Cautionary words from Laurel Police Chief
At last night’s Council Meeting, Laurel Police Chief Hamill shared notes and important reminders based on recent events and the upcoming holiday season, including:
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Never hesitate to call Laurel Police right away if you ever see something suspicious – You are part of their eyes and ears into what is going on around town, and they’d much rather send a police cruiser over to drive through an area and potentially prevent something that may happen (e.g., car theft, property damage, etc.) than have something happen and only learn after-the-fact. It’s a really a service to all of us as neighbors help keep each other safe – And you can post the Laurel “non-emergency” number right on your refrigerator or store in cell phone: 301-498-0092.
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Always keep alert to your surroundings as you’re out-and-about – For example, as you go to an ATM, take stock of what’s around as you approach, keep a sense of your environment while you’re there, and avoid walking away from the ATM looking down while counting your withdrawal, but keep your head and eyes up as great preventative measure.
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If you remember you left something of value on your car seat at night, it’s a good idea to go out and get it. Visible items are an easy mark. And just being sure to lock your car doors is important too. The Chief shared a story on how officers tracking suspicious individuals late at night simply going from car door to car door, until they found one that opened – Just a little bit of friction can go a long way.
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The Police Department will also be stepping up traffic enforcement from now through New Years – It’s notoriously the time of year the most accidents from being under the influence happen and they want to stay ahead of the curve. (Just this past week one of the officers himself was hit by a driver allegedly under the influence, totaling the police cruiser and sending the officer to the hospital, though thankfully recovering at home now.) So be smart and lets all help our friends and family be smart too – celebrating the holidays is so much better when we’re all together! :)
Thank you Chief Hamill for these helpful and important reminders and for your and your team’s work to keep our community safe!