Two retired southern Illinois law enforcement officers have created a foundation to teach personal safety.
The Extreme ExigencyEducational Foundation is the brainchild of Ray Minor and Michael Miller. The two conducted a pair of personal safety workshops this week at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale to help people deal with predators who invade our homes, schools, stores, workplaces and churches.
Minor says unfortunately these places are easy targets for predators.
"If they wanted to have a shootout, and be involved in a shooting, they would go to the police department. But, instead, they're going to go where people aren't armed and people are vulnerable.
As our schools become more secure, with metal detectors and stuff like that, obviously then those soft targets become the mall, the movie theater, our places of worship and stuff like that. - Extreme Exigency Co-Founder Ray Minor
As our schools become more secure, with metal detectors and stuff like that, obviously then those soft targets become the mall, the movie theater, our places of worship and stuff like that.
Minor says people need to understand the crime triangle, in which three factors must be present for a crime to take place. He says there must be an offender, a victim and the right location. Minor says law-abiding citizens need to realize how predators isolate their victims and carry out their crimes.
"Predators understand privacy and concealment. When I've done interviews, I've talked to them, they're opportunistic. They recognize when privacy and concealment exists. And they understand when privacy and concealment exists, you're vulnerable and they can victimize you."
Minor says a lot his training workshops are about helping people protect themselves in public settings, where more and more violence is occurring. He says the information he provides is designed to help people protect themselves and not be afraid to enjoy these places.
