Salisbury Township residents had a chance to sit down with Salisbury Police Chief Allen W. Stiles and several other officers at an informal community outreach breakfast event Jan. 20.

“It was like a relaxed town hall meeting,” one pleased resident said. She said she appreciated the opportunity to discuss issues, express concerns and ask questions of the township’s law enforcement community and called the event “a really good idea.”

Along with Stiles, Sgt. Donald Sabo, Sgt. Ronald Patten, Det. Kevin Kress, Cpl. Chris Casey and School Resource Officer Richard Nothstein interacted with a couple of dozen residents who expressed concerns about speeding motorists, winter road conditions, nuisance crimes in the township and other issues. Stiles said his officers were compiling lists of follow-up items to take away from the event.

The “Coffee with a Cop” outreach was held 9:30 to 11 a.m. at Francesco’s Italian Ristorante and Pizzeria, 1701 E. Susquehanna St. The restaurant provided a variety of breakfast pizza for patrons, along with coffee provided by Daisy Hill Market and donuts from Vallo’s Bakery, both close neighborhood businesses in the eastern portion of the township.

Stiles told attendees about personnel working in the police department, activities the force gets involved in and efforts to keep residents and visitors to the area safe. Stiles said the police department enjoys an outstanding relationship with the township’s elected commissioners and thanked them for their ongoing support.

Commissioners Joanne Ackerman and Robert Martucci were able to attend, along with Salisbury High School Principal Heather Morningstar and representatives of the township’s zoning and planning departments.

In addition to township tax dollars that support the township’s law enforcement activities, Stiles said the township has been able to secure about $1.5 million in local, state and federal grant money for equipment and programs in the township in the past two decades.

Addressing nuisance crimes in township neighborhoods, Det. Kevin Kress commented on the problem of vehicle break-ins across the township.

“These are primarily ‘crimes of opportunity,’” Kress said. “Perpetrators are going out in the wee hours of the morning and pulling on a hundred or two hundred vehicle door handles looking for those few vehicles left unlocked so they can pillage items from inside the vehicles.” Kress said very few of the break-ins involve force.

“If you always ensure your vehicle is locked, we can cut this problem way back,” Kress said.

Stiles said activities of all kinds at major sites like Lehigh Valley Hospital, the South Mall and along the Lehigh Street auto mile occupy a lot of the officers’ time and efforts. “But, if you see something that seems out of place in your neighborhood, call the Lehigh County 911 Center. We have officers on patrol 24-hours a day, every day of the year. We’ll come out and investigate if our residents see something amiss. We’re here to address your concerns.”