Over the past few years the Plainview-Old Bethpage Community has experienced our share of robberies. However, this week our community joined the statistics, along with other neighboring towns that have been targeted by an unusual series of armed home invaders. According to the Nassau County Police Department, it's critical at this time to be alert, report anything suspicious, keep your doors and windows locked and alarms on. If your house is targeted, it is most important to try and get a call to 911 if possible while the robbery is in progress. Further, the police emphasize, do not protest, these are armed invaders and you and your family are far more important. When contacting the police please give as much detail as possible.

For those of you who don't know, last year the Nassau County Police Department successfully launched a new initiative called SPIN (Security Police Information Network). This powerful online crime prevention program recently expanded its communications network to include local civic organizations, chambers and business as a means of sharing and disseminating critical public safety information.

Our organization, as a member of this program has been forwarding information received from SPIN regarding crime prevention, public safety, homeland security, emergency information, severe weather alerts, wanted posters, etc. relevant to our community and/or surrounding neighbors.

All e-mails are clearly labeled "NCPD-SPIN COMMUNITY INFO" in the subject title bar. Recipients are asked when they receive these e-mail alerts, to in turn forward them to personal e-mail lists. By doing so, the NCPD are able to reach the public quickly and accurately with timely information important to local residents, parents, business and the general public.

If you are not already on the Concerned Citizens' e-mail list and would like to receive these notices and others regarding our community, please send us an e-mail at: ccpobc1@aol.com.

As a community, we need to work together by teaming up with our neighbors forming "neighbor-to-neighbor watches", thereby maintaining a vigil over all of our respective homes. Report any and all unusual activity to the authorities in a timely manner and please share information with your neighbors. The more crime watchers the greater the chance of profiling and apprehending the criminals. We are our own best neighborhood watch by remaining aware and working together.

Carol Meschkow

President, Concerned Citizens of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Community, Inc.