Oct 15, 2004 By Patty Shultz 2 min read

CONNELLSVILLE TWP. – Suspicious activity and home break-ins have prompted one residential neighborhood to form a crime watch group. “We can’t take too much more,” said Bob Camilla, spokesman for the group. “We have a nice neighborhood, but the riff-raff is trying to run us out.”

Camilla, a resident of the Hillcrest Mobile Home Park, told supervisors Thursday that state police are not responding in a reasonable amount of time to their telephone calls for assistance and that the township needs to consider hiring an officer to patrol the municipality.

An unidentified woman said that she and others were accompanying their children to the bus stop after witnessing drug use and selling near the areas.

“We’re putting our lives in danger,” she said.

Supervisor Fred Robbins agreed that crime has escalated in the township.

“We do have a problem,” he said. “It’s a big problem.”

Robbins said that he is continuing to track down lost paperwork regarding a Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Universal Hiring Grant that was approved in 2001 for the township, but never implemented.

If available, said Robbins, the grant would be used to defray the costs associated with any contracted services with neighboring communities.

“We’re still talking to the city of Connellsville and South Connellsville Borough,” he said. “We know that we need police services in the township.”

Camilla said a crime watch meeting has been set for Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. at the Geibel Catholic High School. State police Trooper Brian Burden will be the guest speaker. “This isn’t just for us; it’s for everyone in the township,” he said.

Turning to other matters, the supervisors also conducted the following business:

– Discussed initiating an ordinance to halt the use of “jake” brake devices by truck drivers in residential areas.

– Heard complaints relating to construction work along Petersburg Road.

– Agreed to have a street light installed by Allegheny Power along Rogers Avenue.

– Alerted residents to use caution when burning leaves and other items.

– Advised homeowners that fees for street lights and fire hydrants will be increased by $1 to $2.

– Discussed having all road workers obtain their Commercial Driver’s License by Dec. 1.

– Set Halloween trick-or-treating for Oct. 31 from 3 to 4 p.m.

– Named K-2 Engineering and Jeff Stepanic as sewage enforcement officers.