With the holidays approaching and the City decorated for the season, HR met with Officer Tyler Sherlock to talk about home safety, 911 operations, and the real-life advice families can use to stay safe without relying on paint cans, blow torches, or VCRs. Below is our festive Q&A with Officer Sherlock.
HR: What are the actual rules on leaving your kid home alone (on purpose, of course)?
Officer Sherlock: Nebraska doesn’t set a specific age when a child can legally be left home alone. Instead, the law focuses on whether the child is mature enough to take care of themselves safely. As a general guideline, children under 10 should not be left unattended, and older children should only stay home alone if they can follow safety rules, manage minor emergencies, and be able to contact a trusted adult. Officer Sherlock adds, “If you’re unsure, err on the side of caution. Kevin McCallister was unusually resourceful, but most kids shouldn’t be expected to outsmart professional burglars.”
HR: During the holidays, what types of calls do police and 911 dispatch see most often, especially when families are traveling, or kids are home alone?
Officer Sherlock: There’s typically an increase in welfare checks, suspicious person or vehicle reports, package theft, burglary attempts, and accidental alarms. Dispatch also receives more mistaken 911 calls from excited kids exploring new phones or tablets. “Overall, the community does a great job looking out for each other,” Officer Sherlock said. “We always encourage people to call anytime something feels off.” Especially if you don’t have a neighbor like Old Man Marley.
HR: What’s your advice for making sure the “Wet Bandits” don’t make your home the next target? Do light timers really help?
Officer Sherlock: Absolutely. Burglars look for homes that appear unoccupied. Light timers, motion lights, and smart bulbs help create the appearance that someone is home. Sherlock adds, “If you want to recreate Kevin’s fake holiday party with mannequins dancing in the windows, we won’t stop you—but technology has come a long way since 1990.”
Additional safety tips from APD: Ask a trusted neighbor to keep an eye out, avoid posting real-time vacation plans on social media, lock all doors and windows (including basement windows), and consider a doorbell camera or basic security system. And, if you notice wet footprints leading away from your front door… well, someone may have beaten APD to the scene.
HR: How can we protect our precious packages from porch pirates?
Officer Sherlock: Porch pirate activity increases during the holidays, but residents have options. You can use package lockers or pick-up locations, have deliveries sent to a workplace or trusted neighbor, enable delivery notifications, use a secure porch or lockbox, and install motion-activated cameras. Neighbors watching out for one another makes a huge difference. APD encourages reporting anything suspicious.
HR: What should I do if I “accidentally” flood my basement steps?
Officer Sherlock: If it’s intentional to deter burglars, please don’t. For genuine accidents, first turn off the water source if it’s safe. Then, contact a professional for cleanup. If there’s an electrical risk or the situation becomes unsafe, call the Police Department. Turning your home into an ice rink is a great movie moment,” Officer Sherlock said. “In real life, the cleanup bill is the real crime.”
HR: If I fly to Paris and accidentally leave my child in the attic, will the Police keep transferring me to Family Services, or will someone check on him?
Officer Sherlock: If you believe a child may have been left home alone, APD will absolutely conduct a welfare check. The priority is always child safety. Officers will also coordinate with DHHS if needed, but there’s no judgment. “Holiday travel is stressful,” Sherlock noted. “Just maybe do a headcount before takeoff next time.”
HR: What do you hope the public understands about the department’s work during the holiday season?
Officer Sherlock: The holiday season is busy for law enforcement. APD handles more calls related to travel, weather, domestic disturbances, thefts, and welfare concerns. Despite the volume, “Our goal is always the same: keep everyone safe and respond quickly when you need us.” APD appreciates the community’s support and encourages residents to call anytime something feels suspicious or unsafe.
HR added, members of the police department, including dispatchers, as well as the fire department, operate 24/7/365, which often means they are missing time with their families to keep yours safe.
HR: If someone is trying to crawl through the doggie door, what should we do instead of using a blow torch or booby-trapping the house with ornaments?
Officer Sherlock: Please call 911. Homemade booby traps can injure the homeowner, officers, firefighters, and even the suspect. “We’d much rather handle the situation professionally than have someone hurt by paint cans, irons, or airborne bricks,” Sherlock said. APD will take it from there—no elaborate traps required.
HR: Important holiday question: What’s the department’s preferred Christmas dinner—mac and cheese or Little Nero’s Pizza?
Officer Sherlock: APD never turns down a good homemade mac and cheese. But if a Little Nero’s (Papa’s) driver shows up with a stack of pizzas, they won’t say no, as long as he’s not peeling out in the driveway or threatening lawn ornaments.
HR: Any final safety reminders for families this season?
Officer Sherlock offers a few quick tips:
Double-check smoke detectors before gatherings or big cooking days.
Keep candles, space heaters, and decorations away from anything flammable.
Make sure kids know how to reach a trusted adult or call 911 in an emergency.
Tell a neighbor if you’re traveling and secure your home.
And above all: If something feels unsafe, suspicious, or just not quite right—call APD.
“We’re here to help—whether it’s a real emergency or your kid’s upset someone ate the last piece of cheese pizza.”
Thank you to all our emergency service employees who keep our community safe during the holiday season. In Home Alone, it took Gus Polinski (the Polka King of the Midwest) to help Kevin’s mom get home. Here in Alliance, we’re lucky to have dedicated emergency service teams who go the extra mile for our community all season long.