Stafford Boosts School Patrols Following Spotsy Incidents

In response to a in Spotsylvania, the Stafford County Sheriff's Department boosted their patrols at schools and bus stops this morning.

"In light of the events in Spotsylvania County and the alleged attempted abductions, I felt it was prudent to increase our presence in the neighborhoods for the forseeable future," wrote Stafford County Sheriff Charles Jett in an email to local residents. "It is a normal course of action for the Stafford Sheriff’s Office to be in neighborhoods at school time everyday and while we have had no reported incidents like those in Spotsylvania County I felt the extra steps were warranted at this time."

The email left readers with three child safety tips for parents, reprinted below:

1.  Make sure that your child goes to and comes home from the bus stop with at least one other person.
2.  If your child walks to school make sure that they walk with other individuals.  Make sure the children are walking in a safe manner and have a safe, well viewed path to school.  Avoid walking through woods, alleys or unfamiliar areas.
3.  If possible establish safe houses along the route that children can go to if they feel threatened.

The email also provides contact information for the Stafford Sheriff's Office and links to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.