West Philly residents who live in the 18th Police District boundaries are again invited to attend community meetings with local police officers. Monthly meetings at the Calvary Center (48th and Baltimore) have recently resumed after a nearly two-year long COVID-related hiatus.

Meetings are held every third Thursday of the month. The next meeting will take place this Thursday, Feb. 17 at 6 p.m. Lt. Kevin Livewell of the University City Division of the 18th Police District and representatives of University City District (UCD) will participate in the meeting.

All interested residents are invited to attend, bring their concerns and discuss crime and neighborhood issues. Please wear a mask.

Due to the alarmingly high number of carjackings seen in the city over the past year and especially in the winter months, UCD has been working with the 18th District Police department to increase patrols in the neighborhood in an effort to “provide more eyes on the street,” according to their latest public safety update.

Here are also some tips from UCD to help keep yourself protected while traveling in your car:

• Be aware of your surroundings;
• Keep your windows up and your vehicle locked at all times, even while driving;
• Do not leave your car running if you need to exit your vehicle, even if you plan to be away from for less than a minute;
• Try to park in well-lit areas;
• Exercise heightened awareness in the following “hotspots:”
– Residential driveways
– Parking lots and garages
– Gas stations
– ATMs
– Streets with poor lighting