In Broad Daylight: How To Protect Yourself From Violent Crimes

The past few days I've been binge watching Crime Watch on YouTube and viewed hours and hours of episodes about people who ended up murdered, raped, assaulted or vanished without a trace. Given my law enforcement training and a lot of the patterns I saw in these episodes, in today's blog, I wanted to give some tips on how not to fall victim like all these poor souls we see on the news every day. One of the episodes that stood out to me was a young African American woman who was kidnapped at knife-point while walking to her car. Her kidnapper was a recently released convict. Although her mother always taught her to watch her back and she grew up watching Law and Order SVU, she still got snatched.

So what can you do to stay safe? Here are 5 important tips.

1. Don't get in the car

If the attacker wants your money, car, or other valuables, give it to them. If someone comes up beside you or approaches you with a weapon demanding you to come with them, fight for your life. DO NOT GET IN THE CAR. Sounds simple, but most people do out of fear. Your chance of survival decreases dramatically if you get in a vehicle with a stranger. It's better to be stabbed or shot where you stand than drive off with a maniac hoping he or she will let you go.

2. Plan ahead

All over the country, schools are practicing active shooter scenarios in the event one takes place at their school. Do you have a plan in place in the event someone breaks into your house? Tries to kidnap you off the streets or stick you up for your wallet? Being proactive is the best thing you can do. When our nation is not at war, which is rarely, our soldiers train for battle. I advise taking a self-defense class, lifting weights, getting a gun permit, setting up a home security system, etc...

3. Avoid walking alone during day or night

There is always someone watching. Always!!! And that includes criminals. There is strength in numbers. I don't get it when I see a person jogging an isolated path, especially a female. Once I saw a Hooter's looking female jogging down a deserted street, at night, wearing tight revealing clothes. Some people are clueless. Some people think they're safe just because they're on the phone while walking through an isolated street. That is a false sense of security.

4. Excommunicate an abusive partner

If you're in a violent relationship, it's only a matter of time before he or she kills you 9 out of 10. It's best to just move and not let that person know, especially if they are the jealous type. These types of people are demonically oppressed and selfish to the core and have a twisted belief that your pain or death will give them relief. Even if you don't want to leave your family and friends, at least you can still keep in touch at a distance and still be alive. RUN for your life!

5. Be Paranoid

Almost every night I get out of bed around 2 am and look out my window. Talk about being paranoid. I don't trust anyone, not even the mailman. There are two types of predators:

• Predator #1 is a chance encounter. He has about a two-minute window to earn your trust and then strike.

• Predator # 2 is the bad guy who knows you. 78% of sexual assaults that occur are from this guy. You may or may not know this person, but they know you. They have seen you, remember you, and have been thinking about you. They plan their attacks 6 to 12 months in advance. That is why it's important to always be ready.

You may be thinking “I don't want to live my life in fear all the time. I want to have fun.” Well, you can still have fun and live your life while being aware of your surroundings. Always be on guard.