BK CRIME & FIRE PREVENTION TIPS
PLUS INTERNET SAFETY TIPS
Feature by your Local, State, & Federal Public Servants & Blue Knights Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club

Practical Tips from Texas Blue Knight Chapter 12. The object of Crime Prevention is to make you a harder target. The goal is to get the criminal to go somewhere else. Most crimes are crimes of opportunity. If you can remove the opportunity, you lessen your chances of becoming a another statistic. Crime Prevention is not convenient. The more steps you take to protect something, the more steps the burglar or thief has to take to steal it. Criminals are generally lazy. If you make them work, they will probably just go elsewhere.

1. When locking up your car, crack the windows very slightly (not enough to get anything thru it). Just enough to move the top of the window to the lower edge of the channel. This makes your windows harder to break when impacted by hammers, rocks, and other tools. If alarmed, this will usually set off the car alarm

2. Don't leave ANYTHING of value in plain sight when leaving your car parked. If nothing else, put it all in the trunk. This includes jackets, CD holders, and even loose change. If it can be seen from outside, you stand a chance of being burglarized.

3. Put locks on lockers. Sure, the thief who has bolt cutters can still get in, but the ones who don't, can't.

4. Don't advertise. Sure it's impressive to your friends to see "Blaupunk" "JVC" or "Oakley" on the window of your vehicle, but it only serves as a menu to burglars of what might be inside.
5. College books are expensive. MARK THEM ! Pick a page number that means something to you, then near the binder of every book on that page write down a special word, such as the name of your dog, or even the numbers off your street address. This will make identification of YOUR property easier, enhance the police's chances of recovery, and help the courts prosecute more effectively

6. Try not to use your SSAN or DL number as Owner Applied Numbers. These used to be great identifiers, but they now help thieves steal your identity as well. Come up with a combination of numbers that are meaningful to you. (EXAMPLE: zip code, and numbered address). The important thing is to be able to remember it.
7. CARS. Alarm it ! The more high-tech the device, the better. VIPER makes an alarm that communicates with the remote. It will page you when a sensor is activated! It can page you up to 500 feet away. These are expensive, but worth it. Many other alarms are available for around $100 or less. Try to pick one that promises to at least pay your deductible if the vehicle is stolen.

8. HOUSES/Apartments. If you can alarm it, do it! If an alarm system is too expensive, Try just getting an alarm company sign and put it in your yard. OR, for a few dollars, you can buy a VERY LARGE Dog bowl and place it by your back door. and a small sign with a picture of a Rottweiler on it that reads "I can make it to the fence in 2.3 seconds...can you?" It would make a great deterrent posted on your back yard fence as well.

9. IDENTIFICATION/CREDIT CARDS. Keep them with you. Only carry what you need for the day. If you don't NEED a purse, leave it at home. Make a photo copy of your I.D. and yuor credit cards. This will make canceling the credit cards easier if they are stolen.

10. IDENTITY THEFT. If you are a victim of Identity Theft, there are steps you can take to stop it. Notify the police immediately. The DPS website has allot of information on this topic, including affidavits you will certainly need. Check your credit report to see if there are any accounts you don't know about. You can even assign passwords to credit reporting agencies to help prevent identity theft.

11. If you are going to carry Pepper Spray, or a deadlier weapon, know how to use it. If not, it probably will be used against YOU!
Officer Mark (Suitcase) Williams - ACCD Police / Proud member - Blue Knights LE MC Chapter IV

BICYCLES, MOTORCYCLES AND TRAILBIKES
Park out of sight in a garage or basement, or use a cover. Engrave with an Operation Identification number recommended by local law enforcement.
Lock all bicycles with a case-hardened chain or cable and lock, winding the cable through the frame and both wheels and then around a fixed object.
Use the fork lock found on most street motorcycles. For extra protection of your bicycle or motorcycle, invest in a heavy U-shaped lock made of extremely hard steel that cannot be hack-sawed or a case-hardened chain and a sturdy padlock.
Watch out for key numbers! Some motorcycle manufacturers stamp the key number on the lock. With this number, anyone can go to a key maker and have a key cut that will fit perfectly. Many key makers ask for identification, but don't take chances, write down your key number, store the number in a safe place and then file it off the lock.

