Highlights and key trends discussed at the January 14, 2026 Newtown Township Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting. Listen to this short “Deep Dive” podcast for a summary of Police Chief’s Hearn’s comments at the BOS meeting:
Key Takeaways (Quick Read)
- Total Year-to-Date incidents dropped 6% (29,700 in 2024 to 27,865 in 2025) — but call complexity is rising.
- “Swatting” incidents show how gaming platforms and “back channels” can weaponize false 911 reports.
- Theft from autos spiked 633% (6 in 2024 to 44 in 2025), including high-value recreational property.
- AI is turbocharging fraud: scammers can now mimic family members’ voices in the “grandparent scam.”
- Police are increasingly serving as a social safety net, with well-being checks up 47% (330 to 486).
1) Introduction: The Story Behind the Statistics
As the calendar turned to 2026, many of us were reflecting on personal resolutions, but for the Newtown Township Police Department, year-end meant measuring how public safety is evolving in a community in transition. While a headline figure like 2,186 calls for service in December can look like just another metric, Chief Hearn’s year-end report points to a more complicated story beneath the spreadsheets.
The central paradox in the 2025 data: while total incidents declined overall, the types of incidents — including digital threats and high-impact spikes in particular categories — demand a different kind of vigilance from residents and a broader operational posture from police.
Data points referenced in this post are drawn from the year-end report and meeting discussion.
2) The Digital Battlefield: When Gaming Turns Into “Swatting”
One of the most unsettling December 2025 events was a “swatting” incident on Clare Drive — a digital-age crime where bad actors use online platforms to gather personal information and route false reports to 911 through indirect channels. The goal is to trigger the most intense tactical response possible by claiming an active shooting or similar emergency.
“We take tactical measures to approach the property, make contact with people, make sure there’s no victims within the house... Unfortunately, sometimes in this country, it does go south because people enter the doors with handguns in their hands... the officers have to be cognizant of that.”
These cases can be extremely difficult to investigate, as perpetrators may obscure identities using tools that bounce IP addresses and phone numbers across jurisdictions — sometimes across the globe.
3) The Alarming 633% Spike in Thefts from Autos
Even as the overall incident total moved downward, one category jumped off the page as a major statistical outlier: Theft From Auto.
In 2024, Newtown recorded 6 YTD thefts from vehicles. In 2025, that number surged to 44 — a 633% increase. Chief Hearn described these as “crimes of opportunity,” and the losses aren’t limited to spare change: the year included high-value recreational property such as a stolen ATV and a dirt bike.
Bottom line: while residential burglaries remained remarkably low (only 3 for the year), driveways and vehicles have become a primary target. Locking doors, removing valuables, and securing recreational equipment may matter more than ever.
4) The “Grandparent Scam” Meets Artificial Intelligence
Chief Hearn offered a pointed public service warning about the evolution of fraud. Scammers are now leveraging artificial intelligence to impersonate the voices of family members — adding a frightening new layer of credibility to the classic “grandparent scam.”
The pattern is familiar: a caller claims your relative is in trouble (often “in jail”) and demands immediate payment — frequently via Cash App or gift cards — for “warrants” or other urgent fees.
Chief’s Advice (Resident Checklist)
- Do not send money via Cash App or buy gift cards for anyone you haven’t met personally.
- Do not trust the caller implicitly — hang up and call your family member directly using a known number.
- Do not click unsolicited links from unknown texts or emails.
Remember: local police, the Sheriff’s Department, and the Township will not text or email you demanding money for a warrant.
5) Beyond the Badge: The Rise of Well-Being Checks
One of the clearest signals that policing is changing shows up in the “Miscellaneous” portion of the activity data: Well-Being Checks increased 47%, from 330 in 2024 to 486 in 2025.
This “high-touch” community care also shows up in proactive patrol activity. Officers patrolled 238,003 miles year-to-date, conducted 7,501 Property Checks, and completed 2,504 School Checks. December also included a spike of 153 medical emergencies, where officers are often among the first on scene.
Community Solidarity: Regional Response and Local Milestones
December underscored both the department’s regional role and its deep local ties. On December 23, 2025, Newtown sent mutual aid — two supervisors and six officers — to assist Bristol following a mass casualty explosion.
The department also participated in specialized enforcement efforts, including Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) details that placed 5 vehicles and 3 drivers “out of service” for safety violations in December.
And locally, the department marked the retirement of Sergeant Robert Lupinetti on December 31, concluding 28 years of service to the community.
Conclusion: Safer in Aggregate, More Vulnerable to Modern Threats
The 2025 year-end picture is clear: Newtown appears safer overall in total incident volume, but the risks are shifting. AI-enabled scams, digitally-driven threats like “swatting,” and the sharp increase in thefts from vehicles all point to a need for updated resident habits — both online and at home.
As we move into 2026, a practical question emerges for all of us: How can residents better protect their digital footprints while staying vigilant about the crimes of opportunity happening right next door?
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