Tilden officer teaches crime prevention to Scouts

The Bear Den from Hamburg Cub Scout Pack 120 visited the Tilden Township Police Department on Jan. 14. The purpose of the Scouts’ visit was to complete requirements for an achievement toward their Bear Badge. This eager group of Bear Cub Scouts came ready to learn what was meant by the achievement’s title, “Law Enforcement is a Big Job.”

Upon their arrival,Scouts were greeted by Officer Peter J. Witman, patrolman for the Tilden Township Police Department. Witman is not only a patrolman, he is also the police department’s criminal investigator, which made him the perfect candidate to help these boys with this particular achievement.

Topics discussed were crime prevention, assisting law enforcement and certain investigative procedures. The boys learned different ways they, and their parents, can prevent crime and protect their homes and property properly by ensuring all doors and windows in their homes are locked before leaving or going to bed at night. Ensuring cars and out buildings are properly secured, using motion sensor lighting and planting obstructive shrubbery outside windows are other actions the scouts learned help prevent crime around their homes.

They learned what to do if they see a crime, where to go to get help and who to contact, along with what to tell 911 operators or first responders to help with apprehending potential suspects. Investigative procedures included learning different ways of collecting evidence, using tools for collecting evidence, and “dusting” for latent prints, otherwise known as fingerprints. Each Cub Scout experienced the fingerprinting process as Witman imprinted their fingerprints in their Bear handbook.The boys also experienced what it is like to be locked inside a holding cell.

The visit concluded with a demonstration of a stun gun, the Cub Scouts’ favorite of all the personal protection equipment used by law enforcement officers. Utilizing a training cartridge and a special target used for this particular type of demonstration, the boys learned when and why the stun gun is deployed and witnessed the power of this very important tool. Everyone, including the adults, left having learned something new and useful about law enforcement and personal crime prevention.