Keeping watch, increasing safety
Well known in South Jersey as a picturesque and historic place, Haddonfield has something for everyone. As businesses thrive and the center of town continues to be walkable and aesthetically beautiful for residents living nearby, the charming and beautifully maintained old homes and buildings gleam to all those who pass through.
There may only be one problem. Such a pleasant, pretty and seemingly trusting community is experiencing burglaries throughout town, sometimes on a weekly basis.
To help prevent crime, Haddonfield Civic Association’s Neighborhood Watch program is attempting to keep Haddonfield and its residents as safe and sound as possible, while also bringing together an already responsive and friendly community.
HCA citizen advisory board liaison and member Caroline Foote explained how and why the watch began.
“It was started by Brain Wolfson … we approached the civic association between the middle and end of 2012 … he was concerned about increasing crime in town … just concerned in general,” Foote said.
Since then, the HCA has increased neighborhood and police participation. Lt. Ed Wiley is a police community liaison for the group, and Foote mentioned that both Redman and Euclid avenues have put together citizen watch sectors.
“It’s really more an eyes and ears of the neighborhoods … and to get people involved with actually not being afraid to talk with police,” Foote said. “As much as you want to be involved, you can.”
Getting involved with helping to run the general HCA Neighborhood Watch program, or starting a direct watch sector on a specific street in town, is pretty simple.
To sign up for alerts, Wiley or any HCA member can help. People can also sign up through the HCA website, www.haddonfieldcivic.com.
“If people just want to sign up for alerts, we try to get them out in about 24 hours,” Foote explained. “We’re working with the police department to get alerts and communications out.”
As far as starting a direct street or even block watch, Foote suggested emailing the HCA at [email protected], or asking any HCA member or Wiley for some start-up tips.
“You can actually start a watch on your block, and we’re happy to help you,” Foote said.
Foote explained, as does the watch website, that the watch is not necessarily about constantly patrolling the streets of Haddonfield. Instead, it is more about empowering residents, and keeping a general watch on each other’s property. People in the watch program exchange emails, phone numbers, and other contact information, which helps residents be informants for one another.
“It’s basically watching in general … it’s really about putting neighbors in touch with each other,” Foote said.
The HCA holds occasional town-wide forums about the Neighborhood Watch program, which are open to all Haddonfield residents. The last forum was this past fall, but the HCA already has a new forum planned for this spring.
The next forum will take place on Thursday, May 15, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Taproom Grill on 427 W. Crystal Lake Ave.
There is no prior registration required for the event, and Wiley and other watch liaisons will most likely be in attendance.
“It will be a more casual environment to help more people get involved,” Foote said.
To contact or learn more about the watch, please visit www.haddonfieldcivic.com/watch/.