INTERNET FACTS AND CRIME PREVENTION
The explosion of Internet use has drastically complicated law enforcement capabilities by providing a powerful, worldwide medium for the exchange of pornographic materials and even provides an avenue for molestation. Pedophiles can use the Internet to exploit others by exchanging names and addresses of children.
Unfortunately, cyberspace has become a popular conduit for obscene material. With the help of encryption techniques, molesters and pedophiles transport information and photographs with little chance of detection. Internet related child exploitation is relatively new but it has been the force behind the resurgence of child pornography. The major problem is enforcing the law. Given the millions of web sites -- and the ability of pedophiles to encrypt photographs or put them in a code that can only be translated with special software -- most police departments are ill-equipped to find such pornography.

The lack of monitoring found in many locations on the Internet enables pedophiles, often using an online persona of a child, a medium to entice. Pedophiles befriend lonely children through contacting them on an electronic bulletin board, asking to be their pen pal, exchanging private messages, and finding out about the child's relationship with his or her parents and friends. Through this communication, the pedophile determines the child's likes and dislikes and uses this information to lure the child. The pedophile then breaks down the child's inhibitions, often by showing him or her photographs of other children engaged in sexual activity, showering the child with love and affection, and convincing the child that he or she is not loved at home.
If the pedophile is successful in doing the above, he then entices the child into having sex by arranging for an encounter. If they do not live near each other, the pedophile will often send money or tickets to the child for transportation.

Child Pornography - Children who view child pornography begin to recognize pornographic acts as acceptable and normal. This acceptance makes them more susceptible to being the subject of future sexual exploitation. It is for this reason that the public needs to be educated on the illegality of child pornography and how to eliminate it.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER - A major step to eliminating child pornography is to make people knowledgeable of both federal and state laws regarding the definitions and criminal implications of child pornography. In doing so, the general public can become more responsive to the issue and report violations to the appropriate officials. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children urges parents to be cautious of the material their children may be viewing while online, and report anything that appears to be child pornography to the Child Pornography Tipline
Det. Rick Esqueda - Bexar County Sheriff's Department

Criminal Solicitation of a Minor - PC Statute 15.031 (a) A person commits an offense if, with intent that an offense listed by PENAL cODE 15.031 Section 3g(a)(1), and Article 42.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, be committed, the person requests, commands, or attempts to induce a minor to engage in specific conduct that, under the circumstances surrounding the actor's conduct as the actor believes them to be, would constitute an offense listed by Section 3g(a)(1), Article 42.12, or make the minor a party to the commission of an offense listed by Section 3g(a)(1), Article 42.12.
~ (b) A person may not be convicted under this section on the uncorroborated testimony of the minor allegedly solicited unless the solicitation is made under circumstances strongly corroborative of both the solicitation itself and the actor's intent that the minor act on the solicitation. ~ (c) It is no defense to prosecution under this section that: ~ ~ (1) the minor solicited is not criminally responsible for the offense solicited; ~ ~ (2) the minor solicited has been acquitted, has not been prosecuted or convicted, has been convicted of a different offense or of a different type or class of offense, or is immune from prosecution; ~ ~ (3) the actor belongs to a class of persons that by definition of the offense solicited is legally incapable of committing the offense in an individual capacity; or ~ ~ (4) the offense solicited was actually committed. ~ (d) An offense under this section is one category lower than the solicited offense. ~ (e) In this section, "minor" means an individual younger than 17 years of age.

SPAM - "spam" e-mail is generally defined as an unsolicited mailing, usually to many people. A message written for, and mailed to, one individual that is known to the sender is not spam, and a reply to an e-mail is not spam, unless the "reply" repeats endlessly.

Spam e-mailers have become a separate part of the Internet, with their own host computers, methods, and politics. Many Internet sites have begun to forbid spamming, for several reasons - one is a sense that it is unethical, another is that, over time, other Internet sites will stop all e-mail from that site and thus prevent legitimate e-mail from getting through. As a result, spammers have begun to set up their own Internet sites -- sites that cater to, or encourage, spamming.

Your goal as an Internet user is to figure out a way to separate legitimate e-mail from spam. There are several ways to do this. One way, described below, is to set up your mail service so that known spammers are not allowed to deposit mail in your account. This method relies on knowing (1) the return e-mail address of the spammer, or (2) the name of the spammer's host computer.

