National Personal Safety Day

The week will see officers give advice on how to stay safe to an estimated 12,000 pupils aged 11 to 18 across eleven secondary schools in all parts of the borough.  The event has been organised by Northumberland Park Safer Neighbourhoods Team's Sergeant Jim MacPherson to support the Suzy Lamplugh Trust's National Personal Safety Day.

The theme this year is 'Tech No Chances' and officers from the borough's Safer Neighbourhoods and Safer Schools Teams have committed themselves to spread the word about how to stay safe in the modern high tech world, where many young people have phones, MP3 players and regularly use the internet.

Older pupils at primary schools will receive the talk, as well as pupils at every secondary school. 

Sergeant Jim MacPherson said: "Technology such as phones and the internet can be great for staying in touch with friends and contacting people in an emergency. However there can also be risks associated with it - phones are desireable to thieves and the information you post online can be misused. 

"The most important tips when you're out and about are to make sure that you stay alert, keep valuables out of sight and keep an eye (and ear) on what’s happening around you. You should also be alert online, check your privacy settings and don't give out personal information. We'll be giving more information about practical and common sense precautions that everyone can take to ensure that they stay safe when we speak to the young people."

Officers will also be collecting old or unwanted mobile phones to raise money for the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.