The Township of Lakewood has set up a Safe Exchange Zone in the parking lot of the Municipal Building located at 231 3rd Street.

Because of the high volume of online selling and trading of goods, we think it is important for the safety of our community to have a designated area for these purposes. “We wanted to give the residents of Lakewood a safe location to do exchanges and make purchases that are monitored by the Police Department”, said Chief Gregory Meyer. The Safe Exchange Zone is a well lit area that is under 24 hour surveillance.

While the Safe Exchange Zone provides an area for buyers and sellers to meet, it is important to remember that people you meet online are strangers and can pose dangers. Not every buyer or seller you meet online is someone who is true with their intent. When making arrangements to complete online transactions face-to-face, residents should be reminded to:

Complete all transactions during daylight hours, if possible
Bring a cell phone in case of emergency
Notify friends or family about the details of the exchange beforehand
Never invite strangers to your home or agree to meet at a stranger’s home
Reconsider any transaction with an individual who refuses to meet at a designated Safe Exchange Zone.

Taking these simple precautions helps make these types of in person transactions safer for everyone in our community.