The spammer's goal is to get around your filtering methods. He can do this by (1) using a different e-mail address for each mailing, or (2) he can forward his e-mail by way of an intermediary, to conceal the actual origin. The second of these methods is often used without the knowledge or permission of the intermediary, and it usually results from an error in configuration..

Because it is very easy to simply create a new return address for each of millions of e-mails, filtering by way of return address is only effective when dealing with small-scale, amateur spammers. As a result, many sites simply block all e-mail from a particular spammer-friendly site. What this means is, if you have an account with a site that also welcomes spammers, your e-mail will sometimes not get through. This is why Internet sites are gradually splitting into two classes -- those that welcome spammers and have no normal users, and those that aggressively stop spamming from their sites to protect their legitimate users.

Spam Do's and Don'ts - NEVER respond to a spam e-mail. For a spammer, one "hit" among thousands of mailings is enough to justify the practice. Instead, if you want a product that is advertised in a spam e-mail, go to a Web site that also carries the product, inquire there, and tell them you do not approve of spam methods and will not patronize a company that uses spammers.

Never respond to the spam e-mail's instructions to reply with the word "remove." This is just a trick to get you to react to the e-mail -- it alerts the sender that a human is at your address, which greatly increases its value. If you reply, your address is placed on more lists and you receive more spam. Never sign up with sites that promise to remove your name from spam lists. These sites are of two kinds: (1) sincere, and (2) spam address collectors. The first kind of site is ignored (or exploited) by the spammers, the second is owned by them -- in both cases your address is recorded and valued more highly because you have just identified it as read by a human.
Never mail-bomb spam sites or engage in hacking to stop spammers. This only increases the amount of wasted Internet traffic, creates sympathy for spammers, and makes the Internet even less reliable than it already is. Take meaningful action to stop spammers. Filter their messages or their sites using various methods described here; write their host sites (without revealing your real e-mail address!) and any sites that are used as relays, write your Congressional Representatives.

Obscenity - TPC 43.23 (a) A person commits an offense if, knowing its content and character, he wholesale promotes or possesses with intent to wholesale promote any obscene material or obscene device.
(b) An offense under Subsection (a) is a state jail felony.
(c) A person commits an offense if, knowing its content and character, he:
(1) promotes or possesses with intent to promote any obscene material or obscene device; or
(2) produces, presents, or directs an obscene performance or participates in a portion thereof that is obscene
or thatcontributes to its obscenity.
(d) An offense under Subsection (c) is a Class A misdemeanor.
(e) A person who promotes or wholesale promotes obscene material or an obscene device or possesses the same
with intent to promote or wholesale promote it in the course of his business is presumed to do so with knowledge of its content and character.
(f) A person who possesses six or more obscene devices or identical or similar obscene articles is presumed to possess them with intent to promote the same.
(g) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this section that the person who possesses or promotes material or a device proscribed by this section does so for a bona fide medical, psychiatric, judicial, legislative, or law enforcement purpose

The Law - The Child Protection Act of 1984 defines a child as anyone younger than the age of 18. Therefore a sexually explicit photograph of a 15-, 16-, or 17-year-old girl or boy is technically child pornography. In Texas, the Penal Code requires a child to be younger than 17 years of age for criminal prosecution.

The Child Pornography Prevention Act of 1996 amends the definition of child pornography to include that which actually depicts the sexual conduct of real minor children and that which appears to be a depiction of a minor engaging in sexual conduct. Computer, photographic, and photocopy technology is amazingly competent at creating and altering images that have been "morphed" to look like children even though those photographed may have actually been adults. People who alter pornographic images to look like children can now be prosecuted under this law.

Although the Federal Communications Decency Act of 1994 was declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Act would have criminalized the "display" of "patently offensive" speech "in the manner available to a person [younger than] 18-years-of age." The effect of the Communications Decency Act would be to prohibit, on the Internet, a range of material that is appropriate for adults but not for children.

The federal Children's Privacy Protection and Parental Empowerment Act, also known as "The Polly Klaas Bill," ensures that personal information about a child can no longer be bought or sold without a parent's consent. List brokers must release all information that they have to parents if they request it and they must release names of all those to whom the broker has distributed the list.
The overwhelming majority of states have established laws pertaining to child pornography. Unfortunately, there are seven remaining states that have not yet enacted laws prohibiting the possession of child pornography. This, of course, stands in the way of those states developing legislation dealing with Internet related child pornography.

