By Jack Firneno
Wire Editor
Bristol Borough continued to make strides toward curbing criminal activity last week with the appointment of a new police officer and a second planning meeting for a new town watch.
Last Monday, the Bristol Borough Council voted unanimously to appoint Ryan Bunda as a new part-time police officer.
A Borough resident, Bunda holds a bachelor’s degree of science in criminology from Cabrini College and has more than a year of experience already as an officer in Tullytown.
“This gives Bristol Borough a great advantage,” said mayor Pat Sabatini. “He knows the streets and how to work them.”
According to Police Chief Arnold Porter, Bunda will be utilized as an extra patrol officer, for traffic and bicycle patrol as well as on specific detail assignments and to cover vacation and sick time.
Bunda was sworn in last week, and is undergoing training before starting work in the Borough.
“The addition of just one officer on a department of our size really makes a difference,” said Porter. “It gives us more visibility and saturation in town.”
Bunda’s addition to the force in Bristol is a long-awaited move by many residents who, at a meeting last month, expressed concern about an increase in drug activity and related crimes in the Borough over the past year.
A common complaint was that, despite some residents providing police with information they hoped would lead to arrests, the activity seemed to continue unabated.
However, in a phone interview with the Wire last week, Porter said that while the police are working to address these complaints, they can’t immediately take action based on a tip.
“We have a number of narcotics officers who gather information from tip lines and contact with residents and other police agencies,” he said. “But it’s still a process and combined effort.”
Meanwhile, residents met again last week to continue plans to form a town watch in the Borough. Nearly 30 people, some who were not at the initial meeting, discussed how a Borough town watch would work with the Council and Police Department and how to fund items like long-range walkie-talkies.
They also also heard from members of Croydon’s town watch, a group that’s been running for about 20 years.
“We’re here to learn how to do a town watch correctly,” said Sabatini, who stressed that the group needs to proceed slowly and carefully in order to be successful. “This is all about creating a good foundation.”
But creating such an organization comes with some challenges, noted members of the Croydon town watch, and also a resident who was once a town watch member in North Philadelphia.
“You need to stay anonymous. You don’t want retaliation,” noted one Croydon member.
“Some people get into these for the wrong reasons,” said the former Philadelphia town watch member. “You don’t want people getting in it for revenge.”
The group agreed that background checks should be a prerequisite for joining, and discussed bylaws that would ensure members wouldn’t put themselves or others in danger.
But, as Sabatini reiterated that establishing a successful town watch takes time, the group is confident the time is right for more support in town.
Reports of armed robberies in the area have increased recently, some noted. And, as one woman said, “With the holidays coming up and [unemployment insurance] extensions not getting approved, people are getting desperate.”
