(From a press release)
On Jan. 17, a person used a hammer to hold up a drug store in Clifton Heights.
The Delaware County borough is not known for crime, but crime in the surrounding areas, especially Philadelphia, is spreading.
Recently, community activist Alim Howell and Clifton Heights Borough Mayor Mark J. Campbell, Council President Suzanne Briddes. Chief of Police Timothy Rockenbach, and Borough Manager Thomas N. Micozzie. Meeting location was inside the Clifton Heights Borough Hall Administration Building.
Clifton Heights officials agreed to work with Race for Peace, an organization that helps police and the community connect, to try to put a stop to crime in the borough.
They discussed included the gun violence and crime that have been rising throughout the borough. In addition to trying to find the solutions on how to prevent more gun shootings and violent crime from happening throughout the borough.
(left to right) Mayor Mark J. Campbell, Chief of Police Timothy Rockenbach, Community Activist Alim Howell, Council President Suzanne Briddes, & Borough Manager Thomas N. Micozzie
“In August of 2023 there was a horrendous shooting that started from Clifton Heights and ended up in Upper Darby. I want the gun violence throughout certain neighborhoods of Delaware county to stop completely. Including the crime as well. Sometimes depending on the scenario you cannot get people to stop doing bad traumatic actions but if our elected officials and community members keep trying to put an end to getting guns off the streets then a lot of this gun violence mayhem could be avoided,” said Howell.
“I have resided here for years and anything our borough can do to help we are here for it,” said Campbell.
Briddes said, “We have a number of youth programs here in the borough to keep our youth active and out of trouble and they tend to be year round.”
“Most of the problem with the high rise in crime and gun violence is stemming from our City of Philadelphia,” said Rockenbach.. “Our borough is a small community and I like to think we have strong security and safety measures within our borough.”
And Micozie added, “Crime and now a lot of gun violence is happening everywhere throughout all the counties in our state. But we have to come up with more solutions on curbing crime and gun violence as a whole.”
During the meeting, Howell also introduced the two organizations he is involved with, Race for Peace Committee and Urban Navigation, both aimed at preventing crime by increasing community involvement.
