STRANGER DANGER: Waukee Tries New Program

As the word of another attempted abduction in Waukee spreads, parents, teachers and police are on high alert.

Waukee Police say the suspect targeted a 10-year-old girl.

She was waiting for her school bus in the 3300 block of Ashworth Road.

The latest attempt comes as Waukee Police are launching a new program to help kids if they’re ever in a similar situation.

The Waukee Police Department, launched a new program called, “Waukee Safe House.”

It allows pre-screened homes and businesses to display a window cling to let kids know it’s a safe place to go if they’re ever in trouble.

“It’s showing them, hey this is a safe place to come, if you were ever in trouble, someone was following you, you were hurt or you found someone that was hurt,” says Officer Mackenzie Sposeto from the Waukee Police Department.

It’s a program Waukee parent Stacey Anderson wanted to be a part of.

“I have my own children, but also if someone was in danger and needed help, i would be more than happy to help them,” says Anderson.

Anderson has three children attending Waukee schools.

She says with the news of a recent attempted abduction in the area, she’s on high alert.

“I think it’s absolutely scary for every child out there no matter what community they live in, we have to all take precautions to be safe for our children in today’s society,” says Anderson.

Besides adding this new program, Waukee Police are stepping up enforcement.

Officers want to make sure they have a conversation with students throughout the district about stranger danger as well as their new Safe House Program.

“We want to get in the buildings right away, within the first couple of weeks, and do things about school safety, about strangers, about safety in general,” says Officer Sposeto.

Waukee Police also wants people to be on the lookout for a suspect matching the description in the attempted abduction case from Thursday morning.

They say it’s a black man in his 30′s, wearing a long golden-colored trench coat, a black hat, and sunglasses with red rims.

He was driving a newer style cargo van that was dark purple with three black strips on the side.

If you have any information or you spot the van you’re asked to call Waukee Police, on their 24-hour dispatch number, which is 993-4567