Business Watch Program building in area
In neighborhoods across the country, residents have seen great success in curbing crime with the Neighborhood Watch Program. Now the Lee County Sheriff’s Office is helping businesses start a similar program called Business Watch.
“The Business Watch Program is like a Neighborhood Watch,” said Trisha Bissler, crime prevention specialist for Sheriff’s Department. “One of the biggest parts of Business Watch is watching out for your property and the neighboring businesses.”
With the economy being in a slump, she said, there is more and more crime. “If we can develop Business Watches we have that many more people that are extra eyes and ears for the sheriff’s department,” she said.
“Now more than ever with the economy and the condition it is in, we are fiercely committed to the business community,” added Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott. “These types of outreach efforts are healthy for the community and the sheriff’s offices to keep us engaged with business leaders in the area.”
Bissler said that in North Fort Myers, the Sheriff’s Officer is just staring to build the program, make it grow and get more businesses involved.
“If you want to get a Business Watch Program started, talk to the businesses around you, whether it is a strip mall or block,” she said. “See if the other owners and managers are interested and then call me and we can set up an appointment to get started.”
She said she would come out for a meeting with a group, give them information on Business Watch and answer any questions.
“Starting a Business Watch is beneficial for the businesses involved and the Sheriff’s Department,” she said. “In the time we have been growing this program, we’ve seen several businesses report to be very successful with their program.”
It is a program that stresses communication, concern and connection to the community, she noted. Any type of business can take part, and watch groups are not vigilantes.
The essential components of the program include members learning how to make their businesses more secure, watching out for each other and the community and reporting activities that raise their suspicions to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Formation of a Business Watch Program can be around any geographical unit – a block, office complex, shopping center, industrial park or any other commercial area.
“What we ask people to look for is anything out of the ordinary – it could be a person looking in car windows, it could be an abandoned vehicle, it could be a number of things, really,” she said.
That might also include suspicious juveniles, counterfeit money or other occurrences. These could include:
– Customers screaming or shouting for help.
– Someone acting suspicious by looking into windows of parked cars or closed businesses.
– Unusual noises.
– Property being taken out of buildings where the business is closed.
– Cars, vans or trucks moving slowly with no lights on or apparent destination.
– Anyone being forced into a vehicle.
– People or vehicles loitering in the parking lot of a closed business.
– A stranger running through alleyways or parking lots.
– A stranger sitting in a car or stopping to talk to a child.
– Abandoned cars.
Watch members are not asked to investigate these problems on their own, but to report these incidents to the Sheriff’s Office, and alert neighboring businesses.
To get started, Bissler suggests forming a small planning committee and deciding on a date and place for an initial Business Watch meeting, which she or another Lee County Sheriff’s Office crime prevention specialist would attend.
Other steps would include selecting a Business Watch coordinator and block captains who are responsible for organizing meetings and relaying information to members. Members would also place signs in the community identifying the area as part of Business Watch.
There would also be the set-up a fax network to alert surrounding businesses of problems and suspicious people/vehicles. There can also be alerts for bad checks, fraudulent returns, robberies, purse snatching and other crimes.
There’s also a public awareness component available. Periodic meetings of the Business Watch program could be used to share information and develop a heightened business awareness of a proper response to suspected or actual criminal activity. Speakers from Lee County Sheriff’s Office, as well as other community agencies, can address a variety of topics from recognizing suspicious activity and learning how to report it, to loss prevention, check and credit card fraud to liability.
To set up a meeting or for more information, call Bissler at 477-1801.
Business Star Program
and Business Surveys
Bissler also talked about the Sheriff’s Office Business Star Program.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office recognizes that security alarms do not always alert law enforcement to emergencies. Emergencies sometimes arise from unrelated crimes, such as vandalism, a water main break or suspicious activity around a business. There are times when the deputy determines if the owner/key holder should be notified immediately.
“The Business Star Program is a star decal that sits on a front door and has a unique number assigned to that business,” she said. “The Sheriff’s Office keeps a data base with contact information specific to that unique number.”
This decal is to be placed on the door or window of the business so it is visible to law enforcement. That allows for faster contact to a business owner in case of an emergency.
To obtain information on becoming a Business Star holder, call the Community Relations office at 477-1477.
“In addition to the Business Watch and Businesses Star programs, we offer the Business Security Surveys Program. This involves looking at everything from lights, locks, landscaping, cameras, security systems and more. It’s free of charge and they can contact the office at 477-1477 for more information.”