Business Watch

What is Business Watch?

Business Watch is a community service the police department offers similar to the Neighborhood Watch Program. Businesses are encouraged to join and participate with the police to make our business community safe, and to reduce crime that affects them.

A Business Watch Program involves:

Business people getting to know each other and working together in a mutual assistance program.
Employees being trained to recognize and report suspicious activities and people to the police department.
Employees being trained to handle emergencies, be a good witness, and in crime prevention techniques.
Implementation of crime prevention techniques such as better building security, fraud and shoplifting prevention, Operation Identification and other measures.

Requirements

Have a Watch Coordinator who serves as a liaison with the police.
Have at least one employee attend a basic Business Watch training session. This employee will then train the other employees.
Give annual $5 per business membership fee that is used to assist with the cost of activities and equipment.
Provide the Crime Prevention Officer a group map and floor plan/ layout containing the business name, address, business and home phone numbers, for emergency contacts.

Business Watch signs similar to the Neighborhood Watch Signs will be put at all entrances to the shopping center providing that 50 percent of the businesses in the center participate in the program.

As part of the Business Watch program, participating businesses will be given stickers to alert potential thieves and trouble makers that employees of the businesses have been trained and other crime prevention measures have been taken. The business will be added to the Business Watch Notification System, which will notify the business of crime or other areas of concern.

Each participating business is also encouraged to:

Develop emergency procedures in the event of a robbery, sudden illness, natural disaster, etc.
Develop and train employees in recommended opening and closing procedures, in handling money drops and bank deposits.
Conduct a self security survey to better secure the building against burglary, robbery and shoplifting.

In working together, all the members of the Business Watch benefit from obtaining up to date information on crimes and possible criminals that strike in our area through our Business Watch Notification System.

For more information, contact Officer Jon McIntosh at (314) 442-2075 or Officer Phil Lane at (314) 872-2540.