The Internet - The vast majority of information on the Internet is entertaining, informative, and educational. But the "Net" can have a dark side. The growth of the Internet into a powerful, worldwide medium has increased the danger to youths throughout the world and complicated law enforcement capabilities. It has simplified the method of exchanging child pornography, allowing an individual to receive pornography instantly.
In a matter of minutes a viewer can access and download hundreds of photographs. It is not solely a matter of images, pedophiles can use the Internet, with no precautions, to exchange names and addresses of other pedophiles and of potential child-victims.

Awareness - The biggest challenges law enforcement officials face when combating child pornography and stalking is public awareness and informing citizens about how to report crimes, officials said Wednesday at the E-Gov 2000 conference in Washington, D.C.
Despite statistics that show 20 percent of children have been solicited online and 25 percent have received unwanted pornography online, less than 10 percent of solicitations and three percent of unwanted pornography was reported, according to Ruben Rodriguez, director of the Exploited Children's Division of National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

"The No.1 thing parents can do is to get involved, supervise their children, and report anything illegal," Parents too must be warned about the dangers lurking on the internet. The same guy you heard about on the playground with the trench coat and candy is now online, and unfortunately, kids are very trusting creatures. Because illegal activity covers many jurisdictions - from local law enforcement to the U.S. Postal Service, an alternative and convenient way to report any illegal activity is by going online at the CyberTipline (www.missingkids.com). Government officials and parents must also be aware of news groups and Internet Relay Chat, from which stalking and child pornography distribution occur. Rich Cesarini, special agent for the CyberSmuggling division of the U.S. Customs Service, said the on-line criminals can be caught, and are being caught. "The perpetrator has a false sense of security because he or she is online, but they are wrong, "Law Enforcement can track and are identifying criminals on the net.

Guidelines for Parents Become more computer literate, get to know the services your child uses. Find out what types of information it offers and whether there are built-in ways to block out objectionable material. Consider using a pseudonym or un-listing your child's name if your service allows it. Steer away from online profiles. Pedophiles often use profiles as a means to find victims.
Never allow a child to arrange a face-to-face meeting with another computer user without permission. If a meeting is arranged, make the first meeting in a public place and accompany your child to the meeting.
Do not allow your child to respond to messages or bulletin board items that are suggestive, obscene, belligerent, or threatening.
Forward a copy of such messages to your Internet service provider.
Consider using spy-ware products on your own personally owned computers that covertly e-mail your home computer's activity to another e-mail account at another predetermined site. Example: "E-Blaster"
Call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 if you are aware of the transmission, use, or viewing of child pornography online.
Never give out any personal information such as your address, telephone number, work number, or your child's school name.
Keep the computer in your family room where you can watch and monitor your child's activities.
Share an E-mail account with your child so that you can oversee his or her mail.
Spend as much time as possible online together to show your children proper behavior and rules.
Do not allow your children to go into private chat rooms without you being present.
Monitor your credit card bill. Many pornographic Internet sites require credit card payments in order to gain access.
Consider using an online service that has special child accounts with restricted access to chat rooms, the Internet, or that feature pornography filters.
Always keep in mind that as you move through the Internet, you leave information about yourself. When a user posts to USENET.IRC chat rooms or listservers, the user reveals their mailing address so others can contact them.
Some web sites also collect information called "cookies." "Cookies" are compiled lists of information that may include your name, address, telephone number, and possibly even your credit card number.
Ask your Internet service provider how to turn off your "cookies."

Tips for Teens Don't give out personal information about your family situation, school, telephone number, or address.
If you become aware of the transmission, use, or viewing of child pornography while online, immediately report this to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678, local Police, US Customs Service or the FBI, BUT….do not forward child pornography to anyone else, including Law Enforcement. NEVER!!!
When "chatting" in the many existing chat rooms on-line, remember that not everyone is who they say they are, for example a person who says "she" is a 14-year-old girl from San Antonio, may actually be a child predator, or possible a 45 year old Police Detective patrolling, monitoring, or covertly interacting on the Internet.

