Las Vegas crime-prevention specialist: Awareness is key

Hannah McCready’s message to about 20 women at a safety class was, “self-defense doesn’t always have to be physical contact.”

McCready held the class Feb. 20 at the Metropolitan Police Department’s Spring Valley Area Command substation to teach attendees how to prevent sexual assault, violent crime, and property theft and damage. She is a crime-prevention specialist for the department.

Step one: Be aware of your surroundings.

McCready started the presentation by explaining how important it is for people to give themselves “an extra 30 seconds.”

“Don’t be paranoid, but take extra time to think about the details,” McCready told the group.

For Barbara Barron, a Spring Valley resident, the presentation was “a good review.”

“I think about and constantly watch my surroundings,” Barron said. “I do lock my door; I always set my alarm and look around me.”

Barron said she has been a break-in victim, so she said she was interested when an audience member mentioned locking a garage door via a remote control.

“When I get home, I am going to see if my clicker has the option to lock my garage door,” she said.

McCready stressed the importance of making eye contact with a potential attacker.

“It shows you are aware, it makes them uncomfortable and it shows you are not timid,” McCready said.

Patty Montgomery was surprised; she said she had previously heard eye contact could provoke an attack.

McCready’s presentation addressed how to prevent crime; however, she told listeners that if they’re attacked, “fight to win” and “do what you have to do.”

McCready told the group to be aware of people’s seemingly innocent intentions. She said Metro investigated scams a few years ago in which people targeted victims saying, “you hit my car” or “you hit my person.” McCready said the victims would get out of the car and the other parties would grab their purses and other valuables.

She also recommended that women lock their doors when they are pumping gasoline. McCready said that when the door is unlocked, suspects can easily get into the passenger seat to take valuables.

“What I find is, a lot of people are not using that common sense because we get so caught up in our day-to-day activities,” McCready said.

Contact Rachel Spacek at 702-387-2921 or rspacek@reviewjournal.com. Follow @RachelSpacek on Twitter.