Assaults are increasing
Robberies are increasing
Rapes are increasing
Molestations are increasing
Abuse is increasing


Sounds like the typical crime rate in most large cities. The problem is, that is happening right here in my mid-sized community.

The saddest thing is that many people truly don't care. They don't care about their own safety nor do they care about the safety of their loved ones. This might be a bold statement but it's unfortunately true.

Almost 2 years ago a local pizza delivery driver was nearly beaten to death while attempting to deliver a pizza, or so he thought. The whole scenario was actually a set-up by two teens with nothing better to do. They ordered a pizza using a nearby gas-station phone and had it delivered to an unoccupied home on a not-so-well lit street. When the delivery driver got out of his unmarked vehicle one of the teens attacked him with a steel pipe, grabbed his cash and left him for dead. Later I contacted the pizza company and offered to train their delivery personnel free-of-charge. They wanted nothing to do with it.

Last year I contacted a nearby elementary school in order to offer them a no-cost child safety presentation for their children, but they just blew me off. Later this past school year a young girl was nearly abducted while leaving this very same school. The only thing that saved her was a bystander. When I contacted this school shortly after this abduction attempt, again they blew me off.

I have contacted my local community school system several times over the past couple of years and have been met with the same kind of resistance. In fact, the assistant super intendant even told me that academics were the priority and that they had no time for safety education. Recently, there was an arrest made of a man who molested two of the children that attend these local schools.

I contacted the school system approximately 30 minutes north of me earlier this year. Again, they blew me off. Last month a 16 year old girl that attended this school system was raped.

Over the past couple of years I have offered my services and programs to area realty companies, restaurants, convenience stores, mental health facilities, and even domestic violence services. To my surprise, few have had interest.

Now, some might think that I am taking this lack of interest personally because they don't accept me or my services, but that just isn't the case. Honestly, it doesn't matter to me where people get their safety education but it does matter that they do get educated somewhere. The problem with the lack of interest is that it actually leads to an increase in crime and violence, which has been pretty obvious in my community. When people don't care about their own safety or the safety of others they won't do or say anything to stop it. When no one says or does anything, what's likely to happen? You guest it...things get worse.

To quote Albert Einstein...

"The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of those that do evil, but because of those who watch it and let it happen."


My question to you is where do you stand??