Cary Police Focus on Keeping Black Friday Safe
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 25, 2009
Operation Safe Shopper to Provide Increased Presence at Major Shopping Hubs
CARY, NC – Shoppers at Cary Towne Center, South Hills Mall, Crossroads Plaza and Centrum Shopping Center can expect to see more men and women in “blue” on “Black Friday” as the Town of Cary Police Department kicks off Operation Safe Shopper – an annual, concentrated campaign to help deter crime and increase response time during the busy holiday shopping season. As part of Operation Safe Shopper, Cary police department’s IMPACT team (Implementing Methods of Policing Against Crime Trends) and other members of the department will be in marked vehicles, on foot and on bicycles to raise law enforcement visibility and promptly respond to calls for service in the shopping centers as well as surrounding areas. Operation Safe Shopper will run from November 27th through December 31st.
“Because the number of crimes and complaints often rise the day after Thanksgiving and throughout the peak holiday shopping season, we’ll be conducting the campaign seven days a week,” said Lt. Travis Baker, IMPACT Team Commander. “It’s our hope that Operation Safe Shopper will help keep people even safer as they choose to spend time in one of America’s best and safest communities.”
Police offer the following holiday shopping safety tips:
• Stay alert and be aware of your surroundings at all times.
• Park in well-lighted spaces, lock car doors, and place packages out of sight in the trunk or under seats.
• Do not carry large amounts of cash; pay with a check or credit card if possible.
• Carry purses close to the body, not dangling by the straps.
• Put wallets in an inside coat or front pants pocket.
• Supervise children at all times. Teach children to go to a police officer or security guard if they get lost or separated.
• Take a holiday inventory. The holidays are a good time to take photos or videos of items in your home.
Because traffic also increases around the shopping centers during the holidays, police are also advising shoppers to take heed of the following driving tips:
Don’t block intersections. Blocking intersections causes frustrating and unsafe back-ups; that’s why it’s against the law. When the traffic signal turns yellow, avoid trying to beat the upcoming red light and pulling into and blocking busy intersections. Instead, drop back and wait for the next green light. When traffic lights are green, make sure there is adequate room to completely cross the intersection.
Don’t run red lights. Running a red light can have deadly consequences. As a result, Cary has 17 red-light cameras designed to deter red-light offenders. Red-light citations carry a $50 fine with an additional $50 penalty if the fine is not paid within a specified period. Violators who run a red light and are cited by a police officer can face a maximum penalty of $180 as well as insurance points.
Contact the Town of Cary Police Department in case of any accidents. If the accident is minor, motorists should move their vehicles out of the travel lane and into a parking lot or onto the shoulder and call Cary Police at (919) 469-4012. For accidents involving injuries, motorists should call 911.
Watch for pedestrians. Maintain a safe speed in parking lots and be on the lookout for shoppers exiting vehicles and walking to stores.
At stop signs, come to a complete stop behind the white stop lines and not in the crosswalk. Especially when turning right on red, remember that a full stop behind the stop bar is necessary to give time to look both ways before proceeding. Look not only for cars but also for pedestrians and cyclists.
Always use a turn signal to prevent accidents. A turn signal alerts motorists of your intended action and helps prevent rear-end crashes, which is why it’s the law.
Be patient. There will be a record number of motorists and pedestrians, so a little holiday cheer will go a long way for safety.
In addition to Operation Safe Shopper, the Town also offers the Road Watch Complaint Line – a 24-hour telephone service that citizens can use to report a dangerous motor vehicle driver; the number is (919) 319-4521.
For everyone’s safety, motorists can expect strict enforcement of these and other traffic laws as the Town of Cary Police Department works around the clock to make sure everyone has safe and happy holidays.
