Crime Prevention Month begins next week and we're really excited about it! Each week in October we'll be posting new blogs on different crime prevention topics. Be sure to check out our blog or social media every Thursday for a new post!

In 1984, the National Crime Prevention Council designated Crime Prevention Month for the month of October to help raise awareness about crime prevention and to help make communities safer. Crime occurs daily and even if it hasn't happened directly to you it's still important to understand how we can help prevent crime where we live, work and play.

Crime occurs in many forms. It can range from bullying, to drug abuse, to hate crimes, gang violence, school and senior safety and beyond. The National Crime Prevention Council has a number of useful resources to help inform children, senior citizens and everyone in between how to handle such misdemeanors.

So what can you do? Below is a list of actions you can take to promote crime prevention this October and all year round, provided by the National Crime Prevention Council.

• Link to crime prevention websites. The main NCPC site, www.ncpc.org, offers information on hwo states are fighting crime, tips on personal and community safety, and information on the Crime Prevention Coalition of America.
• Include crime prevention tips on your website and in newsletters, or at the bottom of your written or email correspondences this month.
• Visit the Stop Bullying Now! campaign at stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov to download free resources such as tip sheets for adults and cartoon webisodes for youth to unite and inform communities about the important of bullying prevention.
• Request a photo opportunity with McGruff the Crime Dog through your local police department. Use the photo to highlight the issue of crime prevention in your local newspapers, on your website, in newsletters and in your office.
• Ask your local police department to host a community crime prevention event with McGruff and invite your local news media to cover the story. Be sure to check out Your Crime Prevention Month Event for resources to help you plan.
• Suggest that your local newspaper print crime prevention tips and feature crime prevention stories throughout the month of October.
• Sponsor a Crime Prevention Month posted or essay contest in your community.
• Write an op-ed article for your local newspaper highlighting Crime Prevention Month and Halloween safety.

Crime Prevention Month is great opportunity to unite communities for a beneficial cause to help reduce crime rates, raise awareness and create safer communities to live in. What will you do to help prevent crime in your neighborhood?