| SAFETY AND PREVENTION |

The Montpelier Police Department strives to keep our citizens informed and up-to-date with information regarding the "how-to's" of safety, as well as the programs we offer.

Every year we instruct many programs at our local school and offer community service programs on specialized topics such as self-defense, bullying, and senior driving. Chief Dan McGee is a certified School Resource Officer, self-defense instructor, and has developed many programs which are offered through this agency. Lt. Darrell Higbie is a certified driving instructor through OPOTA, as well as a certified AARP 55 and Alive instructor. Other officers have experience in many topic areas and contribute to the community education process.

The Montpelier Police Department would like to assist you in preventing or deterring criminal activity. While Montpelier can be described as a relatively safe town, it does not mean that violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault) do not happen. However, the average person in Montpelier is more likely to become the victim of a property crime (burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft and arson), than violent crime.

Fortunately, by employing some basic techniques, you can often reduce the likelihood that a criminal will target you or your property. While no safety or prevention tips can ever guarantee immunity from crime, taking a few extra minutes to think about and use good crime prevention techniques can often remove the opportunity for a crime to occur.

• Knowledge is Power - Learning simple crime prevention techniques and employing them can dramatically decrease your chances of crime happening to you.
• Zero Tolerance – An active community is the best partner we can have when it comes to fighting crime. Showing that small crimes and nuisance activities will not be tolerated sends clear signals to the criminals to stay away.
• Staying Safe after Crime - If you are a survivor of crime or are in an abusive situation, you may feel a loss of power and control in your life. Recognizing this and the steps you can take to support and protect yourself can increase your sense of security.

To find out more information on how to stay safe, please visit the links on the left side of the screen.