Credit: Franconia Township Police Department
Franconia Township Police are giving residents the opportunity to keep solicitors off their lawns and away from their doorbells.
On Tuesday, the department announced via Facebook that it is opening registration for the new No Knock Registry.
“By adding your home address to our registry, solicitors that are given approved township solicitation permits will be prohibited from coming to your residence to solicit their business,” wrote the police department on Facebook.
Download a No Knock Registry registration form here. However, the form must be mailed or submitted in person at the police station.
According to the registration form, the police established a No Knock Registry for the purpose of restricting solicitors from engaging residents.
“This program aims to protect the privacy of residents when they register their home address on the No Knock List,” states the form. “If a solicitor violates the Do Not Knock list, all members of their group may have their soliciting permits revoked.”
However, nonprofits – the government, political or religious kind – are exempt from the list and can still come knock on your door. Police said nonprofits are not required to obtain permits.
Police said private developments with “No Solicitation” signs are not exempt from political or religious organizations.
Mail registration forms to Franconia Township Police Department, Attn: Susan, 671 Allentown Road, Telford PA 18969.
Police said residents should fill in their name, their phone number, their signature and date, as the section is for police only and will not be disclosed to solicitors.
The announcement on Facebook prompted at least 60 comments and 138 reactions. A few commenters appreciated the program, but wondered why the from could not be filed electronically.
Kristy Gray wrote that people that knock on her door are ones that do not register with the township. She asked what police are doing about “random people running around harassing the older generation.”
“If someone knocks at your door and is trying to sell something (political and religious organizations do not need permits), you may ask them to see their solicitor permit. They are issued one from the police department, if they have passed the application process,” said police in the comment thread. “If they are unable to provide one, please call 215-723-6777 so we can have an officer respond out to meet with them and advise them on how to apply for a permit.”
According to the Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University, courts often uphold religious and political solicitations as First Amendment rights.
According to MTSU:
In Lovell v. City of Griffin (1938) and Schneider v. State (1939), the Court struck down ordinances requiring Jehovah’s Witnesses and others to obtain the city manager’s permission prior to engaging in door-to-door solicitations.
It reiterated these rulings in Cantwell v. Connecticut (1940) and Largent v. Texas (1943). In Martin v. City of Struthers (1943), the Court overturned a blanket prohibition on the door-to-door distribution of literature.
The decision in Murdock v. Pennsylvania (1943) invalidated a license tax required to solicit door-to-door, thus overturning a recent contrary decision in Jones v. City of Opelika (1942). By contrast, in Prince v. Massachusetts (1944), the Court upheld child labor regulations that applied to door-to-door solicitations, even those involving religion.
