The Montgomery Police Department will launch a Safe Exchange Zone on March 8 at City Hall, according to a March 3 news release from the city. The zone—two parking spaces outlined in blue—will be under 24-hour video surveillance to provide a safe meeting place for residents to exchange goods or avoid an uncomfortable location. The zone is located at 101 Old Plantersville Road, Montgomery.
"It can be used for child custody drop-offs, e-commerce transactions or instances where a person would feel more comfortable having video surveillance," Montgomery Police Chief Anthony Solomon said in the release. 'We've gotten a very good response from residents."
The city is encouraging residents in Montgomery, Harris County and surrounding areas to use the zone. However, although the location will be under continual video surveillance, police officers will not personally witness, facilitate or participate in exchanges, according to the release.
"This isn't necessarily a new program, but it's something that we wanted to bring to our area, especially because Facebook groups are so popular these days, and people make all types of contacts locally, to exchange goods," Solomon said in the release. "We wanted to give people a place where they could feel comfortable meeting."