Community Safety Presentation Highlights - Tuesday Nov 10, 2020

On Tuesday, November 10, 2020, Community Relations Officer Nick Soley of the Bloomfield Township Police Department (BTPD) did a virtual presentation and answered questions for the residents of Stillmeadow Subdivision.  Officer Soley is a crimes prevention specialist with specialized training.  Approximately 13 people attended.  Here are some highlights from that meeting:

• The crimes in the subdivision in 2020 were crimes of opportunity and not well planned out. Keep doors and cars in the driveway locked. Stay observant.
• There have not been any violent crimes in the neighborhood and none with any weapons of any sort. The thieves prefer to break in as easily as possible and any deterrent is a good one. Invest in good quality locks with metal reinforcements.
• There is very little history of crime in the area.  There were only 3 larcenies in total from 2017 through 2019.  In 2020 there were 3 thefts from vehicles.  All of the vehicles were left outside and unlocked.  The Breaking and Entering (B&E) that occurred in the fall was unusual for the Township.  The police suspect that the perpetrator thought the home was vacant and fled the scene upon encountering the resident.  Nothing was stolen and the resident did not suffer any physical harm.  There were patrol cars and unmarked cars in the neighborhood after the break in to make sure the suspect did not return.
• In regards to a video camera at the front entrance, Officer Soley indicated that it becomes a privacy issue - who is responsible to view the footage, how often, for what purpose, among other issues.  
• Officer Soley  recommended that residents who have cameras, such as a Ring doorbell, contact the Township Police to let them know they have a camera.  The police maintain a spreadsheet for internal use only when they investigate a crime.  They would reach out to homeowners in the area on their list to look at footage that may be relevent to the crime in question.  Click here to register your home camera.
• Keep doors and entranceways well-lit, locked, and easily seen from the outdoors. Clear shrubbery so that they are not hidden from view. Thieves like to stay out of view.
• The Bloomfield Township Police Department does offer a Vacation House watch.  Residents just need to contact the police about when they will be gone and for how long and the BTPD  will put a patrol car in the neighborhood during that period.
• Officer Soley will be happy to come over to any resident’s home and do a quick check of the premises and offer simple and inexpensive solutions for addressing any obvious vulnerabilities.  Residents can contact Officer Soley at 248-433-7724 or via email at nsoley@bloomfieldtwp.org.