A neighborhood watch program on 14 streets encourages neighbors to look out for other people's homes when they are on vacation. McGruff Safe Homes provides a haven to a child who may have been involved in an accident or fight. The homes are selected by police based on location and the character of the resident, who must undergo a criminal background check. A child ID program encourages parents to keep cards with their child's photo and vital statistics in case the child is lost or abducted. And a bicycle registration program helps police return stolen bicycles to their owners.
Theft is the most frequent crime here, with bicycles ranking as the most stolen item.
Candy Bennett, a Neighborhood Watch volunteer coordinator in 1991, has lived in the borough for 30 years with her husband, a lifelong resident. Though she is aware of sporadic burglaries, most recently at homes along the Navesink River, Bennett feels very safe. That safe feeling is responsible for the borough school district's open-lunch policy. Recently, some residents questioned the policy that allows youngsters from the Knollwood and Viola L. Sickles schools to walk home for lunch. But the policy remains in place following parental surveys, said schools Superintendent Robert J. Chartier, who said parents must give consent before their children are allowed to go home for lunch.