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PRIMARY CONTACTS:
Lt. Travis Baker, Cary Police, (919) 319-4595
Sgt. Wyatt Crabtree, Cary Police, (919) 319-4576
Deanna Boone, Deputy Public Information Officer, (919) 462-3908
Susan Moran, Public Information Officer, (919) 460-4951
November 25, 2009
Operation Safe Shopper to Provide Increased Presence at Major Shopping Hubs
CARY, NC – Shoppers at Cary Towne Center, South Hills Mall, Crossroads Plaza and Centrum Shopping Center can expect to see more men and women in “blue” on “Black Friday” as the Town of Cary Police Department kicks off Operation Safe Shopper – an annual, concentrated campaign to help deter crime and increase response time during the busy holiday shopping season. As part of Operation Safe Shopper, Cary police department’s IMPACT team (Implementing Methods of Policing Against Crime Trends) and other members of the department will be in marked vehicles, on foot and on bicycles to raise law enforcement visibility and promptly respond to calls for service in the shopping centers as well as surrounding areas. Operation Safe Shopper will run from November 27th through December 31st.
“Because the number of crimes and complaints often rise the day after Thanksgiving and throughout the peak holiday shopping season, we’ll be conducting the campaign seven days a week,” said Lt. Travis Baker, IMPACT Team Commander. “It’s our hope that Operation Safe Shopper will help keep people even safer as they choose to spend time in one of America’s best and safest communities.”
Police offer the following holiday shopping safety tips:
• Stay alert and be aware of your surroundings at all times.
• Park in well-lighted spaces, lock car doors, and place packages out of sight in the trunk or under seats.
• Do not carry large amounts of cash; pay with a check or credit card if possible.
• Carry purses close to the body, not dangling by the straps.
• Put wallets in an inside coat or front pants pocket.
• Supervise children at all times. Teach children to go to a police officer or security guard if they get lost or separated.
• Take a holiday inventory. The holidays are a good time to take photos or videos of items in your home.
Because traffic also increases around the shopping centers during the holidays, police are also advising shoppers to take heed of the following driving tips:
Don’t block intersections. Blocking intersections causes frustrating and unsafe back-ups; that’s why it’s against the law. When the traffic signal turns yellow, avoid trying to beat the upcoming red light and pulling into and blocking busy intersections. Instead, drop back and wait for the next green light. When traffic lights are green, make sure there is adequate room to completely cross the intersection.
Don’t run red lights. Running a red light can have deadly consequences. As a result, Cary has 17 red-light cameras designed to deter red-light offenders. Red-light citations carry a $50 fine with an additional $50 penalty if the fine is not paid within a specified period. Violators who run a red light and are cited by a police officer can face a maximum penalty of $180 as well as insurance points.
Contact the Town of Cary Police Department in case of any accidents. If the accident is minor, motorists should move their vehicles out of the travel lane and into a parking lot or onto the shoulder and call Cary Police at (919) 469-4012. For accidents involving injuries, motorists should call 911.
Watch for pedestrians. Maintain a safe speed in parking lots and be on the lookout for shoppers exiting vehicles and walking to stores.
At stop signs, come to a complete stop behind the white stop lines and not in the crosswalk. Especially when turning right on red, remember that a full stop behind the stop bar is necessary to give time to look both ways before proceeding. Look not only for cars but also for pedestrians and cyclists.
Always use a turn signal to prevent accidents. A turn signal alerts motorists of your intended action and helps prevent rear-end crashes, which is why it’s the law.
Be patient. There will be a record number of motorists and pedestrians, so a little holiday cheer will go a long way for safety.
In addition to Operation Safe Shopper, the Town also offers the Road Watch Complaint Line – a 24-hour telephone service that citizens can use to report a dangerous motor vehicle driver; the number is (919) 319-4521.
For everyone’s safety, motorists can expect strict enforcement of these and other traffic laws as the Town of Cary Police Department works around the clock to make sure everyone has safe and happy holidays.
###
PRIMARY CONTACTS:
Lt. Travis Baker, Cary Police, (919) 319-4595
Sgt. Wyatt Crabtree, Cary Police, (919) 319-4576
Deanna Boone, Deputy Public Information Officer, (919) 462-3908
Susan Moran, Public Information Officer, (919) 460-4951
