Police have issued urgent safety advice to residents throughout Staffordshire in the hope of keeping their families and possessions safe in the run-up to Christmas.
Officers from Staffordshire Police have launched a new seasonal campaign to spread very important messages for the festive season to prevent potential heartbreak and Christmases being ruined.
The campaign, which kicked off on Monday, December 4, provides advice on how children can avoid unwanted attention online and enjoy their time online safely, crime prevention advice to keep people and possessions safe, and timely reminders about making the right decisions that do not endanger people and their associates.
The force will be spreading the word both online and offline, in the hope of getting the message across to as many of the 1.1 million people in Staffordshire as possible.
Through a mixture of town centre events, specially created video clips and partnerships with local businesses, police will be sharing advice and information far and wide during the festive period.
Superintendent Carl Ratcliffe, head of prevention and early intervention, said: "This campaign has been months in the planning and I am really excited to see it finally being implemented.
"Educating parents is a really important priority for the force as often a few simple steps can prevent children being exposed to unwanted attention online.
"I would encourage anyone who has children or cares for them to engage with the campaign and make sure you have the skills to protect them online.
"Christmas can be a very busy time for the police and the more we can do to educate people on how to protect themselves, their family and their possessions, then hopefully we will see fewer victims of crime.
"Unfortunately Christmas also sees a lot of people making poor decisions, fuelled by alcohol and drugs. Offences like violence and driving under the influence become more common and one bad decision can ruin Christmas for you and your family.
"Let's make Christmas a joyous affair and not one that changes lives for the worst."
All advice will be available at www.staffordshire.police.uk/christmas
