Alone, Alert, Alive… Survive! SRO Adam Gongwer Ontario Schools Officer ‘Adam’

1. Alone, Alert, Alive… Survive! SRO Adam Gongwer Ontario Schools Officer ‘Adam’

2. D.A.R.E./SRO Adam Gongwer • 12th year with Ontario Police (Ohio) • 7th year as SRO • HNT Member (2006) • 2nd V.P. Board of Directors for ‘14-’16 Ohio SRO Assoc. (OSROA.org) • Previous Experience: JV Corrections Officer Youth Minister • Family: 4 Kids (7, 15, 15, 18) Married 23 years

3. SRO101.com go to downloads

4. #1 Question …1991

5. #1 Question …1991

6. Alone, Alert, Alive…Survive! • What are the three reasons women are easy targets for random acts of violence?

7. Easy Target? • 1) Lack of Awareness – • You MUST know what is going on around you • 2) Body Language – • Confidence (Head, arms, posture) • 3) Wrong Place, Wrong Time – • DON'T walk alone or drive in high-crime areas

8. Personal Safety

9. Personal Safety • Awareness: • of yourself, your surroundings, and your potential attacker’s likely strategies • SURPRISE: • Studies have shown that criminals are adept at choosing targets who appear to be unaware of what is going on around them • Never let yourself or anyone that you know be the "closer" in any type of business • (bar, store, restaurant, gas station)

10. Personal Safety (cont) • Dress to Kill • Clogs, high heels, and tight skirts are hard to run in or fight in • Scarves / long necklaces & are easy to grab • Wear comfortable clothing when walking You can always change later… • Would you kick off your high heels or hike your skirt up around your hips to run or kick?

11. Personal Safety (cont) • Make Eye Contact • May fear you will be able to identify them • Hands Free • Keep Eyes and Ears Open • Cell phone / headphones • makes you easy prey for a predator

12. Personal Safety (cont) • Limit the number of bundles: • use a backpack or ‘bag with a shoulder strap’…hands free to defend • Never open the door for strangers, regardless of whether they claim to be a service person, police officer or any other professional. • always verify identity, and do not be afraid to appear rude

13. Personal Defense

14. Personal Defense • EYES: most vulnerable part of the body Poke HARD! • ELBOW: strongest point on your body Strike HARD! • NECK: vulnerable spot, MUST know where to grip, AND HAVE THE STRENGTH to cut off his breath Punch HARD! • KNEES: swift kick here takes anyone down Kick HARD! • be forceful – one chance

15. Personal Defense (cont) • REACT IMMEDIATELY • ABDUCTED: don’t let him get you to an abandoned area • DRIVING (you): crash your car while still going 5 mph (car is useless) • DRIVING (him): gouge his eyes. It is your ONLY defense. While he is in shock, GET OUT • RESIST - Don't go along with him: Run, DON'T EVER GIVE UP! • You DO NOT want to be a crime scene

16. Personal Defense (cont) • GUN: and you are not under his control ALWAYS RUN! • Police only make 4 of 10 shots when they are in range of 3-9 feet. This is due to stress. The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times. And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN! • STREET: Always keep your distance when walking past strangers on the street or in dark areas

17. Personal Defense (cont) • Escape: You are far more likely to be killed or seriously injured if you go with the predator than if you run away • (even if he promises not to hurt you) • Run away, yell FIRE, throw a rock through a store or car window: do whatever you can to attract attention • Purse or other valuables: throw them one direction while you run the other

18. Self Defense Tools • Pepper spray: Pros and cons • doesn’t work on everyone • wind • Wasp Spray: Pros and cons • Size • Tazer: Pros and cons • Cost • Your Right to Fight: • both the moral and legal right to do so • statistics clearly show that your odds of survival are far greater if you do fight back • Aim for the eyes first and the groin second • use the element of surprise to your advantage–strike quickly, and mean business • You may only get one chance

19. Car / Parking Lot / Highway Safety

20. Car Safety • LOCK YOUR DOORS • Have a cell phone to call for help • Keep a blanket, warm clothes, a pair of boots, and a flashlight in your car for emergencies • Trunk of a car: • kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you but everybody else will

21. Parking Lot • Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat, under the car • If you are parked next to a big van: enter your car from the passenger door • Look at the car parked on the driver/passenger side: If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get someone to walk you back out

22. Parking Lot (cont) • Scream "FIRE!" and not "help": People don't want to get involved when people yell "help" but "fire" draws attention because people are nosy. RUN! • Find an obstacle, such as a parked car, and run around it, like Ring Around the Rosie: Your last hope is getting under the car: multiple things to hold on to • Don’t be sympathetic: many predators play on women with sympathy

23. Parking Lot (Cont) • Just sit: • (doing a checkbook, or making a list, etc.) DON'T DO THIS! • The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go • AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE • Avoiding a car-jacking • Lock all doors • keep windows up • stopped at intersections, parking lots

24. Highway Safety • BREAK DOWNS:  • Make every effort to avoid this by ALWAYS keeping your car in good working order • Walk away from the car (in your warm clothes) and go to some bushes, or some area AWAY from your vehicle

25. Hotel / Travel Safety

26. Hotel & Travel Safety • Social Media: Predators watch habits, postings, etc • Rubber doorstop: • wedge inside (lock may be unreliable) • Carry a safety whistle  • Watch your drink, and not getting drunk, especially if you’re alone. • Don’t accept a drink or food from stranger • Appropriate attire • Be vague: • Casual conversation can expose privacy • Never open the door for a stranger

27. Hotel & Travel Safety: Check-In • Ask for a room near the elevator so you won't need to walk down long, potentially ill-lit hallways • Be Lazy, Take the Elevator Over the Stairs. And when in the elevator, stand in front of the doors, then if someone you feel uneasy about gets on with you, you can step off immediately • Arrive during the Day • Daily Spending Money only (credit cards, passport, etc. tucked away)

28. Hotel & Travel Safety: Elevators • ALWAYS take the elevator • Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot • Do not get on an elevator if there is a ‘weirdo’ already on there (Of course bad men don't always look bad) • Do not stand back in the corners of the elevator • Be near the front, by the doors, ready to get off or on. Don't ride the elevator if you are not comfortable

29. Sixth Sense • Use your Gut instinct • Learn to trust this power and use it to your full advantage • Avoid a person or a situation which does not “feel” safe–you’re probably right

30. No one expects it, but we must be prepared and aware so that we: • HAVE A PLAN, • BE PREPARED TO ACT! • ACT FAST & HARD!

31. Alone, Alert, Alive…Survive! • Questions? • Sro101.com (click on downloads) Officer Adam Gongwer Ontario, Ohio Police agongwer@ontpd.com 419-529-2115

32. Resources • www.thenonprofits.com/safety.htm • www.forbes.com/sites/elisadoucette • www.smartertravel.com/travel-advice • abcnews.go.com/GMA/HealthyWoman • www.prweb.com/releases/women-safety-tips/safety-tips-for-women • powertochange.com/life/personalsafetytips/