Most people get nervous when police come to the door.
Friday, a bevy of Chapel Hill’s latest residents got — and got over — that fear.
The Chapel Hill Police Department again joined forces with community and campus groups to extend their Good Neighbor Initiative to students moving in at the start of the school year.
The event, in its second year, was intended both to answer questions new renters might have about town services and to promote considerate behavior from students living in residential communities.
The push was made in conjunction with volunteers from the University; Empowerment Inc., a nonprofit group dedicated to economic development and affordable housing; and student government.
A group of 16 volunteers handed out canvas tote bags filled with informational sheets in the Pine Knolls, Northside and Cameron-McCauley neighborhoods.
“I think this is a fantastic idea … making sure that the students know that even though they’re only renting out these houses for a year or two … they still have to respect their neighbors who have been here their whole lives,” said Nick Neptune, volunteer and executive assistant to the chief of staff of student government.
Volunteers distributed about 250 packets on Friday and volunteers intend to return briefly at a later date to reach students they might have missed, said Sgt. Kevin Gunter, of the department’s community services division.
In addition to the packets, volunteers spoke with the new residents about local noise regulations, a frequent point of friction between students and their neighbors.
