Here are some tips I would like to share with you to help make your use of the internet safer for you and your children.
Keep the computer in a common area, such as the family or living room. That helps you monitor your child’s computer use. Spend time with your child online and talk to them about their internet use. Ask to see their profile pages. Many children have more than one profile. Google your child’s name.
Know your child’s screen names and passwords. Ask your child to add you as a “friend” on his or her profile page. Limit the information allowed in online profiles and make sure profiles are set to private. Control access to chat rooms and instant messaging.
Teach children to avoid risky behavior such as maintaining buddy lists that include strangers, flirting or discussing sex online with people they do not know, posting sexually suggestive material or being rude or mean to someone online. Teach children to stop, block and tell if they are bullied or made to feel uncomfortable online.
Remind children that computer use is not confidential. Keep the lines of communication open. Make agreements about computer use such as sites they are allowed to visit and length of time they can be online. The agreement should include some basic safety rules such as never give out personal information — name, age, address, phone — or use a credit card online without permission.
Never share passwords with anyone, including friends. Never arrange to meet in person someone they met online unless you agree and go with them. Never reply to a bully or any other uncomfortable messages they receive online.
Agree upon the consequences for not following the rules or breaking the agreement. It can be helpful to write down the rules and agreements in the form of a contract.
Some of this information is intended for the younger target audience, but it can be helpful for those of us that are a little “older” youngsters.
Jan. 3. See person: A subject is in the lobby to speak to an officer about stolen identity issues at 7:40 a.m. in the 1000 block of Arizona Street.
Vagrant: Two subjects are setting up camp a few feet from the animal shelter at 1:03 p.m. in the 800 block of Yucca Street.
Thought for the day: The campers assure officers the barking dogs won’t keep them awake but finally realize that the issue is the camp itself and decide they like Lake Mead better and are on their way.
Jan. 4. Vagrant: Reports are received that a vacant property has been accessed through an alternate entrance at 8:26 a.m. in the 800 block of Nevada Way.
Temporary protective order service: Officers report a subject is following them insisting they serve him with paperwork at 7:29 p.m. in the 1000 block of Nevada Way.
Thought for the day: I’m not sure I’ve heard anyone be so anxious to be served legal paperwork.
Jan. 5. 911: The subject calls the emergency number several times trying to report his estranged partner for various crimes that might possibly be in progress at 1:30 a.m. in the 1000 block of Nevada Way.
Disturbance: The caller states that there is someone throwing objects at a window and is yelling for someone to come down at 11:46 p.m. in the 1300 block of Darlene Way.
Thought for the day: The penny pitchers are admonished for throwing projectiles and advised their friend doesn’t live there.
Jan. 6. Suspicious: The caller wants to report a man passed out behind the wheel of a vehicle with a bottle of alcohol in hand at 9:44 a.m. in the 1000 block of Nevada Way.
See person: The caller states that the mother’s boyfriend behaves differently after mom goes to work at 11:34 a.m. in the 1000 block of Arizona Street.
Thought for the day: Not your alcohol? Not your car? Oh, the tangled webs we weave.
Jan. 7. Trespass: The caller states the man has been warned about being on the property and now needs formal notification at 10:22 a.m. in the 1300 block of Arizona Street.
Suspicious: The young man is knocking on doors in an attempt to locate the owner of a vehicle in the parking lot at 1:09 p.m. in the 1300 block of Darlene Way.
Thought for the day: The curious youngster is the son of the owner trying to prevent a needless tow of an unfamiliar vehicle.
Jan. 8. DUI: The driver has outstanding warrants for driving under the influence, and that doesn’t act as a deterrent at 2:09 a.m. in the area of Industrial Road and U.S. Highway 93.
Abandoned vehicle: The passers-by report a vehicle with all doors, hood and hatch standing open and no one around for several hours at 12:28 p.m. in the 800 block of Del Sol Drive.
Thought for the day: Some folks are less than fast learners.
Jan. 9. Private property accident: The manager finds property damage from a motor vehicle crash that appears recent at 10:02 a.m. in the area of Jasmine Way and Kaelyn Street.
Suspicious vehicle: The motor home appears stuck in the dirt and abandoned at 11:20 p.m. in the 2700 block of Utah Street.
Thought for the day: The motor home owner is located after his backup vehicle overheats. Some folks have all the luck.
Call(s) of the week: Reckless driver: Several callers report an older police-looking vehicle speeding, tailgating and using lights to get other drivers to move out of the lane. The license plates return to a local address, the driver is located and advised that he has used high beams to get cars to move out of his way. He does not possess any police-type lights and fails to understand the problem. I believe he understands one now at 6:35 p.m. Jan. 9 in the 700 block of Elm Street.
Tina Ransom is a dispatcher with Boulder City Police Department. She is coordinator of the Boulder City Citizens Academy.