Hellertown Block Watch to Resume

Beginning later this month, public safety concerns will once again be addressed at regular block watch meetings in Hellertown.

At Borough Council's April 4 meeting, Police Chief Robert Shupp announced that the block watch program is being resuscitated, after dwindling numbers of attendees led to its discontinuation last year.

Shupp said the first meeting this year will be held at Borough Hall April 27 at 7pm.

Regular meetings will be held the last Wednesday of the month on a bimonthly basis after that, meaning the following meeting will be held Wednesday, June 29.

"Hopefully this will keep the interest of the people," Shupp said.

Although he has yet to choose an officer to lead the block watch program, Shupp said he has been considering several candidates and may "give them all a shot and see who does the best job."

The purpose of the block watch meetings--which sometimes feature guest speakers--is to help educate residents about crime and public safety.

In a separate announcement, Shupp told councilors that police will be enforcing parking ordinances in the borough's three cul-de-sacs because of inappropriate parking behaviors along them.

"People are parking at an angle in the cul-de-sacs," Shupp said. "We do have an ordinance against it and it is illegal under the vehicle code."

The enforcement is necessary in order to maintain public safety, he told council members. "You couldn't get a fire truck in there if you had to."

Shupp said his department will send letters to residents who live on cul-de-sacs advising them of the ordinance and letting them know that police will be enforcing it.

He did not specifically name the three roads, but the three cul-de-sacs that appear on current borough maps are Ilona Drive, Hillcrest Court and Beech Circle.

"Safety's always our first priority," he commented.

Shupp also announced that the Hellertown Police Department will hand out its annual officer awards--including its Officer of the Year award--at the April 18 Borough Council meeting.