Home Security Surveys

Ask yourself this:
"If I was locked out of my home, how difficult would it be for me to get in?"

The Egg Harbor Township Juvenile & Community Services Unit offers "Security Surveys" too all of our residents. A specially trained Police Officer will come to your home or business and evaluate your property for security concerns. These surveys usually take less than an hour to conduct and are free of cost. Take advantage of this service and take the following precautions to further reduce your chances of becoming a victim of crime:

• Keep the exterior lights of your home on at night. Lighting is the primary night time defense against criminal activity.

• Keep all of your windows and doors locked, even when you are home. Consider adding single cylinder deadbolts to your doors, and additional security devices to your windows, if you don’t currently have them.

• Utilize your alarm system, if you own one.

• Take extra time and watch your neighborhood for suspicious activity. Trust your instincts! If any person’s behavior makes you feel uncomfortable or seems suspicious, report it to the police immediately! Try to get a good description of the person, his clothing and vehicle.

• Never open your door to people that you do not know. Check who is knocking on the door from a window or install a door viewing device. You can speak to the caller without opening the door and never let them know if you are alone.

• Be aware of your surroundings while walking in your neighborhood. Stay alert, even when you are walking to and from your vehicle.

If someone tries to enter your home dial 911! When you dial 911, your address will appear on a screen at the Police Department. So remember, even if you have to lay the phone down to run or hide, the police are still responding.

Start or join a Community Crime Watch group. These programs are a great way to help deter crime in your neighborhood.

Egg Harbor Township residents that would like more information on security, or would like to schedule a Security Survey, should contact Officer Mike Palmentieri in the Juvenile & Community Services Unit at 926-4040.

Community Crime Watch

Throughout the Township, we have several Community Crime Watch Groups. These groups hold periodic meetings where participants get to meet their neighbors and discuss any problems or concerns they may have. Often, a police department representative is invited to speak about Crime Prevention or address a neighborhood concern.

One of the greatest benefits of joining a Community Crime Watch Group is getting to know your neighbors. When you know who belongs in your neighborhood, it is much easier to know who or what does not belong. If everyone looks out for the welfare of the neighborhood and reports suspicious activity, criminal activity will be deterred. Community Crime Watch Groups work! According to the National Crime Prevention Council, "Throughout the country, dramatic decreases in burglary and related offenses are reported by law enforcement professionals in communities with active Watch programs."

"BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR"
BE AWARE – BECOME INVOLVED
LET’S MAKE CRIME MORE TROUBLE THAN IT’S WORTH

Community Crime Watch Groups are active in the following areas:

Some activities that these groups participate in are neighborhood clean ups, block parties, National Night Out, Mischief Night Patrol, and neighborhood yard sales. For further information on joining one of these active groups or starting one in your area, please call Officer Mike Palmentieri in the Juvenile & Community Services Unit at 926-4040.

Crime Prevention for Business

Is your business safe from burglary?

The following information is designed to help you fight burglary through a risk management approach. Risk management may be defined as identifying areas of criminal vulnerability, analyzing the resulting potential profit loss and implementing appropriate security measures at a reasonable cost to your business. For your business burglary prevention program to be effective, active participation, interest and concern is needed.

• Consider key control. Are office keys, master keys, safe keys and vehicle keys lying about? Do you know to whom your keys have been issued or entrusted? If management cannot answer these questions, your security risk factor is very high;

• Keep a record of all keys issued. Master keys and duplicates should be locked away for safekeeping. When a particular key is needed, everyone must sign for its use;

• Have all keys stamped with the words "Do Not Duplicate;"

• Familiarize your employees with your security systems and procedures. Efficient, alert, well-informed and understanding employees are necessary to help you protect your business;

• The address and name of your business should be visible from the street. Use large reflective numbers;

• The entire perimeter of your property should be fenced;

• When not in use, gates should be secured with good padlocks and chains;

• The most common assaults on padlocks are made with bolt-cutters and pry bars. Quality padlocks should have the following:

*Laminated or extruded cases;
*Hardened steel shackle with a minimum diameter of 9/32 of an inch;
*A double locking bolt providing "heel and toe" locking;
*At least 5-pin tumblers in the cylinder;
*A key-retaining feature that prevents removal of the key until the padlock is locked; and
*The chain or hasp you use with the padlock should also be of high-quality hardened steel.

• Electronic gates, alarms, closed circuit television, two-way communications and electronic eye gate openers assist in the detection and identification of intruders;

• Gates should have a predetermined opening and locking schedule with one employee responsible for that duty;

• Post warning signs encouraging customers and employees to always lock their unattended vehicles and to lock any valuables in the trunk because valuables left in plain sight attract thieves;

• Deny burglars access to your roof by securing ladders, pallets, boxes, and crates away from your building;

• Deny burglars a place to hide by keeping grass and shrubs trimmed and debris cleared away from your property;

• Alarms and regular security patrols will also help to secure property that must be stored outside;

• All exterior doors should be constructed of steel or aluminum alloy or solid-core hardwood, with a minimum of 16-gauge steel on side and rear doors. Glass doors should have burglar-resistant glass installed;

• Double doors should be secured with heavy-duty, multiple point, 3" long flush bolts;

• The frame of the door must be as strong as the door;

• Exterior swinging doors should have a one-inch throw dead bolt with hardened steel insert and a free turning steel or brass tapered-cylinder guard;

• Double cylinder locks are recommended where glass is located within 40 inches of the locking mechanism;

• Sliding glass windows and single or double-hung sash windows should have locking pins, bolts, locks or swing latches installed to prevent opening from the building’s exterior;

• Secure all windows. First floor windows should be protected with burglar resistant glass;

• To provide optimum window security install bars, grills grates, or heavy-duty wire screening;

• Mylar window coverings are inexpensive deterrents; and

• Skylights, ventilation openings, air-conditioning/heating ducts and crawl spaces are potential entry points for burglars. Permanently secure these openings by installing metal grilles or grates. If these openings cannot be permanently secured, be sure the are protected by an alarm system.

