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Politics & Government

Crime Prevention Unit Provides Vital Information at Costco

Free safety materials and information are available on Wednesday and Thursday, September 14 and 15.

From ID kits for children to information about tick-borne diseases, the crime prevention unit is providing a wealth of free safety materials and information at the Leesburg Costco on Wednesday and Thursday this week.

Ron Leetch, a volunteer with the Leesburg Police Citizens Support Team, said that the ID kits, which allow parents to take do-it-yourself DNA samples, are among the hottest items.

“You just swab the inside of the mouth with a Q-Tip and stick [the DNA sample] in a container,” he said. “The parents can then just carry the kit with them in case it is needed for identification purposes.”

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The kits, which are available in English and Spanish, can also be used for carrying a child’s fingerprints and a photo. While the kits are free of charge, Leetch said that donations to help pay for them are welcome.

Other materials available at the crime prevention table include information about calling 9-1-1, Police Department contacts, Homeland Security business plans and ready kits, seatbelt safety, drug abuse prevention, animal bites and rabies, and after school safety.

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Information was also available about how to sign up to volunteer with the Leesburg Police Citizens Support Team. Leetch said that he is a charter member of the team, which formed in 1996. He said that the team currently has about 10 to 12 members, and has had as many as 20 in the past.

The team helps sworn police officers with traffic control, patrols, and special events such as the recent 9/11 motorcycle ride through Leesburg – “whatever the Police Department needs,” Leetch said.

Officer C. F. Tidmore, Crime Prevention Specialist and Public Information Officer for the Leesburg Police Department, was also distributing safety materials and answering questions at the table.

He said that the Department is stepping up its outreach efforts through social media, and invited residents to sign up through the town’s website to receive emergency alerts. The department also sends out information through Facebook and Twitter.

The crime prevention table will be operating at the Leesburg Costco on Wednesday and Thursday, September 14 and 15, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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