paperwork inside your car, and always keeping plenty of gas in your vehicle so you won’t have to stop at unsafe locations or times.

Above all, personal safety is the most important. One of the best tips that the police department stresses is for you to trust your intuition. If you feel threatened or something doesn’t feel right, seek out safe places in the areas where you live and work.

In emergency life or death and crime situations, you should always dial 911 for an immediate police response. The non-emergency number, (314) 231-1212, should be used when police assistance is needed but not urgent. Further tips for crimes can be reported at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477). You can also find the common crime statistics for your area in the crime stats section of the SLMPD website.

The Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department is always a source of protection and general help for the citizens of the city. You can find other useful safety tips about personal safety on http://www.slmpd.org, or you can call the non-emergency number, (314) 231-1212, for more information.