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Police report cites 311 offenses YTD; council and residents push for park cameras and better monitoring
Summary
Pennsylvania State Police reported 311 criminal offenses year-to-date for Red Lion; officers and residents urged more park camera coverage and improved monitoring after incidents, and council discussed replacing or upgrading nonfunctional camera equipment at borough parks.
Pennsylvania State Police Cpl. Confer told the council that "Since January 1st, 2024, there have been 311 criminal offenses, 18 DUI's, 91 crashes & a few homicide cases," and said nightly patrol checks occur at Fairmount Park. He urged additional video surveillance, including license-plate-reading capability where appropriate, and training on using footage to assist investigations.
Residents and councilors echoed the call: public commenters and Parks & Recreation staff stressed park safety and functionality. Parks & Rec reported an unreliable camera system at Nitchkey Field and other sites; staff met with Advantage Security and plan to review contracts with the current monitoring vendor, CIA/Monitronics, which has not reliably monitored cameras. Council agreed to explore switching systems to restore functional monitoring and to make camera upgrades a part of ongoing park-improvement planning.
Council also noted that some grants and donations could help pay for equipment; residents offered to research grant opportunities. The discussion tied public-safety data, equipment procurement, and grant eligibility together as council weighs next steps.
