Norristown Officials Say Town is Safer Than Ever, Despite Perception
By Brad Segall
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- Officials in Montgomery County's county seat say the perception that their community is not a safe place to live and work is wrong. In reality, they say, it's getting safer.
Without offering much in the way of concrete evidence that their community is safer, Norristown police say they are working closely with the DA's office, the sheriff's department, and Septa police to create a more visible police presence on the streets.
Norristown police chief Mark Talbot says officers are being deployed in the right areas, and quality-of-life crimes are down.
"Urban communities often get a bum rap for being places where crime happens, where random crime happens, and we're here to tell you today that is not what happens in Norristown -- that's not the kind of environment that this is," says town council president Bill Caldwell.
Caldwell (at lectern in photo) believes that Norristown is the next up-and-coming community, not only in Montgomery County but in southeastern Pennsylvania. He says the town is ripe for redevelopment and they want people who are thinking about moving here or bringing their businesses here to know that safety is a top priority.
