You know your kid best and whether or not they're ready to trick or treat unsupervised. When you think they’re ready, develop a plan with your child to help them make safer decisions and provide you some peace of mind. Remember: it doesn't matter what other parents are doing - you make the decision that is right for you and your family. 

Whether you're trick or treating with your child or they're going out alone, it's always a good idea to make a plan:

• Go with friends or family who you can trust will stick to the plan.
• Carry a cell phone or smart watch that will allow them to call 9-1-1 if needed.
• Call you when they need help, even if they may have broken a rule.
• Avoid costumes and masks that make it hard to see other people, or for other people to see them.
• Carry a flashlight and wear glow sticks or lights for visibility. 
• Only visit homes with porch lights on.
• Accept treats at the door, but never walk into a stranger's home.
• Practice the route ahead of time. Determine what streets they will visit, so you know where to find them.
• Set a time when they are expected to return from trick-or-treating.
• Identify businesses and neighbors' homes along the way that they can ask for help if something happens. 
• Be aware and alert in public. Keep eyes up and off of cell phones and listen to what's happening around them. 
• Throw away food that is not properly packaged and sealed.
• Look both ways before crossing the street, and never cross in the middle of the street or between parked cars. 
• Use corners and crosswalks to cross the street, and keep to sidewalks. 
• Before crossing the street, make eye contact with the driver before stepping out.
• Wear visible, light-colored or reflective clothing.

Not sure if your child is ready to go trick or treating alone, or looking for alternatives to trick or treating in neighborhoods? Visit the City of Tigard event calendar for upcoming events. 

Are you prepared for winter weather driving? While we may not get a lot of snow in Tigard, we do get quite a bit of rain and other weather than can cause low visibility and slick roads. There are some steps you can take to help winterize your vehicle and keep you safe during the coldest months of the year. 

• Keep your car maintained with regular service appointments. During these appointments, make sure your brakes and battery are in good condition and replace if needed.
• Check the tread on your tires. Tires are not safe and should be replaced when the tread is worn down to 2/32 of an inch, according to NHTSA.
• Fill your windshield washer fluid with a "no freeze" solution and use your washer fluid when road grime gets on your windshield. 
• Test your windshield wipers to make sure they are working and keeping your windshield clean and streak-free. If the wipers skip or are causing streaks, it may be time to replace the wipers. 
• Keep your A/C button ON and your air on the defrost setting to help keep your windows from fogging up. Keeping the A/C feature on with the heat up dries out the air and helps keep fog down.
• You never know when you may need an emergency kit. Keep one in your car with high visibility markers, water, a blanket, a cell phone charger and other cold-weather necessities.
• Traveling through the mountain passes? Keep chains handy in case you need them to help navigate winter weather.

Package theft is a constant in our community. Unfortunately, these thefts typically increase during the holidays given an uptick in purchases and deliveries to doorsteps and the continual growth of online retail sales, especially during Cyber Monday.

“If you’re not prepared, don’t drive,” cautions Traffic Safety Officer Rod Morse about driving on snowy and icy roads. When drivers don’t take the proper precautions, they create hazardous conditions for other drivers and pedestrians.

The Tigard Police Department may issue tickets for abandoned vehicles during snow events. In prior years, drivers have left their cars blocking roads and freeways, creating unsafe road conditions for other travelers. These obstructions also make it difficult for the city’s snowplows to clear some streets.

To prepare for driving in the snow and ice, the Tigard Police Traffic Safety Unit recommends the following tips:

• Use chains, snow socks or snow tires.
• Take public transportation or ride with someone whose car is equipped for the snow.
• Travel at the speed recommended for chains. If you don’t, the chains may break.
• Go slow and steady. Budget enough time to get to your destination at a safe speed. The police will cite drivers for going faster than is safe for road conditions even if you are driving under the speed limit.
• Increase your following distance behind other vehicles to allow more room to react.
• Slow down well before you need to stop to avoid abruptly braking and potentially skidding.
• Be careful about reduced visibility due to heavy rain, snow or darkness during commute hours. Many pedestrians aren’t visible because they are wearing dark clothing.
• Bring an emergency kit with warm clothes, food and water in case you get stuck. Fill up your gas tank before a snowstorm.

What You Can Do About Bike Theft

“When it’s inconvenient and takes time to steal your property, you’re less vulnerable to theft. The longer it takes, the more likely a thief will move on,” says Officer Brian Orth, a member of Tigard Police’s bike patrol team. This advice is useful for preventing bike theft, a crime that rises dramatically during warm-weather months.

In summer, Tigard Police respond to a significant number of thefts involving unlocked bicycles taken from the sides of homes, porches, open garages, or public places. Recently Officer Orth stopped a man who admitted to “borrowing” the bike he was riding after he found it unlocked and parked at the library. Fortunately, Orth was able to intervene and return it to the owner.

