Teenagers better remember information received through informal communication when they are spoken to as adults. Another meeting with Vitebsk law enforcement officers and OSOVOD reminded students of hidden risks, how to act in specific dangerous situations, and where to seek help.

As noted by Dmitry Prudnikov, Head of the Department for Organizing the Work of the Inspectorate for Juvenile Affairs of the Vitebsk Oblast Executive Committee's Internal Affairs Directorate, in 2025, teenagers aged 14-18 committed 140 crimes in the region. Currently, individual preventive work is being carried out with over 1200 children, which is an important step in creating conditions for their protection from negative influences and reducing the crime rate.

The next topic raised was safety on rivers and bodies of water.

– Those under 14 years of age, according to the rules for the safety of people on water, are strictly prohibited from approaching or appearing on bodies of water without adult supervision. If your parents or adult acquaintances enjoy ice fishing, warn them that they must wear a life jacket. Safe ice is only the ice that no one goes on, – reminded Vyacheslav Gorin, Head of the Diving and Rescue Service of the Vitebsk Regional Organization of OSOVOD.

Ensuring a safe transport environment for children is particularly relevant during the winter period. Deteriorating weather conditions create additional risks for young pedestrians, especially near railway tracks.

– When approaching railway tracks, always look left and right for approaching trains. Listen to the information provided by the railway station duty officer about approaching trains. Cross only in designated areas and when there are informational signs and light and sound signaling, – noted Dmitry Kazakevich, Senior Inspector for Special Assignments of the Public Safety Group at Transport Facilities of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee Department of Internal Affairs.

During the conversation, Dmitry Kazakevich reported on a recent inspection of the Luchosa station territory, where a potentially dangerous situation was identified. Children were riding inflatable tubes near the railway tracks.

The internet has firmly entered our lives, and the children present at the meeting agreed that they cannot imagine a day without a mobile phone.

– Every third crime today is committed in the sphere of information and computer technologies. Therefore, we must be more attentive on the internet so as not to be drawn into illegal activities and not to become victims of fraudsters. For example, an online game: it seems to us that it is just a space for entertainment. In reality, cybercriminals are active even here, – noted Yulia Koldybova, Senior Operational Officer of the Department of Operational and Analytical Work of the Cybercrime Counteraction Directorate.

The ideal outcome of the "live" communication meeting was that the teenagers left with clear action algorithms. This is true prevention.

vitebsk-region.gov.by