Cambridge Police Department Shares Important Safety Information Leading into Holiday Weekend

Thanksgiving is traditionally the heaviest travel day of the year, a time when people seek to be with family and/or close friends. During the Thanksgiving holiday, more motorists are traveling with their friends and families than any other time of the year. The night before Thanksgiving has also become one of the biggest nights of the year at bars, restaurants and night clubs as friends and families reunite.

The Cambridge Police Department wants to provide the following safety recommendations for residents heading into the weekend:

Plan Ahead Before Going Out
Heading out to a bar, restaurant or night club? Plan ahead. A few ways to play it safe include:

• Take public transportation or walk to your destination.
• Travel with a designated driver you can rely on.
• Order a cab or rideshare to get to your destination(s).
• Make arrangements to stay the night somewhere near your destination, so you don’t have to drive home until the morning.
  
  

Be Safe While Out
With the potential for more people walking and bicycling on roadways and squares shopping or going out late at night, please also follow these tips if you are driving during the holiday weekend (and in the future):

• Plan your route before heading to your destination
• Don’t drive under the influence
• Don’t drive distracted
• Don’t block intersections or bicycle lanes
• Don’t drive aggressively
• Drive at a safe speed (remember: as a part of the City’s Vision Zero efforts, the speed limit is 20 mph on most Cambridge streets)
• Share your location with a trusted loved one if you are traveling alone

Throughout the weekend, the Cambridge Police Department will be monitoring key intersections near the squares, in particular, for traffic concerns and maintaining high visibility.

If alcohol is served while you are enjoying a night out, safeguard your drink(s):

• Never leave your drink unattended
• Avoid sharing drinks with others
• Do not accept drinks from strangers
• If someone you do not know offers you a drink and you accept, go to the bar with them and have the drink poured and served directly to you
• If you did not see your drink poured, do not drink it
• Keep an eye on your friends and their drinks
• If you believe your drink may be spiked or observe an individual spiking someone else’s drink, immediately call 911.

Protect Your Home If Away
If you are traveling and your residence is unoccupied for the weekend, please consider the following safety tips to keep your home safe for the holidays.

• Secure all windows, including those upstairs and reduce the chances of easy entry by removing objects that might allow access to your home such as ladders, recycling bins, etc.
• Have a home security system installed to allow you to check on your residence while you are away or so you can be notified of any suspicious activity.
• Never leave a key hidden outside.
• Don't post Thanksgiving travel plans on publicly available social media accounts letting people know that you will be out of town.
• Consider asking a trusted neighbor or loved one to keep an eye out on your home if you are away for an extended period of time.

As always, the Cambridge Police Department encourages residents across the City to remain vigilant and be aware of any suspicious activity in their neighborhood. Anyone with any information is asked to call the Cambridge Police at 617-349-3300. Those who wish to provide information anonymously may dial the Cambridge Police Anonymous Crime Tip Hotline at 617-349-3359 and leave a message.  Anonymous tips may also be sent via the Cambridge Police MyPD mobile app or via text message to 847411. Begin your text with TIP650 and then type your message.  To send anonymous tips via email, visit www.CambridgePolice.org/Tips.  

###