Protect Yourself with a Common-Sense Mindset

One new irritant among the many I confront—at least since I entered the post-60 phase of life—is the categorization of being a “senior.”

Don’t get me wrong, I love the discounts and the fact that I have built-in excuses for giving my grandkids unfiltered advice, much to the chagrin of their parents. No, that part is awesome.

I don’t even mind younger cops telling me that they were not even born when I started my police career in the mid-1970s. I just remind them I saw all the cool bands when they played instruments, not turntables.

Stay Safe

Steve Rose is a retired Sandy Springs Police Captain, veteran Fulton County police officer and freelance writer. He is the author the book “Why Do My Mystic Journeys Always Lead to the Waffle House?” and the column “View from a Cop.”

Since I spent my career in law enforcement, for me, the category of “senior crime” can be misleading. The advice that I would like to give you as you read this is twofold.

One, don’t buy into the mentality of “senior crime” as a label that you are feeble and unable to fend for yourself. True, as we reach our late 80s and 90s, we will need some help, but don’t fall into that mindset too quickly.

The internet is full of good crimeprevention articles, tips and videos specifically addressing senior crime trends. Most seniors are in the category of being quite able to take care of business, so act on the information. Take care of business and don’t use age as an excuse.

Two, remember that your safety isn’t a checklist, but rather a simple, non-laborious philosophy, an obligation to secure your and your family’s safety. Read something new each month and see if and/ or how it applies to you. Educate yourself on crime trends in your area.

Need help? Contact your local police agency and ask for the community or crime-prevention officer for information. The truth is, however, that his or her research is along the same lines as what you can access.

The bottom line is that you need to forget your age category and focus on what everyone else should be focusing on, which is use common sense, verify information and don’t commit to calls that are suspicious in nature.

You’ll see that it all comes down to common sense. You have that common sense, so use it.