Long Hill Township police officers often respond to residential and business areas to investigate suspicious vehicles reported by concerned citizens.  Police officers while on patrol will also keep an eye out to spot vehicles that to their knowledge, look out of place or unfamiliar.  All township residents have the ability to assist the police officers by making their job easier to immediately identify vehicles owned by township residents.  The Long Hill Township Crime Prevention Unit has developed an identification system for all residents to participate in.  All Long Hill Township residents are urged to utilize the vehicle identification decal.

The decal, to be placed on the lower left-hand corner of the rear window, creates an immediate means for police officers to differentiate between a resident and non-residents vehicle.  The identification comes in the form of a decal bearing the township outline.  The decal protects the identity of the vehicle’s owner by not identifying the decal in any means.  Only local residents and the officers of the police department really are aware of the decal’s purpose.  The decal may be purchased for a fee of $1.00 at the Long Hill Township Police Department, 264 Mercer Street, Stirling.  All of the proceeds of this valuable program benefit the Long Hill Township Police Explorer Program.

If you are going on vacation:

• Stop the newspapers and mail
• Leave some light on, or put some on timers
• Put vehicles in the garage, or move them so they do not block the view of the house.
• Leave a key with a neighbor.  Do NOT try to hide the key in the shrubs.
• Notify the Police Department so we can watch the house.  You may use this on-line request form.

A thief's greatest risk is being "caught in the act", and the second greatest risk is being caught with the evidence.  Operation Identification is a citizen's burglary prevention program designed for use in both homes and businesses.  The Operation Identification program involves the marking of property with an identifying number as a means of discouraging burglary and theft.  The Long Hill Township Crime Prevention Unit encourages all residents and businesses to participate in this simple but effective program.

Marked property is difficult for a criminal to dispose or re-sell.  Furthermore, if the thief is caught with marked items, it is solid evidence that can link them to the original theft or have charges filed for the possession of stolen property.  Recent statistics show that when an investigating police officer requests a serial number on a stolen item, 90% of the victims cannot immediately provide one.  A staggering 70% of crime victims are never able to provide a serial number.  An owner applied number significantly increases the odds of stolen property being returned to it's rightful owner, can help identify criminals found to be in possession of stolen property and act as a powerful deterrent to prevent theft before it happens.

Every year, across the country millions of dollars of recovered lost or stolen property is auctioned off by law enforcement agencies.  The problem is purely one of lack of identification.  When unmarked stolen property is recovered outside the immediate area in which the theft occurred, the chance of having unmarked items traced back to the owner is extremely small.  Operation Identification allows Federal, State and Municipal law enforcement agencies to positively identify property by referencing a national crime information computer to determine the owner's identity. 

Items attractive for theft include: cameras, computer equipment, cell phones, televisions, stereo equipment and other valuable items specific to the home or business owner.  The Long Hill Township Crime Prevention Unit can assist you in determining your property at risk.  Photographic and videotape records of collectables is always recommended in addition to any engraved items.

The Operation Identification sends a powerful message to potential burglars that you have taken proactive steps to protect your valuables.  The visible marking combined with window and door stickers announcing your participation, add up to one thing, increased risk for the criminal.

All residents and business owners are encouraged to contact the Long Hill Township Police Department to schedule an appointment by a certified crime prevention officer.  They will be glad to help you determine the appropriate items to be marked and provide the engraving tool.  Residents are instructed to engrave their driver's license number, which is readily identifiable by any police officer.

A thorough personal home or business security survey can also be scheduled to improve the impact of this program.  Please contact Sgt. Steven Hecksel at (908) 647-1800 ext. 250 and take the first step to help prevent a crime.

According to recent national crime statistics a home is burglarized every eleven seconds.  Criminals steal valuables such as electronics, collectables, jewelry, cameras and currency.  However, criminals also steal your sense of security and rob you of cherished family heirlooms and memories irreplaceable by insurance companies. 

The average burglar will spend no more than 3-5 minutes attempting to gain access to your residence.  The home security survey can help you evaluate your home's defenses and create a "hardened" target.  The unfortunate fact is that according to a U.S. Department study, half of all home burglaries are committed without the use of force to gain entry.  More often than not, burglars are entering through unlocked doors and windows almost exclusively when the occupants are away. 

