Washington Township Police Call Out Social Media Misinformation

LONG VALLEY, NJ - Monday brought a flurry of police activity to Long Valley when Fairview Avenue is closed between Scenic Falls and Naughright Road for police activity.

Activity that turned out to be a false alarm.

The Washington Township Police were called to Fairview Avenue on the report that there was an intruder in a home there, police said. Officers arrived quickly and it was determined that there was no intruder, just a friend of the caller who had stopped by to visit. There was no threat to the community or nearby residents, police said.

But in the time between the town alert was sent out and police completed their investigation, social media was ablaze with speculation. And authorities are asking for residents to do better.

"We are asking that in the future people do their best to refrain from posting misinformation on social media and wait for us to put out the details of the event," Washington Township Police said in a statement. "If there is an immediate concern, we will make the necessary communications as they are warranted and to keep everyone safe."

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