What is Crime Prevention?

The ultimate goal of crime prevention is to reduce the risk of being a victim. In order to accomplish this effectively, it is important to remove opportunities for a criminal to take advantage of you or your property. You are attempting to prevent either victimization or criminalization by presenting an unattractive target to the criminal. This effort at removing opportunities is often referred to as target hardening. Target hardening can be as complex as installing a high tech alarm system or something as simple as locking your door.
Successful crime prevention efforts will promote a safer community by enhancing the perception of safety while reducing the fear of crime. A number of topics are covered in the various sites within the Crime Prevention section. Please take a few minutes to check them out. The Crime Prevention Units first priority would be to go into one of these communities and address the problem using one or more of the following programs:

Commercial Programs

Burglary Assessment
Crime Prevention for Commercial Business
Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (C.P.T.E.D)
Fraud Awareness
Personal Safety

Individual Adult Programs

Personal Safety
Combat Auto Theft (C.A.T.)
Burglary Assessment
Basic Firearms Safety Course

Children’s Programs

Eddie Eagle
Officer Friendly
Mc Gruff
Fingerprints Insures Safe Tots and Teens (F.I.S.T.)
Pedestrian Safety/Bicycle Safety

Burglary Assessment - Burglary assessments are conducted at the request of home or business owners or their designees, or in conjunction with establishing Neighborhood Watch programs for specific neighborhoods. The assessment involves a Crime Prevention Officer responding to the physical location of the home or business and inspecting the physical security measures in place. Special attention is given to the most common points of likely entry for burglars and related hardware (doors, windows and locks), as well as lighting, overgrown foliage, security of outbuildings, and other correctable areas. Once the officer completes the assessment and records their findings on the standard form the owner/designee is furnished with the original copy of the form. At that time the Crime Prevention Officer discusses their findings with the responsible party, as well as outlining the recommendations for improvement, then answers any remaining questions. The carbon copy of the report is maintained in the records of the Crime Prevention Unit. In the event the property owner needs assistance in installing deadbolt locks or having windows pinned the Crime Prevention Unit will assist them with contacting the City of Columbia Support Services division to have these devices installed once the responsible party has purchased the needed hardware.

Fraud Awareness - Fraud awareness is a block of instruction, tailored to fit the time allotted by the requestor, in basic tips to avoid being the victim of commonly seen scams and fraudulent schemes. Instruction is provided regarding identity theft, credit card and ATM awareness, common Internet scams, and tips to avoid being a victim. Due to the constantly varying number and type of scams, both practical and electronic, it is impossible to cover every one in even cursory detail. However, the intention of the program is to provide attendees with basic tips that will safeguard them from most, if not all, of the scams and fraud they are likely to encounter.

Personal Safety - Personal safety is a block of instruction, tailored to fit the time allotted by the requestor, in basic tips to avoid being the victim of personal crime. Attendees are instructed on situational awareness, alertness in common trouble spots (elevators, parking garages, etc.), safety at home, and safety in transit. Emphasis is placed on avoiding potential trouble, with no instruction provided on actual self-defense, as that it outside the scope of this program. Specialized tips are available to deal with those with unique needs, such as the elderly and disabled. These additional tips are integrated into the basic program on an as-needed basis.

Basic Firearms Safety - Basic firearms safety is a two-phase course of instruction suitable for both novice and experienced shooters. A five hour block of instruction, during which citizens are taught about the most common types of firearms (with emphasis on handguns), parts nomenclature, proper handling, marksmanship techniques, and cleaning and maintenance, is the core feature. After the firearms instruction segment is complete a block of instruction about state statutes related to carrying of concealed weapons and self-defense is presented. Once the classroom instruction is complete attendees are required to pass a standardized test, created by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, on the material covered. Upon successful completion of this test students are given a date to respond to a designated firing range to demonstrate their practical proficiency with a handgun. Once both phases are successfully completed students are qualified to apply for concealed weapons permits if they so desire.

Eddie Eagle Program - The Eddie Eagle Gun Safe Program teaches children in pre-K through third grade four important steps to take if they find a gun. These steps are presented by the program's mascot, Eddie Eagle. The Eddie Eagle program, teaches children that if they find a gun in an unsupervised situation, they should: STOP! Don't Touch. Leave the Area. Tell an Adult.
The program, which is sponsored by the National Rifle Association, was begun in 1988. It was developed through the combined efforts of clinical psychologists, reading specialists, teachers, curriculum specialists, urban housing safety officials and law enforcement personnel to promote the protection and safety of children in respect to firearms. The program is not designed to teach whether guns are good or bad, but to ensure that children stay safe if they encounter a gun.

Officer Friendly - The Officer Friendly Program was implemented to establish rapport among students, teachers, parents and the Uniformed Officer by providing opportunities to learn about law enforcement, while fostering supportive attitudes towards Police Officers. Officer Friendly visits elementary schools, Kindergarten through Third grade. Example topics include Stranger Danger, 911, bicycle safety, seatbelt safety, and personal safety. It is essential that Officer Friendly be familiar with the topic, as well as able to captivate the young audiences' attention in order to be effective in encouraging a lasting positive attitude toward law enforcement officers.

The program places strong emphasis on the following:

• To establish positive rapport among students, teachers, parents, and Police.

• To foster supportive attitudes toward respect for the law and law enforcement officials.

• To provide instruction to elementary students on safety and crime prevention as well as focusing on their rights and responsibilities as students and citizens while encouraging the formation of positive attitudes toward themselves and others.

McGruff Program - McGruff the Crime dog has been talking about the issues that matter to U.S. citizens for more than 25 years. Now he’s addressing some of the latest crime trends and concerns – from Internet crime to bullying to identity theft. McGruff has been widely recognized as the nation’s crime prevention symbol and has maintained a strong positive image.

F.I.S.T. Program - The F.I.S.T. (Fingerprinting Insures Safe Tots and Teens) program is a program designed for use at events where a substantial number of children will be present. Because of the nature of the program’s execution a parent or guardian is required to consent to the procedure. The Crime Prevention Unit carries out the program by recording pertinent identifying information on a 3 ½ X 6 inch tri-fold booklet. This identifying information is: Child’s name, date of completion of booklet, height, weight, sex, race, date of birth, eye color, hair color, and identifying marks (moles, birthmarks, etc.). An officer with the Crime Prevention Unit will then roll the child’s fingerprints in the appropriate spaces on the card, then take a photograph of the child and affix it on the space provided. There is a space for the parent to attach a hair sample for potential DNA analysis, and a dental chart for the child’s dentist to notate any dental characteristics which may also be used for identification purposes. Once completed the parent is presented with the booklet and a plastic sleeve in which to store it. Because the Columbia Police Department does not maintain the information in the booklet in a database, file storage, office location, or any other physical or electronic method, the parent is strongly advised to maintain the booklet in a secure location should it ever be needed.

Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety - The Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Program teaches children in pre-K through eight grade important steps to take if they are riding a bike. These steps are presented by the use of videos, displays. The program, teaches children that if they riding alone or with friends that safety is a key factor. Bike riding is a lot of fun, but accidents happen. Every year, about 300,000 kids go to the emergency department because of bike injuries. Some of these injuries are so serious that children die, usually from head injuries. The purpose of this program is to reduce the numbers and bring awareness to the problem.

For a presentation of any of the above listed programs please call the Crime Prevention Unit at:

545-3555