Crime prevention tip of the week

With the crimes that have happened in Canada as of late, particularly in Quebec this past week, the weekly crime prevention tip is taking a slightly different direction.

There are times when things need to be reported to the authorities. It doesn’t matter if those authorities are your instructors, the college administrators, campus security services or the police. There is also an element in society that believes if you report a crime you are a rat or a snitch.

First of all, you are not, but let’s look at those words and what they mean. The tattle-tail is a child that tells an authority figure about the actions of another child to get them into trouble. This is often in the form of a sibling telling a parent what another sibling has done to either avoid or place blame. Rat and snitch are used by criminals to get people who know what they are doing to be quiet. They are suggesting that you are betraying someone if you report what they are doing to the authorities just like being a tattle-tail. It is important to remember: you are not.

It is the duty of all responsible members of a society to support and assist other members of that society. No one wants to be the victim of a crime.

There is no such thing as a victimless crime. Criminals may suggest that “that’s why they have insurance” or “it’ll be paid for by insurance” so no one gets hurt. In that case we all get hurt. The victim of the crime has to pay up to the deductible part and then their insurance rates go up. And if there is sufficient reason all our insurance rates go up.

No one wants or deserves to be the victim of a violent crime. Not by race, gender, religion or any other means of identifying people. We all deserve to exist peacefully and if possible happily. If you know about a crime, it should be reported to the authorities.

If you learn about a crime that is going to happen that should also be reported. Think of the lives that would have been saved if someone had known about and reported the gunman in Quebec and he had been stopped before he acted.

Please look after your fellow people and act to help all of society. If you know about a crime report it. If you want to be anonymous report it through Crime Stoppers. Just please report it. The life you help might be someone you love.

If you have questions about this or any other crime prevention concerns please feel free to contact Steve Hartwick with Campus Security Services either by phone at 519-452-4430 ext. 4929 or e-mail at shartwick@fanshawec.ca.