From the Chief of the Lakewood Police Department:
I would like to make a comment regarding recent reports of attempted child luring cases around the township. We are currently continuing our investigation of the reported incidents as of this time and ask for any help that the public may be able to offer, our detectives are very active with this case.
I would like to point out a few facts;
Young children should not be out of an adult’s sight for any period of time. Children should not be walking alone, or riding a bicycle late at night alone. People should walk in pairs and small groups and stay in well light areas, avoiding paths and shortcuts through wooded or desolate areas.
Ongoing community tensions between our township and neighboring towns have resulted in increased acts of people shouting out of passing cars and some other senseless acts towards our residents.
It is important with the upcoming holidays and the warmer summer months that’s increased pedestrian and foot traffic around town that we use caution, wear reflector belts when possible, and be alert of our surroundings.
If you should see something suspicious, please call the police department and relay the information to our dispatch center so that we may send an officer out to investigate. It is very important to avoid delay in calling.
We will be increasing our marked patrols and our plain clothes operations during the next few weeks over the upcoming holiday and summer months.
Thank you.
The Police Chief reads TLS? Who would’ve thunk it?
Greg, we love you
Thank you Chief! We appreciate al of your har work and concern.
I agree more than 100 % with the suggestions that the POLICE chief brought up. I wanted to write about it myself, Thank you,
I have nothing but admiration for the LPD , we are lucky to have such a great team .
But I think with the rate that our town is expanding, and the world we live in, perhaps we need to expand the police department as well.
These suggestions are valid
BUT, the incident reported was when the child when out to the car to retrieve something by day.
The police need to be more aggressive in catching this lowlife!!!
Thank you to the police chief and all the officers of the LPD for their incredible work to keep us all safe. You are our heroes!
Thank you LPD and Chief Meyer!
‘ increased acts of people shouting out of passing cars’. Is this illegal? Any suggestions of what I can legally do? i get this all the time plus similar harassment and at times being tailgated. Tks Chief
Should you see something suspicious, a possible abduction or harassment or abuse of a child, PLEASE call the Police directly. Not 911. The Station House.
911 is a County wide system and prone to delays and errors
The LPD direct # is 732.363.0200.
Calling the Safety Patrol, Hatzolah (when no one has been injured) or the Fire Dept (when there’s no fire) only delays a rapid response by Law Enforcement.When it comes to a precious child even one minute is critical.
i AGREE WITH THE CHIEF AND HAVE OFTEN THOUGHT ABOUT THIS WHEN i SAW SMALL CHILDREN WALKING ALONE. tHE POLICE CANNOT BE EVERYWHERE. iT IS ENOUGH WE HAVE SUCH BAD DRIVERS HERE. pARENTS WATCH YOUR CHILDREN— THEY ARE yours-NOT SOMEONE ELSES RESPONSIBILITY.
I have been thinking the same thing for a few months now.
Please watch your children. They are YOUR babies and YOUR responsibility.
Sending a child out to the car if you live on a road such as Route 9 is asking for trouble as it is a major travel corridor. Watch your child from the window or have them be escorted by an older sibling or friend.
The LPD ALWAYS do their part in keeping Lakewood and your children safe, so please do your part and keep an eye on them.
I see far too many children unsupervised.
how about a township ordinance where every above ground house must have video surveilence equipment. perhaps something could be set up through homeland security, and bulk purchasing to make it affordable
Why exclude the houses below ground? Don’t they also deserve to be safe? Middle Earth too.
Also you should only call the police when its something you think is serious. For example: my husband and I are lakewood residents our entire lives. We dont judge anyone because they are a different religion or race. Well here we are in a well lit parking lot at 7pm, I run into the dollar tree, my husband who is half black and half white is standing outside our car texting on his phone. We were in my car at the time so i dont have tint on the windows so you can clearly see 4 kids in the car 2 big carseats. Even looking out of the dollar tree window i can see my husband and my children, i didnt even have my glasses on. He was parked 3 rows back. So i hear this woman customer say to the manager who is in his 20s and not a huge guy, could he please walk her to her car because there is a dark man outside leaning on a car and she is nervous that he may rob her. I seen him walk the woman to the 1st row of cars and it was weird to me. She was maybe in her late 20s early 30s was the parking lot that unsafe? Did I myself also need protection? I had a cash in my pocketbook as well. The manager comes in and i asked if i should feel safe. He giggled and was like you are fine. I then asked wait was she scared of the light skin black man in the parking lot with the children in the car? He giggled again. I went outside told my husband the story and he then realized thats why he was being looked at funny. We began to leave the parking lot and see a police officer pull in and circling the lot. WOW!! Where the police called? There were atleast 100 other cars in the lot. Like this woman thought because she saw a man he wanted to rob her?!?! To me thats horrifying!!