The Mentor Police Department is committed to providing the residential and business community with safety programs to keep our city a safe place in which to work, shop and play. The Community Service Division works with citizens to provide tailor-made programming. For information on any of the following listed programs, contact the Mentor Police Department, Crime Prevention/Community Services Unit at (440) 974-5760.

BUSINESS CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS

Check Procedures/Credit Card Fraud

This program is offered to any retail establishment within the City of Mentor. Merchants are made aware of the policy and procedures involved in prevention, detection and prosecution of fraudulent check writing and credit card scams.

Business Security Survey

Area business owners may contact the Community Services Division for a business Security Survey. This service is provided to make business owners more aware of not only the structural security of the building, but the security of those they employ as well.

Drug and Alcohol Abuse in the Workplace

This program is available to all businesses in conjunction with their Human Resource Department programming.

Identity Theft & Prevention Program

We live in an age of instant credit, credit cards and computers and we need to be more aware of who has access of our credit accounts and our social security numbers. Interested persons are provided with tips to keep their personal records and accounts safe from computer hackers and the like. Mentor Police offers this program to businesses and community groups.

Robbery Reaction

This program is offered to retail, convenience, grocery stores and fast food businesses that are interested in learning how to minimize the chance of becoming a victim of robbery.

Robbery Reaction for Financial Institutions

Police Officers conduct robbery reaction seminars for financial institutions within the City of Mentor. Employees are instructed in the methods and procedures of pre and post robbery situations. The Mentor Police Department robbery response for financial institution’s policy is presented and discussed.

Shoplifting and Theft Prevention

Mentor is the sixth largest retail center in Ohio. The Community Services Unit offers shoplifting and theft prevention programs to retail establishments.

Workplace Violence Prevention Program

Employees and managers of companies within the City of Mentor are instructed in various preventive measures for assuring a safe workplace. This program is customized for each particular organization to address their specific needs and concerns.

COMMUNITY SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Officers are available to Community Organizations to speak on Safety or Police issues as designed and promoted by the individual group.

HOME SECURITY SURVEYS

Upon request, Officers will provide homeowners with a security survey of their home and surrounding property (garages, sheds, etc.). Various “target hardening” measures will be presented as well as information on alarm systems.

Neighbor Mediation Program

The Community Services Unit will attempt to mediate neighborhood civil problems before it escalates into a criminal matter.

Personal Safety Issues

Programs regarding personal safety issues and simple self-defense techniques are offered to citizen groups within the City. Citizens are encouraged to be pro-active rather than re-active in emergency situations regarding their safety.

Safety Events

Officers coordinate and promote Law Days at the Great Lakes Mall in May, provide officer support to the Lake County Fair Safety Day and parade, and various organizational safety events throughout the year as scheduling permit.

Senior Citizen Crime Prevention

Senior citizens are among those safest in our community, but many times are more fearful of becoming victimized. Seniors are more vulnerable to property crimes and scams and unknowingly, many times will provide these thieves with confidential information. Seniors will be given tips on avoiding high-pressure salespeople, telephone and other scams. This program will also educate the older person regarding identity theft and other personal safety issues.

Tour of Police Facility

Tours are provided to interested adult civic groups with prior appointment. Tours include the Firing Range and Corrections facility.

SCHOOL PROGRAMS

School Programming is provided as requested by individual schools. Mentor School District is comprised of ten Elementary schools, three Junior High Schools and one High School. In addition to the public schools, Mentor also has several parochial and private schools including Lake Catholic High School. Mentor is the home of Broadmoor School and Deepwood Center, special facilities for special needs and the mentally challenged. The Fletcher Home, an adult day care, and the Lake County Society for Rehabilitation are located in the City. Mentor also has many Day Care Centers and Preschools. Not all schools have the same programming. The Mentor Police Department works with every school to promote safety issues and safety programming as permitted by that particular care facility or school district.

Bicycle Safety/Sale of Bike Helmets

Students in primary grades are presented with a program addressing safe bicycle riding practices and the importance of wearing a bicycle helmet. Mentor Police Department, in conjunction with the Lake County Health District, the Greater Cleveland Safe Kids Coalition and University Hospital Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, provide the community with bicycle helmets for the reduced cost of $8. Provisions can be made for those who cannot afford to purchase helmets.

Day Care and Preschool Programs

Police Officers talk about their job and show children the police vehicle. A short presentation is made on “stranger danger” and staying safe. A longer presentation regarding child safety issues is available to older preschool children.

Mentor Public Schools

Officers provide a variety of programs for public and private schools. Programs dealing with Gang Awareness, Personal Safety, Officer Phil Program (self-esteem, drug abuse prevention and personal safety) are a few programs offered that can be customized to meet a particular need in a school, such as deviant behavior activities. Officers go into the schools during “Right to Read” week, provide detective work for science projects, and assist in judging school projects. Street officers as well as the Community Service Officers are encouraged to eat lunch at the schools and promote a positive image to the children. A program that deals with the effects of alcohol and drugs on the human body called “Fatal Vision” is also presented to citizens — young and old. The Police Department has purchased special goggles that cause the wearer to experience the sensations of alcohol impairment, without using alcohol. This program is an effective tool in the Junior High Health classes as well as in High School programming.

Seatbelt Safety

Students in the Third Grade of the Mentor School system, including St. Mary’s School, are presented with a comprehensive seatbelt/airbag safety program. This program is provided utilizing an Ohio Department of Public Safety Seatbelt Safety Grant. For the past 21 years, students have participated in a poster contest regarding the importance of wearing seatbelts in motor vehicles. Each participant receives a prize and a school winner is chosen. School winners then win prizes ranging from food and merchandise certificates to a bicycle. Local merchants donate all prizes. Winning students are honored at the Great Lakes Mall during Law Days in May of each year.

Special Needs Programs

The Community Services Unit provides officers for programs that include a police officer’s job and the police officer’s patrol vehicle; safety issues including pedestrian/vehicle safety, personal safety awareness and generally getting to know that the police officers are community helpers.

Teacher Safety in the School Community

The Police Department offers a comprehensive program dealing with workplace violence issues within the school setting. Plans are discussed in the event that a critical incident develops within the school environment, such as student disturbances, weapon possession, physical threats, etc.

The Mentor Police Department utilizes several teaching aids including safety videos, hand out materials, stickers, hands on demonstrations, and visits with McGruff, the Crime Dog. The Mentor Police Department also employs a School Resource Officer who primarily works in the Mentor High and Junior High Schools. For information on any of these listed programs, contact the Mentor Police Department, Crime Prevention/Community Services Unit at (440) 974-5760.

COMMUNITY CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS

Neighborhood Watch/BlockwatchNeighbors are encouraged to help make their neighborhoods safe. Groups of people concerned about the safety and well being of their neighborhood are encouraged to organize into a Neighborhood Watch area. Officers will provide valuable information about what is necessary for an effective Neighborhood Watch program along with identity theft issues.

BICYCLE SAFETY/BIKE HELMET PROGRAM

Mentor was recently honored by NOACA as a Bicycle Community for having extensive bike paths and recreational programming. The Mentor Police Department, in conjunction with the Lake County Health District, the Greater Cleveland Safe Kids Coalition and University Hospital Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, provide the community with Bell bicycle helmets for $8. Provisions can be made for those that are unable to purchase helmets.