See something suspicious? Don’t ignore it

Twenty-five years have passed, but I still remember that morning.

Sept. 11, 2001, was one of those rare moments when Americans knew, almost instantly, that life had changed.

For me, it became personal. I lost distant family members that day. The attacks also spurred my decision to serve in the military. Like thousands of other Americans, I watched what happened and felt a responsibility to do something.

Lessons learned from one of America’s darkest days

A quarter-century later, the images of that morning remain difficult to forget. But there is something else about Sept. 11 that I hope we never forget: what Americans did afterward.

People united.

Strangers helped strangers.

Police officers, firefighters, paramedics, and ordinary citizens ran toward those who needed them. Americans donated blood, volunteered, checked on neighbors, and stood together.

For a moment, it wasn’t about race, gender, politics, or which side of an argument someone was on.

Someone needed help, so someone else helped.

That lesson is just as important today.

Another lesson from Sept. 11 is the importance of remaining vigilant. That doesn’t mean living in fear or treating every unfamiliar person as a threat. It means paying attention to your surroundings and recognizing when something simply doesn’t fit.

See something, say something

Schools are one place where that awareness is especially important.

An unfamiliar person repeatedly watching students, someone photographing entrances or security measures without an apparent reason, a vehicle repeatedly circling student pickup areas, someone attempting to enter locked or restricted areas of a school, or a person making threats should get your attention.

Don’t confront someone you believe may be dangerous. Report it.

The same principle applies to parks, festivals, concerts, sporting events, government buildings, and other places where large numbers of people gather. Pay attention to someone attempting to enter restricted areas, studying security procedures, abandoning an item under suspicious circumstances, making credible threats, or behaving in a way that suggests an immediate danger to others.

At airports, bus stations and other transportation terminals, be aware of your surroundings. Suspicious activity involving restricted areas, unattended property under concerning circumstances, or threats of violence should be reported.

Context matters. A person taking a photograph isn’t automatically suspicious. Neither is someone sitting in a parked vehicle or carrying a backpack.

Report behavior, not stereotypes.

And when circumstances suggest an immediate threat to someone’s safety, don’t waste valuable time deciding which government agency to call. Dial 911. Tell the dispatcher where you are, what you saw, when you saw it, and why it concerned you. Give the best description you can of the person, vehicle, or activity involved. Then follow the dispatcher’s instructions.

Let trained public safety professionals determine what happens next.

Support public safety personnel & each other

There is another simple thing we can do this week.

Support the people who answer those calls.

Drop off some cookies at your local fire station. Buy an officer’s lunch. Wave when you pass an ambulance, patrol car, or fire engine.

You don’t have to spend a dime, either.

Just say, “Thank you.”

Police officers, deputies, firefighters, dispatchers, paramedics, and other first responders routinely meet people during the worst minutes of their lives. A simple gesture of appreciation can mean more than most people realize.

But perhaps the best way to honor Sept. 11 is something every one of us can do.

Remember how Americans treated one another when the smoke was still rising.

Be kind.

Lend a hand.

Pay attention to the people around you. Look out for your neighbors. Report something when you genuinely believe someone may be in danger.

And pray for each other.

Never forget

Twenty-five years later, we should remember those we lost, those who ran toward danger, and all whose lives were forever changed by that September morning.

We should also remember who we were in the days that followed.

That may be one of the most important things about Sept. 11 that we can never afford to forget it.

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Now Georgia Crime Reporter Kevin Angell is a career law enforcement professional who has served agencies in Florida and Georgia. A U.S. Coast Guard veteran of Operation Enduring Iraqi Freedom, he holds a doctorate in criminal justice from Liberty University. His weekly column, Street Smart, publishes Wednesdays on NowGeorgia.com.