[Tif-mail] Community Watch and Town Hall Meeting

[Amitai Levin]

Hello:

 

Recently, Gary Schaer did a telebroadcast bringing the community up-to-date
with police activities and mentioned that a community watch program was
being started.  The community watch program has been launched and is named
"Shomrim Volunteer Guardians of Greater Passaic/Clifton."  The organization
has received support from HaRav Shmuel Kamenetsky and local Rabbonim who
will offer necessary guidance on the functioning and direction of the
organization.  The Shomrim group is working in tandem with local police,
politicians, and various community leaders to best serve all of the
security-related needs of the community.  Please note, this is not a
vigilante militia.  Rather, this is a Shomrim group that is acting as an
extension of the local police department to help keep the community safe.

Joshua Schwager has taken on the role of coordinating this Shomrim group
effort.  Josh’s experience includes growing up in a house where his father
helped start a similar effort in Houston, Texas to the point he actually
became a constable Sheriff.  Additionally, he has successfully led and
organized numerous businesses, events, groups that had very similar needs to
the needs of this new Shomrim group.  Of note, he started and managed the
conversion of Machon Shlomo Yeshiva (Harnoff) into a war-ready facility
during the second Gulf War.  

The group is comprised of volunteers that are acting as unarmed, male-only
patrols who are commanded to report suspicious behavior to the local police
department.  The patrols are to patrol the street in automobiles and not get
out of the car to confront any individual.  The group is not only focused on
street patrol, but also educating and training the community on personal
protection, safety, and security including evaluating and implementing home
security protocols, procedures, and systems.

The initial public 'town-hall' meeting will be taking place at 5 PM this
upcoming Sunday, May 9th at new Beis Shalom located at 733 Passaic Ave. near
Allwood Road in the Clifton section of town.  The meeting will discuss what
has been accomplished to date including discussing the policies, protocols,
and procedures of the Shomrim group.  They are trying to get the local
police to attend and answer questions.   The meeting will be an opportunity
for the community to get involved in the effort to make our community as
safe as possible by voicing your opinion on what you feel is needed and how
it should and shouldn't be accomplished.  Although the local police
department is working diligently to stop the recent string of burglaries by
adding extra uniform and plain-clothes policeman, it is the responsibility
of the community to get involved in the effort to help secure the
neighborhood.

If you are interested in joining the Shomrim Volunteer Guardians of Greater
Passaic/Clifton, please go to the link below and fill out the questionnaire
online:  

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dHM3WUFXWFZkRTRkMzRyYTRsUkhr
YWc6MQ

If you would like to contact Joshua Schwager directly, you may call
973-580-9909  and/or email bigcat51 at aol.com.

My role in this is to serve as the communications liaison for the community.
I now reach close to 800 families directly and I also distribute through the
shul lists.  If you have a neighbor who is not getting these alerts, please
tell them to contact me or send them this communiqué and let them join by
clicking
<mailto:georgem at gapent.com?subject=Please%20add%20me%20to%20the%20Community%
20Alert%20list>  here.

 

Regards,


George Matyjewicz, PhD., Principal
GAP Enterprises, LLC   http://www.gapent.com/ 
"Strategy with a personal touch"
81 Pine Brae,  Suite 1B
Clifton, NJ 07012 (NYC metro)
Direct:  201-225-6786 Fax: (201) 221-7689

Tel: (973) 777-1053   Mobile: (551) 655-2000

 mailto:georgem at gapent.com

P Think before you print

 

 

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