The Hellertown Police Department held its L.E.A.P. (Law Enforcement Assistance Program) meeting on Wednesday at 950 Front St. in Hellertown.
Some of the primary goals of the program are to urge community involvement and to build awareness of ongoing crimes and other issues. Hellertown Police Chief James Baitinger, Mayor David Heintzelman, and officers Jada Roderick and Jaron Steinmetz were in attendance.
“It’s a newer program based upon the same principles (of a neighborhood watch program), we’re just rebranding,” Baitinger said. “We’re here for new ideas and getting new people involved. I was at the Saucon Valley Community Center yesterday talking with those folks, we’re here tonight, and I want to get out and get more people involved with the community,” he added.
Roughly 25 Hellertown residents attended Wednesday’s meeting, which served as an opportunity for locals to ask officers for advice or about what they should be doing in certain situations.
“That’s what law enforcement is; it’s working with your community members,” said the chief. “We need the eyes and ears of our residents out there. They know what and who belongs; they know what cars belong on their streets. We are patrolling the streets 24/7, but we can’t be everywhere all of the time.”
Perhaps the most critical message the police relayed to the public was to not hesitate or be reluctant to call the department. If there is a crime or something seems suspicious, residents should speak up. The 911 number should be used for emergencies, but residents can dial 610-759-2200 for non-emergencies and to share information.
“It’s called being responsible, it’s called being an adult,” Baitinger said. “You report what you see. Again, we can’t be everywhere, but with everyone helping us out, it makes the community safer and our jobs easier.”
The police filled in locals about a few ongoing crime-related issues in the Hellertown area, including vehicle break-ins. Catalytic converters have also been frequently stolen this year. Police told residents to call 911, be as detailed as possible and to take note of the direction of the vehicle’s travel if they see a crime happening.
Cooking oil has also been stolen from local restaurants in the Hellertown area. Police said there have been over 20 thefts in the last year that have been reported. The cooking oil can be recycled, filtered and put into biodiesel engines. Police noted that thieves typically use vans with a large 300-gallon drum and are usually dressed in orange (sometimes wearing a vest).
“We want to reach as many people as we can. It seems like not many people knew about the (theft of) catalytic converters, and not a lot of people knew about the cooking oil thefts,” Steinmetz said.
“We’re here for them, and they need to call us whenever they see something. But I know there are people that don’t want to call us for every single thing–but we need that. We’re here to serve and answer calls. If nobody calls anything in, then we won’t know much,” he added.
The program plans to meet quarterly, and the next meeting will be scheduled for sometime in March.
“We are so fortunate to have the police force that we have who are constantly working together as a team. We are so blessed. We’re going to become stronger and stronger,” added Heintzelman.
For more updates and information, visit the Hellertown Police Department’s Facebook page.
Residents attend the Hellertown Police Department’s LEAP (Law Enforcement Assistance Program) meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 13. (Credit: Justin Carlucci)
