In response to the spate of car break-ins and recent armed robberies and carjackings, a group of Chestnut Hill and Mount Airy neighbors is proposing banding together to re-form local Town Watch in neighborhoods that need them.

The program has been on hiatus in both neighborhoods for a number of years. However, residents alarmed by an uptick in criminal activities brought the issue to the fore in a recent series of posts on nextdoor.com.

In response, resident Lynn Selhat orchestrated a Zoom meeting of more than a dozen of those neighbors. The city’s Town Watch Integrated Services Executive Director Anthony Murphy was on the call to provide guidance in how Town Watch might be reconstituted, generating considerable interest among those neighbors in re-forming local Town Watch.

Additionally, a group of neighbors attended a January 29 Zoom call hosted by Police Lt. Demetrios Pittaoulis, focused on similar concerns. This suggests that neighbors on both calls might find common cause.

Following up on this resurgent interest, a training call is on tap for February 16 from 7 to 9 p.m., led by Murphy.

The purpose of the meeting is twofold:

• Training for Town Watch Eyes and Ears, a reporting program rather than a patrolling program. Attendees will learn about what to look for in our neighborhoods and how to report anything suspicious.
• Keeping yourself safe, with tips for keeping yourself, your family and your property safe.

Any neighbor who is interested in joining the Town Watch training call can join the call by emailing:

Jeff Meade at irishphilly@gmail.com
or
Lynn Selhat at Lynn_selhat@yahoo.com