Keeping Our Community Safe: A Guide from the Irvington Police Community Affairs

In our quest to create a safer and more secure environment for everyone, the Irvington Police Community Affairs division extends a hand to each resident with a simple yet powerful message: Help Us Help You. By staying vigilant and informed, every citizen can play a crucial role in enhancing the safety of our neighborhood. This guide outlines practical steps you can take to observe, note, and report suspicious activities effectively, ensuring our community remains a haven for all its members.

The Power of Observation

Your familiarity with the neighborhood is our most valuable asset in maintaining safety. Changes, no matter how small, can be significant indicators of suspicious activities. We encourage you to:

• Observe Your Surroundings: Regularly take note of what’s new or different in your area.
• Use a Notebook: Keep a record of any observations, including suspicious persons, vehicles, or activities.

Key Details to Note

When reporting, the more detailed your description, the more effectively we can respond. Please try to include:

• Vehicle Details: Plate number, color, and a detailed description.
• Individual Descriptions: Complexion, height, weight, clothing colors, and any distinctive marks such as scars or tattoos.
• Location and Timing: Exact locations and the time of day the observation was made.
• Frequency and Behavior: How often the activity occurs and specific actions, such as drug transactions between vehicles, corner hand-to-hand exchanges, or activities stemming from a residence.

Recognizing Suspicious Activities

Some activities may stand out as particularly suspicious and warrant immediate attention:

• Individuals or vehicles that remain in one location for an unusually long time.
• Persons exhibiting strange behavior or moving in an unusual manner.
• Vehicles that circle the block or a specific area repeatedly.
• Individuals who appear to be concealing something suspicious.
• Persons engaging others on the street unexpectedly.
• Someone looking into cars or moving from one car to another.
• Groups wearing gang colors that are unfamiliar to the neighborhood.

Immediate Action

If you observe any suspicious activities, it’s crucial to contact the police immediately. Your prompt reporting can provide us with the information needed to investigate and address potential threats to our community’s safety.

Let’s Collaborate for a Safer Community

Our commitment to community safety is unwavering, but law enforcement cannot do it alone. Your eyes and ears are essential in helping us detect and prevent crime. By working together, we can ensure our neighborhood remains a secure place for everyone.

For further information or to report suspicious activities, please contact the Office of Community Affairs at 973-416-5730. Your proactive involvement is key to our collective safety and well-being. Help us help you make our community a better, safer place to live.