Cobb Police Precinct 3 Criminal Investigations Unit warns parents about personalizing their children's items to keep them safe from predators and abductors.
Be careful when you put your child's name on clothing, backpacks, lunch boxes or bicycle plates, police say.
If a child's name is visible, it may put them on a first-name basis with an abductor or a predator as they appear to "know" the child.
For children, it often is difficult for them to separate strangers from acquaintances and even good guys from the bad guys, police say.
An adult calling your child's name often makes the child think the person must be alright.
While labeling jackets or other items on the outside prominently is fine when parents are accompanying their children, police do not recommend having obvious name labels in cases where a child may not always be under the constant watch of an adult such as when walking home from school.
In those cases, label their name discreetly on the inside but still where people will see the information if the object is left out or placed in a lost-and-found area.
Writing a child's name in permanent ink on the inside of a collar, for example, can be a perfect location.
Some parents have created unique ways of identifying their child and labeling items, police say.
One family codes family members by color and has relayed that information to preschool teachers, educators, family and friends.
Another parent simply uses her child's initials; still another puts the family name on everything.