Any lock will help, but quality matters. Bike thieves are crafty and can defeat locks that are easily cut, picked, or pried open. Some of the basic prevention tips include:

• Choosing sturdy locks such as a U-lock; cable locks shouldn’t be used as a primary lock.
• Securing your bike to a strong, firmly rooted rack or fixture meant for bikes.
• Locking your bike tires to the frame and bike rack.
• Taking all removable parts, including the seat, with you or locking them up.
• Parking your bike in a well-lit and visible location where there is a lot of foot traffic.
• Documenting your serial number to improve the chances of recovery if stolen.

The best way to recover a stolen bicycle is to file a police report, providing accompanying photos and serial numbers for the vehicle. “If you flip the bike over, the serial numbers are on the crank shaft area. Take a picture of it or write it down,” says Orth. If you don’t have a serial number, unique features, such as stickers, handlebars, custom parts, or scratches, can help the police identify your bicycle if it’s recovered.

Some bikers sign up with private bike registration companies to keep their serial numbers and photos on file in case they are needed. Two companies that serve our area:

• Bikeindex.org
• Project529.com

If a bike is stolen, the registries broadcast the information over their networks. Users can also input a serial number to verify whether a bike is stolen, which has led to some recoveries by community members.

Officer Orth recently took a report from a resident whose bike was stolen out of an open garage. Because the victim provided his serial number for the police report, the information was timely entered into a regional and national law enforcement database. A pawnshop entered the serial number into a database that alerted the police that someone was attempting to pawn the stolen bike. Ultimately, the victim got his bike back!

Officer Orth values crime prevention and encourages neighbors to be mindful of locking up bikes, tools, doors, and windows this summer. He also asks neighbors to look out for each other. Where possible—in between calls to 9-1-1 and the non-emergency number—he tries to proactively patrol neighborhoods to keep a watch out as well.

Officer Orth is a 13-year veteran of Tigard Police who started his career as a Reserve Officer. He has served on the bike patrol team for nine years and prefers biking over driving when he’s off the clock whenever possible. He is regular participant in Sunday Parkways events.

Theft Prevention This Summer

Thefts from yards, garages, and balconies tend to increase this time of year.

When gardening and working outside, neighbors may leave garages open and tools and other items out and unattended while taking breaks or working in the backyard. Thieves may not be targeting a residence in particular, but steal things that can be easily taken when no one is around.

We encourage you to do what you can to reduce vulnerabilities this summer where possible. If you are unable to monitor an area, please:

• Close and lock garage and front doors, sheds, and gates. We occasionally hear about thieves entering unlocked side doors through garages and stealing purses, wallets, and phones stored near entryways.
• Secure open windows with track or other secondary locks.
• Lock up ladders and other items that can be used to reach vulnerable windows and access points.
• Secure tools, equipment, and bicycles. Many bicycles are stolen from open garages, balconies, sides of homes, and sheds that have minimal security. Tools can be used to pry open doors and windows.
• Secure air conditioner units on accessible windows.
• Look out for your neighbors. Let them know if they leave equipment out or forget to close their garage door. Inform trusted neighbors about your vacation so they can watch your home while you are gone.
• If you observe suspicious activity, call:
  • 9-1-1 for immediate threats to life or property, crimes in progress.
  • 503-629-0111, the police non-emergency number for Washington County, for suspicious activity that is not an immediate threat.

Please take a few precautions this season to reduce vulnerabilities to crime.

Home Security During Vacation

If you’re traveling during spring break or summer, please take additional steps to secure your home. Because burglars target homes that are unoccupied, a good strategy is to make your home look lived in while you’re out. Here are a few suggestions:

• Schedule lights (interior and exterior), radios and televisions on timers, or activate them remotely, to make your home appear occupied. When lights are left on all day, it is obvious that no one is around.
• Place a hold on newspapers and mail during your leave. Make sure packages will not be delivered while you’re away.
• Don’t announce your vacation plans on social media before or during your vacation. Post your photos and trip information after you return.
• Ask trusted neighbors, relatives and/or friends to look after your home including:
  • Watching over your place and removing advertisements/circulars. If they know who will visit during your vacation, they can more readily identify suspicious activity. Share contact info so they can communicate with you if there is a problem.
  • Bringing recycling bins to the curb on collection day and returning them after trash service.
  • Parking in your driveway, so it looks like someone’s home.

Keep It Safe. Keep It Legal.

During the 4th of July, please play it safe. Every year, fireworks result in injuries and fires, and negatively affect veterans and pets.

Calls to 9-1-1 and the non-emergency number significantly increase during the holiday as neighbors report firework concerns.

Officers will do their best to address as many calls as possible, but must prioritize life-safety calls and crimes in progress.

If you need timely police assistance related to fireworks, please call:

• 9-1-1 for life-safety issues (i.e. fire, injuries related to fireworks)
• 503-629-0111, the non-emergency number, for complaints about illegal fireworks being set off or late-night fireworks activity
• Please do not report concerns via social media, which isn’t monitored 24/7

Please keep the safety of your family and neighbors in mind this July 4th. If you intend on using fireworks, keep it legal and safe. Check out safety tips from Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue.