Deterring criminal activity Published Oct. 21, 2013 By Senior Airman Jette Carr 27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Staying out of trouble is an easy task if a person has an ounce of common sense, right? Just stay away from gangs, drugs and delinquency, everything will be fine - no need to worry any further. Obviously, crime doesn't come looking for you. This is a common assumption which is entirely untrue according to James Russell, 27th Special Operations Security Forces Squadron resource protection manager. "A bad guy only needs one second while you're living in a false sense of security for you to become a statistic," said the veteran cop. "Crime prevention in your neighborhood is similar to Operational Security. It's an out-of-body experience and the idea is to look at things from the vantage point of the criminal." Familiar places can change in an instant and the practice of complacency may create the opportunity a criminal needs to wreak havoc. "Be aware of your surroundings," said Russell. "Don't assume that because you've been somewhere a million times it's always going to be the same. People ought to have an idea of what their house should look like when they return home. If they didn't leave any lights on when they left and the lights are on when they come home, that might be a clue that something is wrong." Though October is National Crime Prevention Month, Russell thinks preventative measures should be practiced all year long. Avenues are available to educate and help people to remain safe, which can sometimes overlooked. Crime can happen to anyone at any time and there are steps that can be taken to further reduce the level of risk. "There are resources out there to keep you safe," said Russell. "I wish everybody would call me and bug me half-to-death with questions such as, 'How do I register my things just in case they are stolen?' or 'Can you come by and show me what I can do to make my house safer?'" The focus of safety can often be stressed as a responsibility adults should follow; however, children can play a hand too. A resource Russell stressed having is a safety word between parents and their children, which can be used to prevent abductions. This word can be utilized when parents send someone to pick up their child. The child may ask the adult, "Did mom and dad ask you to tell me anything?" If the adult doesn't reply with the safe word, then the child knows the person isn't safe to go with and can run to a responsible adult such as a teacher or police officer for help. Another step kids can take to prevent crime is to report bullying. "I want children to know, yes, it might not be 'cool' to tattle, but if you're being bullied, you need to let somebody know," said Russell. "Find a trusted adult or someone you feel you can go to, because if the bully feels like they can get away with it, it can continuously get worse and worse. That's why we've found many people who feel like no one cares, and that's a contributing factor in suicides and people hurting themselves." If individuals strived to learn and utilize crime prevention techniques, the chances of people becoming victims should decrease, he added. For Crime Prevention Month at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., the 27 SOSFS will be participating in a "Pumpkin Patrol" on Halloween. To make trick-or-treating a safe and enjoyable experience for base personnel and their families, security forces members, volunteers and McGruff and Scruff the crime dogs will be patrolling housing areas. To volunteer to be a member of the Pumpkin Patrol, contact Security Forces at 575-784-2351, before Oct. 24. For more on crime prevention or to schedule a briefing, contact Russell at 575-784-6148.