Tips for Kids
Know where your children are at all times. Be familiar with their friends and daily activities.
Be sensitive to changes in your children's behavior; they are a signal that you should sit down and talk to your children about what caused the changes.
Be alert to any teenager or adult who is paying an unusual amount of attention to your children while on a computer or giving them inappropriate or expensive gifts.
Teach your children to trust their own feelings, and assure them that they have the right to say NO to what they sense is wrong.
Listen carefully to your children's fears, and be supportive in all your discussions with them.
Teach your children that no one should approach them or touch them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable.
If someone does, they should tell the parents immediately. This includes inappropriate language, photographs, and any solicitation by persons chatting with your young person.
Always be careful about babysitters and any other individuals who have custody of your children. Background checks, resumes' and personal knowledge are always helpful.

Signs of Child Exploitation Parents should be alert to the below noted indicators of sexual and physical abuse and exploitation.
Changes in behavior, extreme mood swings, withdrawal, fearfulness, and excessive crying.
Changes in bed-wetting, nightmares, fear of going to bed, or other sleep disturbances.
Acting out inappropriate sexual activity or showing an unusual interest in sexual matters.
A sudden acting out of feelings or aggressive or rebellious behavior.
Regression to infantile behavior; clinging.
School problems, behavior problems.
Changes in toilet-training habits.
A fear of certain places, people, or activities; an excessive fear of going to a certain place.
Bruises, rashes, cuts, limping, multiple or poorly explained injuries.
Pain, itching, bleeding, fluid, or rawness in the private areas.
You should note that some of these behaviors may have other explanations, but it is important to assist your child no matter what the cause of these symptoms or behaviors.

 Local Investigative Agencies & Resources The San Antonio Police Department's Vice Unit provides proactive, covert investigative services to the San Antonio community in the areas of Illegal Gambling, Organized Criminal Activity, Prostitution, Internet Call Girl Services, Unlawful Massage Parlors, Strip Clubs, Strategic Nuisance Abatement, and a variety of Internet related investigations such as Possession or Promotion of Child Pornography, Obscenity, Criminal Solicitation of a Minor, and Computer Forensic Services.
Sgt. Thomas Fulcher - 210-207-2370.

Texas Attorney General's Office - Cyber Crimes Unit The mission of the Cyber Crimes Unit is to provide a safe electronic environment for the communication of information and ideas, and for the transaction of commerce. The Office of the Attorney General is committed to protecting the Internet for children and families, as a safe place to learn and shop.
http://www.oag.state.tx.us/internet/inbhome.shtml

San Antonio Police Covert Operations Bureau
214 W, Nueva St
San Antonio, Tx 78207
Telephone: 210-207-2370
Fax: 210-207-2380
Website: http://www.ci.sat.tx.us/sapd/

The "Enough is Enough" campaign focuses on making pornographic material unavailable to children, making illegal pornography unavailable in the marketplace, and encouraging community efforts to guard against pornography and assist its victims.
PO Box 888
Fairfax, VA 22030
Telephone: 703-278-8343
Fax: 703-278-8510
Toll-free: 1-888-2-ENOUGH
Web Site: http://www.enough.org

The National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect is a national resource center for professionals and the general public seeking information on child maltreatment. The clearinghouse collects, stores, organizes, and disseminates information on such topics as policy and legislation, identification and investigation, treatment, prevention, research, public awareness, training and education, and public and private programs. Their web site has an online database search of all clearinghouse information, a treatment directory, and a prevention database. For more information please contact

The National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect
PO Box 1182
Washington, DC 20013-1182
Telephone: 703-285-7565
Fax: 703-385-3206
Toll-free: 1-800-FYI-3366
Web Site: http://www.calib.com/nccanch
E-mail: nccanch@calib.com

The National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse, a project of the American Prosecutors Research Institute, works to improve the handling of child abuse cases by providing (1) expert training and technical assistance through conferences, site visits, state-specific training programs, and approximately 2,800 telephone consultations each year; (2) a comprehensive collection of child abuse case law, statutory initiatives, court reforms, and trial strategies; and (3) authoritative publications including a manual on the investigation and prosecution of child abuse, a monthly newsletter, and monographs examining special issues. For further information please contact the National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse at

American Prosecutors Research Institute Suite 510 99 Canal Center Plaza Alexandria, VA 22314 Telephone: 703-739-0321

The National Victims Center is a nonprofit organization advocating for all victims of crime. They educate child victims about their rights and the recent provisions that have been established to protect them. The National Victim Center has a toll-free number that acts as a referral service for children who have been exploited.
Suite 300
2111 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22201
Telephone: 703-276-2880
Fax: 703-276-2889
Toll-free: 1-800-FYI-CALL