This time of the year, everywhere you look there’s a new sale at your local department store and you’re rushing around trying to buy that new flat screen that’s on sale for half price.
While shopping during times like Black Friday is exciting, the Allen Police Department wants to make sure you’re safely shopping and locking up your valuables.
I sat down with Allen Police Chief Brian Harvey, who worked with the Dallas Police Department for 32 years and has been in Allen for 9 months, and he gave me some quick tips about holiday safety and patrol.
Do you plan on putting out extra patrol for the holidays?
“The biggest thing we have is Black Friday and it is more traffic patrol than anything else. We will have extra officers out there, because there will be a lot of cars and it will exceed the concrete. We try to have an increased presence at the malls, too.”
Any tips for people who are out shopping during the holidays and also for the folks back home?
“Park where your car can be seen from a wide angle. If you park where you can be seen by a large audience, then you’re less likely to have any problems. For personal safety, just watch for anyone crowding your personal space. If somebody feels somebody coming up behind them and they’re getting too close, we just encourage them to step aside and let them pass. For years, police have been encouraging people at home to not put your Christmas tree in your front window with your presents displayed through the window. Also, lock your car at home because the biggest crime we have in Allen is burglary of motor vehicles.”
Do you get a lot of calls about home burglaries?
"About a third of our home burglaries are open garage doors, because an attached garage is actually a part of the house. If someone steals something out of the garage, it’s listed as a home burglary. They will go into open or unlocked garages and once they’re there they can forcibly kick through the joint door. So, lock your house and lock your car."
Do you have any media outlets that allow people in their designated neighborhoods to report any suspicious crime during the holidays and any other time for that matter?
“Tip 411, the Allen Police Department’s text message tip line, is something we’re trying to encourage people to use. So many people have information that could help us. People talk themselves out of calling because they might not want to bother us, but we try to give people a way to get a hold of us. We encourage people to call a non-emergency number at dispatch if they don’t want to text and have suspicious information that they want us to know about. If they want the police, do not hesitate to call 911.”
For citizens wanting to stay “plugged in,” where can they reach the department online?
“We are available through tip 411, we’re available through the non-emergency dispatch, we’re available on Facebook and Twitter for alerts and updates and we’re available at the Allen Police Department website through email.”
To text a tip to the Allen Police Department, use Tip 411 by:
- Opening a new text message
- Addressing it to: 847411
- Type ALLENPD in the message box with your tip following
- Hit send
If you need the Allen Police Department’s non-emergency dispatch number, please call 214-509-4321.