Warner Robins police to pass out free whistles to walkers Friday

WARNER ROBINS -- Police will be handing out free whistles to walkers Friday as part of a new safety program.

The kickoff for the "Whistles for Walkers" program is from 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. at Fountain Park, also known as Dry Lake Park.

Neil Hammaker, 63, who lives about two blocks from the park, is credited with coming up with the idea.

Hammaker regularly walks nearby Wellston Trail with his friend, Mike Sullivan. Hammaker said he thinks the whistles are a good idea to alert others in case someone fell or was attacked by a dog.

The program already was in the works before a Sept. 13 assault of a woman on Wellston Trail, said Jennifer Parson, public information officer for Warner Robins police. The woman fought off the man, who was later arrested.

She also stressed that the whistles are not meant to be a substitute for taking other precautionary measures such as walking in pairs.

"We encourage the public to stay vigilant when walking or running, use the buddy system and always tell a family member or close friend where you will be going if you're going alone," Parson said in a news release about the program.

To contact writer Becky Purser, call 256-9559, or find her on Twitter@becpurser.

This story was originally published October 15, 2015 at 5:30 PM with the headline "Warner Robins police to pass out free whistles to walkers Friday ."