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Crime & Safety

Boston Police Share Tips on How to Stay Safe

Among the tips: Don't listen to your iPod when walking alone.

Boston residents packed the gymnasium at 74 Joy St. in Beacon Hill on Thursday night to listen to Sgt. Gary Eblan talk about street smarts and the basics of how to defend yourself in an urban environment.

In a lecture called "Reducing the Odds," Eblan shared some of his wisdom derived from years of booking criminals at the Boston Police Department.

If they don’t think they can get away with it, they won’t do it. You don’t have to be the toughest target, you just shouldn’t be the easiest,” said Eblan.

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Some tips Sgt. Eblan shared with the audience:

  • Don’t listen to your iPod while you are walking alone, or at least take one earbud out. Hearing is a sense that you need to use in order to be better aware of your surroundings. This also goes for talking on the phone. Criminals target people that don’t look like they are aware of their surroundings, and people who are talking on their phone are focused more on their conversation than on what is going on around them.
  • In offices, don’t keep your purse or valuables in the bottom hand drawer of your desk. This is the most logical spot, and hence, a place that thieves target.
  • Take note of fire alarms in your office. Don’t be afraid to pull one if ever you encounter yourself in an unsafe situation. Pulling the fire alarm can often be faster than dialing a phone, and firefighters would rather help someone in need than worry about the fact that there wasn’t really a fire.
  • Don’t pull the elevator alarm if you find yourself confronted on one. This will stop the elevator. Rather, push all the floor buttons you can get your hands on. Proactively, when entering an elevator by yourself, position yourself nearest the menu of buttons.
  • If you are attacked and at any point fall to the ground, grab a handful or dirt or sand to throw at your assailant's eyes. While they are temporarily blinded, you can use the opportunity to run away.

Eblan also insisted that in addition to being aware of your surroundings, it's important to be aware of your own feelings in regards to situations you may encounter.

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If something doesn’t feel right, it's not right. Our gut instincts have been keeping us alive for a long time,” said Eblan. “Fear is what keeps us alive. If we didn’t have fear, we would find ourselves in situations that would get us hurt really bad.”

District A-1 Capt. Bernard O'Rourke and Community Service Officer Sgt. Tom Lema were also in attendance. The event was organized by Paula O'Keefe, chairwoman of the Beacon Hill Civic Association Public Safety Committee.

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