Local & State Headlines

Safety key for school year

• The Albany Police Department gives back-to-school safety tips as school begins in Dougherty County today.

Joshua Brown

ALBANY — Albany police are stressing safety precautions as Dougherty County public schools open the 2007-08 school year today.

Albany Police Department Spokesman Lt. Kenn Singleton said Monday that anyone driving through the county should be mindful of school zones during morning and mid-afternoon commutes.

“We want them to slow down and watch for school children and other pedestrians crossing the street,” Singleton said. “Any citations written in these school zones are double.”

While police will be enforcing school-zone speed limits as normal, Singleton said the department just wanted to remind motorists that school would start back today and that they should be careful.

“During the summer, not every school was in session. But now, in the county, all school zones are in effect,” he said.

Other advice Singleton offered for county and city residents as school starts back was that parents establish protocols for latchkey children — children who stay at home alone after school — to follow after they get home for the day.

“We want (parents) to remind children of safety,” Singleton said. “Walking to school, (children should) walk in groups. Do not take shortcuts. Parents should give the route they want the child to use, especially if it’s their first time walking to school. Use crosswalks.”

Singleton also gave the age- old advice about avoiding strangers, which includes answering the door or phone.

“If the phone rings, don’t let the person on the other end know they’re home by themselves,” Singleton said. “They (children) should tell that person mom and dad are busy and can’t come to the phone.”

Tricks that Singleton suggested include using what he called the “Secret Word Game.” By doing that, parents and children pick a word that anyone who was directed to have interaction with the children could say, and that would confirm to the child that the parents had indeed sent the person.

“That person comes to school to pick the child up. If that person doesn’t know that secret word, that kid knows that person isn’t supposed to pick them up,” Singleton said. He added that it works if someone comes to the home claiming to have been sent by the child’s parents.

“Kids’ parents need to get with their kids to make sure they don’t answer the door for strangers,” he warned, pointing out that if a person doesn’t know the secret word, children shouldn’t open the door for that person. “ ‘Your mom told me to come and check on you, let me in’ — don’t let them in,” he said.

Singleton pointed out that children who ride buses should know what their bus assignment is and shouldn’t horse around while waiting for the bus in the morning, while parents should make sure the children get to the bust stop safely.

More Headlines>>