Police Corner — Summer season is soon upon us

By PFC Joanna Robertson
PIO, Bethany Beach Police Dept.

I can’t believe it is March already. Within a month Bethany Beach becomes a booming center of the summer season. We will have some slower days for the next two months, but when June comes along with the 4th of July fireworks, parade, concerts, etc. — there is no turning back until the end of September.

Before it is too late, I want to address a couple of issues that we have been talking about during our troop meetings. More than anything else, the Bethany Beach Police Department wants to involve the community in improving the quality of life in town. We want you to share your concerns with us, especially when it comes to the safety of your children.

Currently, the Bethany Beach Police Department is working on a Child Identification Program that will focus on child safety. Did you know that according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, there will be over 58,000 non-family abductions this year? Thanks to our program we will be able to create an ID for every child with his/her photograph, vital demographic and medical information, and all ten fingerprints. It is critical for parents to have such information about their children in the event of a missing child, abduction or an injury.

The Bethany Beach Police Department will be organizing classes on how to “keep your child safe and buckle up,” “protect your child from strangers,” “how to talk to your children about drugs or smoking,” etc. The classes will be conducted every week (if the necessity arises) by trained police officers from our department and trained volunteers.

In addition, we want to alert all parents to the risks of leaving their children unattended. Each year, we observe an increased number of young teenagers “dropped off” in town while their parents disappear to somewhere in Ocean City or Rehoboth Beach. Lots of times, parents pick their kids up from our police station and we always see the same reaction — they are surprised that their children broke the law. Well, dear parents, I am sure you can resolve that in whatever way you want, so it does not happen again. What if your child gets injured or abducted? In order for you not to be in this situation, we are there for you, not only by patrolling the streets, but by informing you about the risks of leaving your children on their own when they are not ready for it.

The problem of drugs among teenagers is another matter that needs to be addressed. Some parents do not feel comfortable enough to talk about drugs with their children. When the problem arises, quite often they fail to recognize the signs of their kids taking drugs. The prospect that your child could be using drugs is one of the scariest things imaginable, but opening up a dialogue with him/her does not have to strike fear in your heart. You are legally and financially responsible if your teen wrecks the car, gets arrested, needs drug rehab, or worse. It is your business if your child is using drugs. Our police department will assist you by providing the necessary materials, contact numbers, or advice.

Before the summer season starts, we will talk about kids’ safety on the road, including bicycle safety, skateboard safety, obeying the traffic laws, etc. We will address the importance of securing their bicycles at all times. Our department is planning on extending the bike patrol to the east side of Route One so you will be able to see the bicycle officers patrolling Bethany West, Turtle Walk and Lake Bethany.

We want the community to be involved in our plans. Therefore, here is you chance to speak up and let us know your ideas on how to keep the children safe in town. You can contact me, Pfc. Joanna Robertson, or Sgt. Haden at the Bethany Beach Police station by calling 539-1000, or writing to us at: Bethany Beach Police Dept., 214 Garfield Parkway, Bethany Beach, DE 19930.