Safety in public spaces can be complex. There are things that you can do to be prepared and alert in all situations. Techniques can be used to distract someone long enough to escape, no matter the size of the attacker. 

Today’s guest is Lieutenant Jessa Russell. Lieutenant Russell serves as the Community Relations Officer for Highland Park Department of Public Safety. In this role, she assists with crime prevention, safety education presentations, crime watch, community welfare concerns, and is the liaison to the Highland Park ISD. Lieutenant Russell began her career with Highland Park DPS in August 2008 and has served as a field training officer, defense tactics instructor, and operations supervisor. 

Show Notes:

• [1:01] - Welcome to the podcast, Lieutenant Russell! Jessa explains how she got into law enforcement.
• [3:40] - Every department has different norms. Jessa describes the more common problems her department responds to.
• [5:10] - What is jugging? Jessa describes this crime and what to do to avoid it.
• [7:06] - There are more fire stations than police stations and if you are being followed, pulling into a fire station could cause them to stop.
• [9:01] - Always be skeptical. The world is a good place but there are bad people in it.
• [11:12] - Restaurants and bars are places to have a heightened situational awareness.
• [13:14] - If you are on a walk or run, only use one earbud.
• [14:51] - You have to be assertive. Political correctness will hamper you when safety is a concern.
• [16:30] - Park close to lights and the closer to the store the better. You can also request security officers or employees to escort you to the car.
• [17:49] - There are different mindsets regarding an attack.
• [19:12] - RAD is a program that Jessa educates through. It stands for Rape Aggression Defense. She explains the program and the training involved.
• [20:58] - Some women are taught to be so submissive that they don’t realize they have power, which can simply be your voice.
• [21:54] - Training does not mean you are a fighter. The techniques are designed to escape.
• [24:20] - Most attackers are known to the victims, but random attacks can happen as well.
• [25:28] - Assertively yelling “stay away” instead of screaming for help will catch someone’s attention more.
• [26:33] - Chris shares a story to demonstrate how bystanders may not know if the situation is serious.
• [28:47] - Jessa gives tips on how to help someone in danger.
• [29:50] - Noticing clothes is great, but noticing shoes is even better.
• [31:00] - Jessa explains what is important to note in describing an attacker.
• [34:18] - Remembering the first few characters of a license plate is often enough to help. Remembering all is very challenging.
• [36:50] - You need to know what to do if you are ever pulled over.
• [39:43] - If someone is trying to rape you and you are not fighting back, you are not at fault at all. 
• [41:24] - Every department has a victim liaison.
• [43:18] - Don’t be afraid to report something and work with the police.
• [44:40] - Always lock doors and keep valuables in the house.
• [47:41] - Jessa discusses carrying a gun and the importance of knowing how to properly use it if you want to have it.

Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review. 

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