The Long Hill Township Crime Prevention Unit invites you to take the first step to improve your family's security and peace of mind by scheduling a home security survey with a crime prevention specialist.  The survey reviews, locks, doors, windows, landscaping, alarms systems and general security procedures.  You will receive a personal evaluation of your residence combined with valuable, simple and proven suggestions.  The Long Hill Township Crime Prevention Unit encourages all residents to take advantage of this program and work together as a team towards a safer community.  A united community is a safe community.  To schedule your security survey today please contact Sgt. Steven Hecksel at 908-647-1800 ext. 250.

Imagine that it's two in the morning when you dial 911 to report your son/daughter is experiencing difficulty in breathing.  You are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the police and first aid personnel.  The first few minutes it takes for you to see the first sign of emergency lights proceeding down the street seems like hours.  The initial responding police officer is scanning each side of the street to determine the appropriate house number.  The officer is using his hand held patrol vehicle spotlight to illuminate mailboxes, front porches, trees and front yards in an effort to locate the correct address in a timely manner.  Even though you remembered to post those new 4" brass house numbers two weeks ago under the front porch light, the officer is struggling one block away to determine the exact house.  Some of your neighbors were not that concerned that their numbers were prominently displayed.  Because this is only a story the valuable time lost due to improperly marked house numbers did not result in a tragedy.

The Crime Prevention Unit encourages all township residents to prominently post your house number ideally in a location that you can illuminate in case of an emergency.  A Long Hill Township Ordinance to help in preventing such a situation requires the placement of a house number utilizing a minimum of 3" lettering.  Take a few minutes to make sure that your house number can be recognized from the street and not obstructed by vegetation.  If your residence is located up a longer driveway or is obscured by elevation, the number should be posted at eye level and visible from the edge of the driveway.  Residents are discouraged from placing numbers too close to the ground as they may become covered by snow in the winter.

The Long Hill Township Police Department is in the process of scheduling several DWI road checks during the course of the up coming year.  The goal of this successful enforcement program is to reduce the incidence of intoxicated drivers.  The check point dates, times and location will be selected based upon statistical analysis of previous DWI arrests.  Road checks conducted periodically over the past several years have resulted in the arrest of numerous intoxicated drivers, arrest of drivers under the influence of drugs, apprehensions due to outstanding warrants, summons issued for suspended driver's licenses and vehicles being towed resulting from unregistered or uninsured vehicles.

While there has been significant enforcement activity, the main focus of the officers assigned is on creating awareness, deterrence and education.  You will be able to easily recognize an approaching road check by the observation of emergency lighting, road flares, traffic cones and advisement signs.  Please operate with caution near the road check as officers will be positioned on the roadway.  If you are contacted at a road check, you may be requested to produce a driver's license during a brief contact with the officer.  The few minute delay it may create in order for you to pass through can help save the lives of our neighbors, friends and family.  The Long Hill Township Police Department wishes to thank you for your continued support of this program.

In police work, it has often been recognized that a police officer's greatest asset is his/her eyes.  In short, it's the police officer's ability to observe and then evaluate his surroundings for the possible existence of suspicious activity.  The same holds true for every citizen as part of a neighborhood.  Whether you are a registered member of a Neighborhood Watch group or just a concerned citizen, what you see and observe can be of great importance.  For example, in the course of one week, a citizen will see many different things, persons and situations.  Most of what is seen will be normal and not of a suspicious nature.  Understand however that due to police department call volume and allocation of resources, what you are observing may not be directly observed by an officer.  The observations made by the residents of Long Hill Township are the "missing link" between the suspicious activity and the police department.  Through your skills as an observer, you will be able to obtain the facts necessary to determine if a police response is appropriate.  As a final reminder, if you are having difficulty determining whether to call, please call.  An officer would rather check a situation out and relax your concerns then have to respond after the fact.

The effectiveness of the crime prevention program can be seen in the statistical results.  There were 46 more fraud investigations in 1999 than in 1998.  That means there was a 128% increase in the fraud category. 

• During the first quarter of 2000, there were 38 reported fraud cases.  If this trend were to continue, Long Hill Township would experience approximately 152 fraud cases in the year 2000.  In response to this forecasting and trend, the Support Services Division presented a fraud awareness program to the senior citizens of Long Hill Township in March 2000. 
• After the program in March 2000, there were only 7 reported fraud cases during the second quarter of 2000.  This is an 82% decrease from the previous quarter and if this continues, we will experience approximately 59 fraud cases for the present year, which would be a 28% decrease in fraud investigations.
• This program resulted in a positive - and almost immediate - reduction in fraud investigations.