If you’re a kid, teen, or young adult I want you to know you always have friends around you … members of your local police department. Most people who say the police are bad are the people who have arrested because they did something wrong and they just don't like the police. While there may be policemen who don’t like kids, they’re still there to help you. If someone is trying to hurt you, steal something from you, get you into their car, or anything you know is wrong, look for a police officer to help you.
      For any little kids, don’t let the older kids or adults scare you with their stories about how bad the cops are where you live. The police don’t want to hurt you, they want to protect you. But you have to remember, not everyone who tells you they’re a police officer or a cop really is one. There are bad people out there who buy pretend badges and use them to get little kids to trust them and then hurt them.
      If you ever need a policeman to help you, look around you and try to find a police car. The car should have the name of the town you live in on it and have blue and red lights on the top. Have your parents show you what the real police cars look like and let you talk to some of the policemen who drive them. This way you’ll be able to know what a real car and police officer looks like and be able to know if a car is fake or the policeman is just pretending.
      If you can’t find a police car, go to the police station. Have your parents show you where the building is so you can find it if you need help. If you live in a city, there will always be a policeman in the station who can help you. If you live in a little town, sometimes all of the policemen are out in their cars and the station is empty. It’s ok to stay in the building by yourself and the policemen won’t yell at you when they come back. As long as you’re in the police station, people won’t try to hurt you even if you’re there alone. The bad people are afraid of police stations and the police.
      If you’re at home and need help, use the telephone. In most places, all you have to do is dial 9-1-1 and someone will tell the police you need help and where to find you. If your parents have ever told you 9-1-1 doesn’t work where you live or you ask them now and they tell you no, ask them to write the phone number for the police on a piece of paper and leave it next to the phone. You should also know the phone numbers for the fire department and the ambulance.
      Don't be afraid to tell the police if you think someone is trying to hurt you. Even if the person tells you the police won’t believe you because you’re a little kid or they tell you they’ll hurt you if you tell the police, tell a policeman anyway. The policemen are supposed to believe everyone, even little kids, until they make sure the person is ok. If someone tells you they’ll hurt you for telling the police, tell the police what they’re doing to you and what they told you about hurting you more. The police will make sure you’re safe.