Program is brainchild of Hopewell Township and Pennington police and Hopewell Valley Municipal Alliance
By John Tredrea
The prevention of unsupervised teen parties is the goal of a new program for Valley parents launched by the Hopewell Township and Pennington police and the Hopewell Valley Municipal Alliance.
Of special concern are parties at which drugs or alcohol may be present.
"Parents or guardians may, if they desire, contact the Hopewell Township or Pennington police departments and request that the police give added attention to their home while they are out of town and a young person is staying at home," township police Chief George Meyer said Dec. 6.
"When making such a request to the police department, be sure to include a cell phone or other contact number. In your absence, officers will look for unusual activity at your home and you will be contacted if any is observed," the chief said.
Parents interested in using this program only have to deal with the police dispatcher who answers the phone. The dispatchers have a short questionnaire, given over the phone, through which police can get all the information they need, the chief said.
Chief Meyer and Heidi Kahme, chairwoman of the Municipal Alliance, stressed that the goal of the program is to prevent unsupervised youth parties, not to make arrests.
"It is a prevention program, not an apprehension program," Chief Meyer said. "We believe that parents taking advantage of this program will have a very significant preventative effect with respect to unsupervised parties and do much to keep our young people safe."
The chief and Ms. Kahme said local law enforcement officials have been aware for years that some teens, when left home alone, see an opportunity to have a small gathering of friends at their home.
"Experience has shown that frequently word of a small gathering will spread and quickly the small gathering becomes a large party, with uninvited people, and possible drugs or alcohol present," the chief said.
The program addresses the fact that many residents are reluctant to ask neighbors to act as a "watch dog" over their residence while they are away, officials say. They noted, too, that residents who are asked to be watch dogs often are reluctant to take on that role.
"This way, parents can say, before they leave them home, that they’ve notified the police department," Ms. Kahme said. "And the kids can say to their friends who may have suggested a gathering: ‘I can’t do it. My parents have called the police.’"
The chief said the police departments would check the homes as often as they can.
"One major incident can tie up all or most of our officers," he said. "So we can’t guarantee how often we will be able to check the homes of the parents who request it. But we’ll look in on them as often as we can."
Hopewell Township or Hopewell Borough parents interested in the program should call 737-3100. In Pennington, call 737-2020. Township Lt. Lance Maloney is the man in charge of administration of the program for Hopewell Township and Hopewell Borough. In Pennington, William Meytrott, police director, is in charge.
The Hopewell Valley Municipal Alliance is part of a statewide group of alliances whose mission is the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse. The Valley’s Alliance has longstanding partnerships with municipal governments, business leaders, school officials, clergy, mental health professionals, athletic organizations and students in addition to the police.
Activities sponsored or funded by the alliance in cooperation with these groups include the DARE program in the elementary schools; TATU (Teens Against Tobacco Use) in Central High School; PANDA (Preventing Drug and Alcohol Abuse), also in the high school; the Post Prom Party, Project Democracy; the New Jersey Middle School Peer Leadership Initiative; and many others.

