Teh One Who Knocks
11-09-2012, 11:49 AM
Nina Schutzman - Poughkeepsie Journal
HOPEWELL JUNCTION-- A driver in a gray car who pulled over to a bus stop and opened his car door this morning is no cause for panic, but parents should heighten awareness, said East Fishkill Lt. Kevin Keefe.
Police say a child at the bus stop who left when the man stopped, and his mother came into the station to report the issue.
"We were concerned but there's no cause for panic or alarm, and there's not enough information to issue a real warning," Keefe said. "We put the word out to other local agencies and have been in contact with the superintendent of schools in Wappingers."
The child reported that he was at his bus stop in the vicinity of Brown Road in East Fishkill when a gray car pulled over. The driver, described only as a white male, opened his driver's side car door.
"There was no exchange of any kind made," Keefe said. "The child did the smart thing, which was practice caution by getting out of there and going home. All he saw was the driver's hand which is why he know's he's a white male."
The car might be a Honda, but police aren't sure since the child could only say that it was "like his father's" Keefe said.
Keefe said that the driver might have just been stopping to make sure his door was properly shut, but just in case, parents should practice slightly heightened awareness.
"Parents should always be aware anyway," Keefe said.
Marco Pochintesta, Wappingers Central School District interim Superintendent, said that the district didn't issue an alert because the police don't feel it's warranted and added that children in the schools are taught about responding to issues regarding safety.
"We generate these alerts based on what the police say," Pochintesta said. "We know they're looking into it and have responded, the student did exactly the right thing. I trust if this was more of a risk the police would make us aware."
HOPEWELL JUNCTION-- A driver in a gray car who pulled over to a bus stop and opened his car door this morning is no cause for panic, but parents should heighten awareness, said East Fishkill Lt. Kevin Keefe.
Police say a child at the bus stop who left when the man stopped, and his mother came into the station to report the issue.
"We were concerned but there's no cause for panic or alarm, and there's not enough information to issue a real warning," Keefe said. "We put the word out to other local agencies and have been in contact with the superintendent of schools in Wappingers."
The child reported that he was at his bus stop in the vicinity of Brown Road in East Fishkill when a gray car pulled over. The driver, described only as a white male, opened his driver's side car door.
"There was no exchange of any kind made," Keefe said. "The child did the smart thing, which was practice caution by getting out of there and going home. All he saw was the driver's hand which is why he know's he's a white male."
The car might be a Honda, but police aren't sure since the child could only say that it was "like his father's" Keefe said.
Keefe said that the driver might have just been stopping to make sure his door was properly shut, but just in case, parents should practice slightly heightened awareness.
"Parents should always be aware anyway," Keefe said.
Marco Pochintesta, Wappingers Central School District interim Superintendent, said that the district didn't issue an alert because the police don't feel it's warranted and added that children in the schools are taught about responding to issues regarding safety.
"We generate these alerts based on what the police say," Pochintesta said. "We know they're looking into it and have responded, the student did exactly the right thing. I trust if this was more of a risk the police would make us aware."