There are two basic types of intruder detection alarms, i.e., ringing and silent. The basic purpose of an alarm device is to deter an intruder from entering your business or to alert law enforcement of an illegal entry and assist in the rapid apprehension of the suspect. Some of the many time-tested alarm devices are as follows:

*Audio Detectors
*Motion Detectors
*Photoelectric Detectors
*Electromechanical
*Electronic Fences
*Radio Frequency
*Closed Circuit Television
*Electronic Doors and Gates

At night, properly placed lighting will deter burglars.

Personal Safety Seminars

Officers are available to speak on a variety of Safety and Crime Prevention topics. Please call Officer Mike Palmentieri in the Juvenile & Community Services Unit at 926-4040 to schedule.
Many of our brochures are available online.

D.A.R.E. is a 10-week drug and alcohol resistance education program taught to 5th grade students by specially trained police officers. The primary goal of the program is to teach the students how to make good decisions using the D.A.R.E. Decision-Making Model. The lessons are reinforced with workbook activities and classroom discussions. Students are supplied with factual information on the harmful effects of drugs. Using these facts and the decision making model, students practice making their own decisions to avoid alcohol, drugs, and violence.
Traditionally, to celebrate the successful conclusion of each year’s D.A.R.E. Program we hold an event called D.A.R.E. Day. Last year’s D.A.R.E. Day celebration included a magic show from Chadakazam, equipment displays and demonstrations from several Egg Harbor Township Fire Departments, The New Jersey Forrest Fire Service, Displays from different units of the Egg Harbor Township Police Department including Traffic, ERT, and K-9 Units , and a mock police pursuit with K-9 apprehension. Despite the rain everyone had a good time.

Adopt-A-Cop

The Adopt-A-Cop program brings police officers into the fourth grade classrooms. Officers are assigned to certain classrooms for a series of visits. The officers discuss with the students ways to avoid gangs and drugs. They also speak about their duties and role in Law Enforcement. The Adopt-A-Cop Program serves as an introduction to D.A.R.E. allowing the students to feel comfortable with police officers in their classrooms.

Officer Phil

A new program in the works is the Officer Phil Program. This program will be funded by paid advertisements which are published in grade level appropriate workbooks. The program, which includes the workbooks, will be presented to all Kindergarten through the fourth grade classes. Creative Safety Products the parent company of Officer Phil is responsible for selling the ads and scheduling the assemblies with the schools. The Officer Phil Program uses puppetry, magic, and other fun mediums to deliver safety and responsibility messages to the students.

Domestic Violence Response Team

This police sponsored volunteer organization helps victims of domestic violence and family crisis situations get the help they need to effectively deal with their problems.

Neighborhood Dispute Mediation

The Community Justice Institute offers Community Mediation Services for Egg Harbor Township Residents. Residents experiencing ongoing disputes with neighbors, over barking dogs, harassment, noise, or property damage, to name a few common complaints, may choose to have their matter referred for mediation, rather than signing a formal complaint and going to court.

Mediation sessions are scheduled for the 4th Thursday of each month at 9:00am at the Egg Harbor Township Municipal Court. A trained volunteer mediator facilitates the mediation as a neutral third party. The mediator’s role is to encourage and support the disputing parties to communicate and come to an agreement that meets their needs. Other than the agreement, any information or communication between the disputants is confidential. If an agreement cannot be reached you may still pursue your matter with the court. For additional information or to contact the Community Justice Institute directly, call (609)345-7267.

Gun Safety

Second grade students are visited by a police officer who discusses gun safety. The "Eddie Eagle" gun safety video is shown. Students may have the opportunity to act out skits in which a gun is found and show how they would handle the situation. Students are instructed to "STOP, DON’T TOUCH, LEAVE THE AREA, & TELL AN ADULT". This message is repeated in the video as well as in the various handouts.

If you need a gunlock, Project ChildSafe has provided free gunlocks to our police department for distribution. You may stop by the Records Department at police headquarters and request one or call Mike Palmentieri at 926-4040 to make a request.

Exhibitions and Seminars

We can arrange exhibitions on crime prevention. Motorcycle, Bicycle and K-9 unit demonstrations can also be provided. For More information contact the specific unit.

Newsletter

"The Watchful Eye!"

A quarterly publication to inform residents of the workings of the Egg Harbor Township Police Department.

Youth Programs

The Police Athletic League (PAL) and the Law Enforcement Explorer Post #94 provide positive activities for area youth. These volunteer programs help the police and area youth build positive relationships.