10/14/2026
Personal and Child Safety: Recognizing and Responding to Suspicious Approaches
Members of the public are encouraged to remain aware of their surroundings and take appropriate precautions when approached by unfamiliar individuals.
While not every interaction with an unfamiliar person presents a threat, recognizing concerning behavior and knowing how to respond can help prevent potentially dangerous situations.
Personal Safety Tips
Stay aware of your surroundings. Pay attention to nearby individuals, vehicles, and activity, particularly in parking lots, public spaces, and isolated areas.
Maintain a safe distance. Keep enough space between yourself and unfamiliar individuals to allow you to move away if necessary.
Trust your instincts. If an interaction makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, you are not obligated to continue the conversation.
Set clear boundaries. Politely decline unwanted requests and leave the interaction when appropriate. You do not owe an unfamiliar person an explanation.
Protect personal information. Avoid sharing your home address, daily routine, travel plans, or other sensitive information with individuals you do not know.
Move toward safety. If you feel threatened, proceed to a populated or secure area and seek assistance from trusted individuals, security personnel, or law enforcement.
Report concerning behavior. If an individual threatens, follows, harasses, or attempts to coerce someone, notify law enforcement. Call 911 if there is an immediate threat to safety.
Child Safety: Recognizing Potential Luring Attempts
Children may be approached by individuals who attempt to gain their trust through conversation, false claims of familiarity, offers of assistance, gifts, or invitations to accompany them elsewhere.
Parents and caregivers are encouraged to discuss the following safety practices with children:
Never enter a stranger’s vehicle. Children should never enter a vehicle or approach one to assist an unfamiliar person, accept a ride, or retrieve an item.
Be cautious of claims of familiarity. An unfamiliar adult may claim to know a child’s parent, relative, or friend to make the child feel comfortable. Children should understand that these claims do not establish trust or mean the person has permission to approach or take them anywhere.
Verify unexpected requests. If someone claims a parent sent them, needs help, or has arranged for the child to leave with them, the child should verify the information directly with their parent or trusted caregiver before going anywhere.
Recognize inappropriate requests.Children should be cautious of adults who ask them to keep an interaction secret, leave with them unexpectedly, or go somewhere without their caregiver’s verified permission.
Do not feel obligated to respond. Children are not required to answer questions, continue conversations, accept gifts, or comply with requests from unfamiliar adults.
Leave and seek help. If an interaction feels uncomfortable or suspicious, children should move toward a trusted adult or a populated, safe location. If someone attempts to grab them or force them into a vehicle, they should yell for help, attract attention, and get away if possible.
Identify trusted adults. Children should know which adults they can approach for assistance, including parents, teachers, school staff, and other designated caregivers.
Guidance for Parents and Guardians
Parents and caregivers can help reinforce these safety practices by:
Establishing clear rules regarding who is authorized to pick up or transport their children.
Creating a family verification procedure, such as a code word, for unexpected pickup arrangements.
Teaching children to verify unexpected requests directly with a trusted caregiver rather than relying on an unfamiliar adult’s explanation.
Encouraging children to speak openly about uncomfortable interactions and reassuring them that they will not be punished for refusing an adult’s request or reporting suspicious behavior.
Providing age-appropriate supervision, particularly in parking lots, public spaces, and other areas where children may be approached without a caregiver nearby.
Community Awareness and Reporting
Members of the public who observe suspicious behavior involving a child, including attempts to persuade a child to enter a vehicle, leave with an unfamiliar individual, or establish trust through questionable claims of familiarity, are encouraged to prioritize the child’s immediate safety and promptly notify law enforcement.
When safe to do so, provide authorities with relevant details, such as the individual’s description, vehicle make, model, color, and license plate number, as well as the location and direction of travel. Avoid actions that could place yourself or the child in additional danger.
Call 911 if a child is in immediate danger or an attempted abduction is occurring.
Remember
Children have the right to say no, walk away, and seek help from a trusted adult. An unfamiliar person claiming to know a child’s family does not automatically make that person safe or authorized to take the child anywhere.
Awareness, clear boundaries, and prompt reporting help support personal safety and protect children in our community
