TACOP to Step Up Patrols on Mischief Night

TACOP will be stepping up patrols of Towson streets on October 30, “Mischief Night,” to deter Halloween pranksters and troublemakers on the eve of Halloween. Working in partnership with the Baltimore County Police, COP. Mischief Prevention Patrols will be out in force that evening to discourage mischievous acts like egg throwing and wrapping trees and porches with rolls of toilet paper in downtown Towson and its 25 surrounding neighborhoods.

For 14 years, TACOP’s (Towson Area Citizens on Patrol) volunteer car patrols, walkers, joggers, bikers and dog walkers have established a visible presence in Towson on Mischief Night and serve as a major deterrent to pranks

and delinquent activity. While most pranks are not crimes, tossing raw eggs at cars damages the car’s paint if it is not washed off immediately and raw egg fights leave a mess which residents and businesses have to clean up. Since the inception of TACOP’s Mischief Night patrols, the number of incidents has declined.

TACOP’s Mischief Night, which is open to the public, starts at 6 PM on October 30 at the Baltimore County Police Hillendale Resource Center located at 1055 Taylor Avenue. Attendees are asked to bring hats, gloves and

scarves to donate to the Shelters and Family Crisis Center. After the COP volunteers network, compare notes on their neighborhood patrols and enjoy light refreshments, the Mischief Prevention patrol schedule will be finalized. Patrols commence at 7 PM and run through midnight.

Most COP volunteer drivers will have magnetized signs on their cars identifying them as COP patrollers and a blinking light on the car’s roof, although others will be unmarked as they patrol. Patrollers carry their cell phones and call 911 if they see suspect activity.

TACOP is a 501c3 organization founded in 2000 to help Towson Area neighborhoods start COP programs and is solely supported by donations.

For more information refer to http://towsonareacop.wordpress.com/about/.

TACOP Contacts:

Mike Calwell, President mikecalwell@gmail.com (443) 829-5276

Pat France, Vice-President patfrance@centrol-inc.com 410-828-5564

Janice Arcieri, Secretary janjoeka@comcast.net 443-465-0150

Janet Eveleth, PR/Media janeveleth@verizon.net 410-821-1008

Barbara Lewis, Website Coord blewis711@gmail.com 410-663-4266