BUSINESS OWNERS CAN REDUCE AREA CRIME, IMPROVE LIFE.Byline: Charlie Dusheck Neighborhood WatchYour Neighborhood Watch officers wear many hats, each embracing a specific job description. The three top hats are Neighborhood Watch, Business Watch and support for other police activities. Business Watch is an important element of this triad. The watch officers are committed to preserve the quality of life and to reduce crime in the business community. Businesses have the same problems as a neighborhood: graffiti graffiti Form of visual communication, usually illegal, involving the unauthorized marking of public space by an individual or group. Technically the term applies to designs scratched through a layer of paint or plaster, but its meaning has been extended to other markings. , assault, burglary burglary, at common law, the breaking and entering of a dwelling house of another at night with the intent to commit a felony, whether the intent is carried out or not. , robbery robbery, in law, felonious taking of property from a person against his will by threatening or committing force or violence. The injury or threat may be directed against the person robbed, his property, or the person or property of his relative or of anyone in his and more, including street gangs, prostitutes, illegal vendors and nearby activities that may attract crime. Wearing a Business Watch hat, the area officer works with businesses - and would like to work with your business - as a team to reduce crime. The goal is to improve communication between businesses and the police, get to know each other and understand each other's needs and problems, then to fight mutual problems together. As in Neighborhood Watch, the Business Watch officer forms area groups with the cooperation and commitment of business. Meetings are held to discuss area problems as well as individual business problems. At meetings and through personal contact, the Business Watch officer provides information on criminal activities and prevention techniques for the area. Business Watch meetings give owners an opportunity to meet and understand others in the area with similar crime problems and similar goals for quality of life. Then they work together to find solutions. The quality of life around a business affects the livelihood of the owners as well as their employees. As we have discussed in the past, graffiti, litter litter /lit·ter/ (lit´er) stretcher. lit·ter n. 1. A flat supporting framework, such as a piece of canvas stretched between parallel shafts, for carrying a disabled or dead person; a , hazards, abandoned vehicles and the need for street lights and street repair degrade TO DEGRADE, DEGRADING. To, sink or lower a person in the estimation of the public. 2. As a man's character is of great importance to him, and it is his interest to retain the good opinion of all mankind, when he is a witness, he cannot be compelled to disclose an area. These problems will affect a business. Customers will not visit. Sales will go down. If nothing is done, a business may fail. Business Watch will help improve the quality of life in a business area - and possibly help your business survive. ``Awareness and Prevention'' is the motto of both Neighborhood Watch and Business Watch. Businesses must be keenly alert to their potential problems. One example is armed robbery. Robbery can result in injury or even death to the victims. Remember, to protect your business from robbery, you must take preventive preventive /pre·ven·tive/ (pre-vent´iv) prophylactic. pre·ven·tive or pre·ven·ta·tive adj. Preventing or slowing the course of an illness or disease; prophylactic. n. measures and make it obvious that those measures have been taken. How to discourage robbery: Lock unused doors. Avoid working alone. If you must, turn on a hidden radio or TV so robbers will think there is someone with you. Vary your schedule and route for bank deposits each day. Keep only necessary cash in the drawer A person who orders a bank to withdraw money from an account to pay a designated person a specific sum according to the term of a bill, a check, or a draft. An individual who writes and signs a Commercial Paper, thereby becoming obligated under its terms. . Then, if you are robbed, you will reduce your losses. Make sure your cash register is clearly visible to passers-by. Arrange the counter so that the customer or robber is visible from the street. Avoid signs or displays that block visibility from the street. If your business runs an exceptionally high risk of robbery, you may want to invest in a bullet-proof bul´let-proof` a. 1. Capable of resisting the force of a bullet; resistant to penetration by a bullet; armored; as, a bulletproof vest; a bulletproof window s>. 2. cashier CASHIER. An officer of a moneyed institution, who is entitled by virtue of his office to take care of the cash or money of such institution. 2. The cashier of a bank is usually entrusted with all the funds of the bank, its notes, bills, and other choses in screen. A screen defuses the robbers' threat, but other prevention measures may be equally effective at lower cost. Display signs at entrances and exits indicating that safes require secondary keys not in the possession of employees. Advertise your security alarm system with signs in visible locations. Develop a mutual aid system among stores on your block. Agree to keep an eye on to watch. - Shak. See also: Eye each other's buildings and watch for all suspicious activities. Install buddy-buzzer alarms so you can signal your neighbor to call the police if you are being robbed. A robbery may be over in less than a minute. You need a quick eye to get a good look at the robber. Many stores have video cameras recording all activities near the cash registers. The objective of Business Watch is to prevent crime, so it is to your benefit to contact your area Business Watch officer. But this officer cannot help you prevent crime after the fact. Business Watch needs your help, guidance, support and confidence to reduce crime. Join Business Watch today: Contact your police division's Business Watch officer at one of the following 818 numbers: Devonshire Devonshire, England: see Devon. 756-8270; Foothill 756-8657; North Hollywood Hollywood. 1 Community within the city of Los Angeles, S Calif., on the slopes of the Santa Monica Mts.; inc. 1903, consolidated with Los Angeles 1910. 623-4001; Van Nuys 756-9485; West Valley 756-8406. |
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