Let's Work Together to Keep Kids Safe This School Year

Schools across Cherokee County will once again be filled with excited students as the 2016 / 2017 school quickly approaches.  The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office wants to insure all area students have a safe year and to help accomplish that, are offering the following tips:

• If your child is ready to walk to school or a bus stop without adult supervision, make sure to plan the safest, most direct route, and walk it with your child beforehand.
• Teach your child never to talk to strangers, approach a car, or accept rides from anyone they don’t know well or don’t trust.
• If you’ve decided your child is old enough to arrive home alone, make sure to review emergency plans and set up safety rules such as calling a parent upon arrival to check in.
• Be sure your child knows their home phone number and address, your work number, your first and last name, the number of another trusted adult and how to call 911 for emergencies.
• Have a plan should your child miss the bus, or their ride does not arrive to pick them up.  Communicate that to your child, so he or she doesn’t panic.

“In addition to the tips provided, I also strongly encourage all parents to go to our website, www.cherokeecountykssheriff.com, where they can register their home address, the address of their child’s school, babysitter, grandparents and any other locations your child may spend time this year.  Once you have listed as many addresses as you’d like, you will receive an email notification anytime a publicly registered sex, drug or violent offender moves within a 2 mile radius of that address,” stated Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves.

“This service is provided at no cost to users, and allows parents to have up to date knowledge of what, if any, offenders live in their neighborhoods,” continued Sheriff Groves.

“Finally, I want to remind motorists that it’s unlawful and incredibly dangerous to pass a school bus that has its red lights flashing and stop sign extended.  If we are all conscientious, especially around bus stops and school zones, we can help to make sure Cherokee County children have a safe year,” concluded Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves.

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