Tip Tuesday with Oxford OPP - May 2025

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Tuesday, 27 May 2025 10:16

OPP Constable Randi Crawford joined Dan and Marcie in the May edition of Tip Tuesday.

OXFORD COUNTY - OPP Constable Randi Crawford was back on the Heart FM morning show for the May edition of Tip Tuesday.

She was off the job for a few months for medical leave, but she's glad to be back just in time for the summer months.

While chatting with Dan and Marcie this morning, Crawford admitted that she felt down sometimes while she was off work, because she couldn't go out and be active in the community. She said the fear of missing out is real, and she even had to reach out to someone for help.

With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, Crawford is encouraging others to do the same if they are struggling.

"Something big or small doesn't matter, the professionals are there to help push you along."

After being welcomed back on the show, Crawford dove right into the questions that were submitted for this month. You can find a breakdown of all that information below:

1) What should a new e-bike owner know when it comes to the general rules of the road and safety tips?

Constable Crawford said the first thing you should do, is make sure the bike is in working order.

"These e-bikes have to have active pedals to be considered an e-bike. If they don't then they are not considered an e-bike anymore, they're not treated as a bicycle, they're treated as a motorcycle and that has a whole bunch of other rules that go along with it."

You also have to wear an approved bike helmet or motorcycle helmet and you can't go faster than 32-kilometres per hour. You also need to know your hand signs for stopping and turning, just like you would on a bicycle.

Crawford recommends wearing bright clothing and having reflectors on your bike so you're visible. It's also a good idea to have a bell or a horn on your bike so you can be heard if need be, and you always be aware of your surroundings.

2) What should everyone keep in mind when they are installing a car seat in a vehicle?

Constable Crawford said it's all about the base.

"The base has to be secured. To do that, you're going to read the car seat manual on how to best install that whether that's rear facing, forward facing or a booster seat. You're going to want to read your vehicle's manual too to see where the best place is to put the car seat."

She adds the base of the car seat can only have an inch of movement once it's fully secured. Your child also should not be wearing a big coat or a snow suit in their car seat, because the buckle needs to be as close to their body as possible.

Looking at the different types of car seats, Crawford says a child under 20 pounds should be in a rear facing seat, a child between 20 and 40 pounds should be in a forward facing seat, and a child over 40 pounds should be in a booster seat.

She recommends visiting Ontario.ca for more information about car seat safety.

3) What role do police officers play in child custody disputes?

Constable Crawford says it's a police officers job to make sure everyone involved is safe, but they are not allowed to provide any legal advice.

"If you aren't agreeing with the other party, then it is up to the lawyers to work together and the legal system to come up with a solution, the police can't do that."

She says families in this situation should reach out to the Canadian Mental Health Association, 211, and the Family Law Information Centre for more information on how to move forward.

The next Tip Tuesday is scheduled for Tuesday, June 24th and you can submit a question online here.