At a regular business meeting Monday night, Perkasie Borough Council announced its first internet and child custody safe exchange site location.
Surveillance and 24-hour lighting will be available directly in front of the Perkasie Police Station located at 311 S. 9th St. in Perkasie.
Police encourage the public to use the inside lobby for internet and child custody exchanges during police department regular business hours, Perkasie Police Department officials said.
The move to make a safe, well-lit area available to those who purchase goods and complete sales transactions from websites such as Facebook, eBay or Letgo, or from local online yard sales, as well as parents or guardians picking up youngsters through custody arrangements was prompted by Perkasie Councilman Aaron Clark.
Clark said at a previous meeting he noticed a lack of safe space during a web-based transaction of his own.
“I think this provides a real benefit to the community and it’s a good example of addressing the changing needs of the community,” Clark said.
Additional surveillance cameras added to the safe zone were made available by the police department at no additional cost to taxpayers.
And while the area won’t officially be patrolled by officers, activities will be monitored and police assistance will be available by calling 9-1-1 or by calling 257.6876 for non-emergencies.
Clark said at a January borough council meeting there was no cost to taxpayers for the set up and monitoring of the new safe exchange site.
“When you see social media ‘yard sale’ groups with over 20,000 local residents as members and doing a good business, it’s obvious there is a market for online sales,” Clark said at the January meeting.
Safety tips for completing sales transactions through internet or web sales, or for child custody agreement compliance when a safe public exchange zone isn’t available include:
- Meet in a well-lit parking lot with video surveillance equipment.
- Don’t go to such meetings alone – bring a friend or family member during the transaction or exchange.
- Alert others to your destination and say where you’ll be going before you leave.
- Avoid meeting those you do not know where you live.
- Avoid nighttime transactions, whenever possible.
