Do you know what to do if you see a crime take place? Imagine you’re taking a walk in the park and you see a man running toward you with a purse in his hand and he’s being chased by an elderly woman. Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Major Chris Lane advises that if you witness a crime, first and foremost, do whatever is necessary to keep yourself out of harm’s way.
Deputy Lane also says when it’s safe, if you see that someone is injured, offer first aid, as soon as you are able, call 9-1-1 to report the crime so that help will be on the way, don’t touch anything and don’t remove anything: you don’t want to contaminate the crime scene. Lastly, Deputy Lane stated to stay as calm as possible, notice what people look like, what they are wearing, distinguishing marks, make and models of vehicles, and get license plate numbers if at all possible. When help arrives, direct them to any injured parties. Tell them only what you know for sure, making sure you just give them the facts.
