St. Clair County Sheriff's Department

Nation's Sheriffs Recommend Seniors Make a Safety List and Check it Twice

Nation's Sheriffs Recommend Seniors Make a Safety List and Check it Twice

Holiday tips could safeguard seniors against financial crimes.

Alexandria, VA – (November 20, 2007) – The holidays are often synonymous with shopping – on Main Street, in malls, and online. Unfortunately, not everyone is looking for the best deal, but instead, the easiest opportunity to steal from unsuspecting Americans. Identity theft, robbery and check fraud are increasingly prevalent during the holidays – and seniors are often the targets of such crimes.

To safeguard against financial crimes this holiday season, the National Sheriffs' Association offers these timely tips for seniors and those who care for them:

· Don’t carry important personal information in your purse or wallet. As the holiday shopping season gets underway, purse snatchers and pickpockets are on the prowl, looking for distracted shoppers from whom they can steal cash and personal information. Be sure your purse or wallet does not include sensitive information like your Social Security number, personal identification numbers (PINs) and passwords. A thief can use these details to order checks or credit cards, apply for loans or otherwise commit fraud using your name.

· Use direct deposit. Your mail – both incoming and outgoing – can be vulnerable, especially during the holidays when criminal activity is heightened. If your Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) check or other payments are delivered by mail to an unlocked box, you may be at risk for theft. Direct deposit eliminates the risk of lost or stolen checks, reduces fraud and gives people faster access to their money on payment day. Direct deposit also protects against identity theft. To sign up for direct deposit of your Social Security or SSI payment, call the Go Direct helpline at (800) 333-1795 or sign-up online at www.GoDirect.org. It's free and takes less than five minutes.

· Know who you're dealing with when you shop online. Many older Americans enjoy the convenience of online holiday shopping. If you're one of them, be certain the business is legitimate. If you have not heard of the company before, it is always a good idea to check with your local Better Business Bureau before making any purchase or providing them with personal financial information.

· Don't let your holiday trash become a thief's treasure. Identity thieves have become experts in picking through your trash. What's worse, during the holidays there may be a delay in garbage pick-up, meaning your trash could be sitting outside, unprotected, for an even longer period of time. Make sure you shred every document headed for the trash that may have personal information, including check stubs, credit card applications, monthly bank statements, receipts, and other documents thieves can use to commit fraud.

· Pay careful attention to your holiday credit card bills and bank statements. Whether or not you are a person who relies heavily on your credit card during the holiday season, make sure you are the only one who gets to make this decision. Carefully check your credit card and bank statements to ensure no one else is using your card and illegally making purchases in your name. If you notice anything suspicious, or if you suddenly stop receiving credit card or bank statements, contact your financial institution immediately.

For more information about the National Sheriffs' Association, visit us online: www.sheriffs.org.

The National Sheriffs' Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising the level of professionalism among those in the criminal justice field. Now in its 67th year, NSA has provided programs for Sheriffs, their deputies, chiefs of police, and others in the field of criminal justice to perform their jobs in the best possible manner and to better serve the people of their cities, counties or jurisdictions.

DUI Enforcement for 2008

For over five years, we have worked with the Illinois Department of Transportation in an effort to reduce the number of impaired drives on the roads in St. Clair County.

Once again we have been approved for a Local Alcohol Program (LAP) grant. LAP is designed to produce a significant impact on a local community’s impaired driving problem. Project activities may include local task force formation, DUI enforcement, public information and education, prosecution and adjudication.

Drunk driving is one of America’s deadliest crimes. In 2005 in America, nearly 17,000 people died in highway crashes involving alcohol – 39 percent of all motor vehicle crash fatalities.

Here in Illinois, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 580 people lost their lives in alcohol-involved crashes, which is 43 percent of all rashes. That is why we have joined hundreds of other law enforcement and highway safety agencies across Illinois in an effort to crackdown on impaired driving.

Our message is simple. No matter what you drive—a passenger car, pickup, sport utility vehicle or motorcycle—if we catch you driving impaired, we will arrest you. No exceptions. No excuses. We will be out in force to get drunk drivers off the road—and save lives that might otherwise be lost.”

We will keep you updated each month right here on our site. We'll also be maping all of our DUI arrests in the DUI page.

Photos of our last Roadside Safety Checkpoint

Read the DUI Factbook.

IDOT Traffic Safety

Toy Drive

David Boden, a member of our Mounted Patrol, collected toys at the Carlyle Avenue Wal-Mart, Saturday, November 3, 2007. This is the third year that the Sheriff's Department has collected toys for needy children. If you would like to donate toys to this effort you can bring them to the Lobby any Monday through Friday between 8:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. Toys should be brand new, in the original package, please.

Deer Safety Advisory

Alert: Increased Risk of Deer Collisions in Our Area

Did you know that, each year, deer collisions account for over 1.5 million accidents, resulting in thousands of  injuries  and over 150 fatalities?
We are alerting you because our area has a large deer population and an increased risk of deer collisions from early October through late December when the deer mating season is in full swing.
Your safety is important to us, so take a moment to review the following safety tips. Please be careful and drive safely.

Here are some tips for staying safe:

•Do not swerve to avoid hitting the deer, which could result in loss of control or hitting another vehicle. Swerving is the reason for most deer-related deaths and injuries.

•In the event of a deer collision, brake firmly and keep the steering wheel straight. Stay in your lane to avoid hitting other vehicles.

•Do not rely on deer whistles and other deer-deterrent devices. They have not been proven effective.

•When driving at night, use your high beams when there is no oncoming traffic. The lights cause deer's eyes to glow, making them more visible. High beams also help you see farther, giving you additional time to react if a deer is on or near the road.

•Deer often travel in groups. If you see a deer, be prepared for additional deer to follow.

•Deer can be found on highways and busy city streets, not just rural roads.

•Deer can suddenly dart across a road when distracted by lights or the sound of a horn.

•Drive cautiously through posted deer-crossing areas.

•Contact the Sheriff's Department to remove a deer that is lying in the road for the safety of other approaching vehicles. Never approach a deer yourself.

•Wear your safety belt at all times.

This information was provided to us by Progressive Insurance. The Sheriff's Department does not endorse any company, product or service, this is reproduced here as a public service only.