Happy spring Geneva. While Geneva is an extremely safe community, we are not immune to those who utilize warmer weather to look for crimes of opportunity.

I would like to take a moment to provide you some basic tips to assist you in not becoming the victim of a crime of opportunity. We count on our engaged community to be an extra set of eyes and ears for the Geneva Police Department. If you see something that simply does not seem right, say something. We would much rather respond and determine nothing was occurring as compared to responding after a crime has occurred.

We encourage our residents to practice the 9 p.m. routine, which offers a list of priority items citizens should ensure they complete before going to bed.

The routine includes removing valuables and garage door openers from cars, locking vehicles, closing overhead garage doors, locking the door from the garage to the house, closing all exterior doors, ensuring windows are closed and locked, and turning on an exterior light. Following the 9 p.m. routine limits those opportunities for our residents to fall victim to a crime.

When life returns to normal following the coronavirus pandemic, warm weather also means more drivers on the road and more pedestrians out and about enjoying the community. It is very important to limit the distractions that many of us face each day as we drive. Taking your eyes off of the road, even for a split second, can result in a serious traffic crash. The most common distraction is the use of cell phones. It is illegal to text and drive and also illegal to utilize your phone while driving unless it is used “hands free.”

Drivers also tend to increase their speeds as both the weather and road conditions improve. Speed is a common factor in many traffic crashes and is completely within our control. So give people a break, especially in school zones and high foot-traffic areas.