During the holiday season, the San Francisco Police Department provides enhanced safety for visitors and shoppers. Each of the 10 district police stations will provide police resources, including increased foot patrols, to shopping areas in the district. In addition, the SFPD will provide the horse-mounted unit, plainclothes officers and traffic enforcement throughout the city. Visitors and shoppers can be proactive in helping to ensure safety by heeding some personal safety tips:

• Always be alert to your surroundings. Be wary of a stranger deliberately approaching you or following you to your car. Have your keys in your hand as you approach your vehicle or home so there is little delay in getting inside.

• Remain alert when using electronic devices in public such as cell phones, smart phones, MP3 players, and the like. People using these devices tend to be disassociated from their surroundings and are often the target of criminals.

• Do not overburden yourself with packages or other items. Keep packages locked in your trunk while shopping

• Shop with a family member or friend, especially after dark.

• Keep wallets in a hard-to-reach place. Be wary of anyone causing a distraction in close-quartered places, such as on public transit.

• Carry only the cash and credit cards that you will need. Keep cash separate from ID and credit cards, and do not carry your passport or social security card.

• If someone demands your purse or wallet, surrender it. Resisting may result in bodily harm. Immediately report anything stolen to police.

• Help avoid vehicle break-ins. Leave nothing visible in your car, including GPS and other electronic devices. Remove the GPS cradle as well. Move your vehicle to a different location each time you load packages. Try to park in a lot where there is an attendant.

Additional personal safety tips are available from San Francisco Safety Awareness
for Everyone (SAFE) at 415-553-1984 or www.sfsafe.org.