October 18, 2012
Dear Parent or Guardian:
Recently there have been a number of reports of attempted luring incidents in Bergen County.
In these purported incidents, young children were approached by operators of automobiles
who engaged them in conversation by posing questions before trying to lure them into their
vehicles.
The safety of the children of the Village of Ridgewood is the foremost concern of the Board of
Education and administration. Districts around the county are sending out information to help
raise awareness. I am offering here the following list of safety tips for children:
1. Check first. Children should check first before going anywhere with anyone at any time
for any reason, including going with relatives and people the child knows. They should
always check first with the person who is caring for them at that time. If it is impossible
to check with the caregiver, then the answer is “NO! You may not go.”
2. Use the Buddy System. When outside, children should always walk with at least one
other person. Groups of more than two are optimal.
3. Remain anonymous. When outside the house, do not wear clothing, backpacks or other
articles with their name visible on it. Children are more likely to trust someone who calls
her or him by name.
4. Keep at arm’s length. Children should stay at least an adult arm’s length away from any
car that is occupied by a person trying to talk to them so that they cannot be reached by
the person inside the car.
5. Just say No. If someone encourages a child to get into a car, to help find a lost pet or to
leave with them for any reason, the child should yell “NO” as loudly as possible and run
to the closest adult whom they know and trust. Yelling “No” indicates the child has been
prepared for the situation.
6. Run in reverse. If necessary, children should know to run in the opposite direction from
the one the car is facing. It is harder to drive in reverse than forward.
7. Know who you are. Children should know their full name, address and the best phone
number (including area code) to call in case of an emergency. EDUCATION CENTER 49 COTTAGE PLACE RIDGEWOOD NJ 07451
www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us
8. Get the details. Older children should be taught to pay attention to the color and make
of the vehicle and/or its license information (state and number), the physical
characteristics of the person(s), and where he/she was when approached. If they have a
cell phone, they should immediately call 911 to report any attempted luring. This
information will assist the police in their investigation.
I hope the above common sense tips will help you in your discussions at home about safety. If
you have any questions or need additional information, please don’t hesitate to contact your
child’s principal or my office.
Sincerely,
Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Where is our Chief of Police on all this? I would think that safety tips should come from law enforcement.