Cop: Prom Should Be Fun, not Dangerous

Prom is quickly approaching. With it comes glamour, memories ... and, if students aren't careful, the potential for danger.

So will be holding a discussion concerning prom safety on Thursday, April 19 at 7 p.m.

Retired Detective Bob Segear will speak to parents and students in the school's auditorium about a number of precautions they can take to ensure that kids are safe during prom weekend.

Segear, a retired juvenile detective with more years experience as a police officer, has traveled to many schools this year already, such as Mount Olive High School, Chatham High School, and Montville High School to speak about safety during prom, and will continue to give more presentations until June. Segear currently works in the New Jersey school system as a certified substance awareness coordinator and student assistance counselor. 

Segear will be at MHS this week to offer advice on a variety of subjects ranging from how parents can be involved, how to safely book limousines and hotels, how students can avoid getting arrested, and how to ultimately prevent dangerous and tragic situations from occurring. Segear offers both parents and students tips on how to make prom a weekend full of wonderful memories instead of one that results in a troubled situation.

"I want to talk to the parents and kids about some of the things that happened over the years at the shore community, and give the kids a heads up as to some of the initiatives that the police have and are concerned about," Seager said.

Segear will touch on a number of subjects in his presentation dealing with both pre-prom and post-prom activities. He said that it is important the parents to talk to limousine services before booking them to find out the companies' policies on alcohol and illegal substances. Seager also suggests parents should get involved with the hotel planning, and make sure an 18-year-old isn't the one who signs the contract. 

Segear said that a lot of times, hotel contracts will mention that if any township or state statutes are violated, the guests will be automatically evicted. He said it is common for a teen to not read the full contract, and simply sign it quickly.

He also said students shouldn't tell large groups of their peers where they are staying—because an overcrowded hotel room is an easy way to get evicted.

Avoiding drinking and drug use is a big part of the discussion, and Segear said he wants students to think about both their safety and their future before making decisions.

He'll mention in his presentation that colleges hire staff to monitor certain incoming freshman, and in some cases they may revoke scholarships or even applications if they see arrests or evidence of alcohol or drug issue.

Another main focus of Segear's discussion is the importance of parents and their communication with their kids. He said  parents "shouldn't be afraid to be a parent" and they must reinforce the fact that they are always there for them, no matter what the circumstance is.

Segear's presentation will also feature measures that cops are taking to enforce safety, as well as a number of other issues that parents and kids should be aware of.

"We just want to make a difference in trying to prevent a tragedy from occurring, and by parents and kids both getting this message at the same time at one of these presentations, I think we have the opportunity to do so," Segear said.

For more information about this presentation, contact Segear by e-mail at cominghomesafe@gmail.com or rsegear@gmail.com.