PSO’s Business Crime Prevention Program Helps Businesses Stay Safe

Pasco County offers a diverse workforce, vast job opportunities and a welcoming environment to make it a great location for businesses to call home. The Pasco Sheriff’s Office’s Business Crime Prevention (BCP) program educates businesses on effective ways to reduce the chance of becoming a crime victim, as well as how to respond to suspicious or criminal activity. As more businesses choose to call Pasco home, the Business Crime Prevention program is an important aspect of safety in our community.

The BCP program’s goal is to help Pasco County companies reduce their chance of becoming a victim of crime. PSO works toward improving public safety for everyone by proactively connecting with local businesses. Corporal Bryan Banner, who heads up the BCP program currently, builds relationships with businesses by helping them enroll in the program. He also meets with organizations who have experienced criminal activity recently. During their initial meeting, Cpl. Banner shares effective methods to improve crime prevention with a business’s team members. Businesses also share their experiences, interests and concerns with Cpl. Banner. This exchange of information provides valuable insight on crime trends in our community. Cpl. Banner can then share these trends with businesses in similar industries or nearby businesses to prevent further crime.

PSO’s BCP program also offers personalized security assessments, crime prevention trainings and current crime trend education for businesses within Pasco County. This free service provides valuable insight and is guided by a specialized crime prevention technique called Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (or CPTED). This technique helps PSO inform businesses on best practices by helping them create an environment of safety. Crime can be devastating to a business, possibly resulting in both lost customers and employees when crime and fear invade. Break-ins, thefts and workplace violence often have an element of opportunity that can be removed to prevent a business from becoming a victim. The BCP program and Cpl. Banner work to address such concerns on a individual level with each business, so that crime prevention information is specific to each business.

During Cpl. Banner’s site visits, he evaluates each location for ways they can improve their safety using CPTED, and identifies ways in which they are already protecting themselves well. Cpl. Banner accomplishes this by walking through the institution with employees or owners, and evaluating entrances and exits, as well as opportunities that could become entry points for a criminal.“Because of what we do everyday, we have an eye for things that others don’t. If we can put these glasses on and see the world through a different lens, you can see the appropriate means to protect yourself,” says Cpl. Banner.

Employee and client safety is also a high priority for businesses through the BCP program. Cpl. Banner offers some common tips for businesses: Keep landscaping well trimmed, as unmaintained landscaping can give the impression that you are away, making a business an easy target for crime. Having security cameras and lights at entrances can improve visibility and capture suspicious activity. This can also help remove any potential hiding places for criminals. Enclosed environments, such as a restroom, can become a prime location for suspicious activity too. Having a lock and key for a restroom is one way to control activity in such spaces. Securing items in a locked storage space also removes the opportunity for something to be taken. Don’t keep large or heavy items, such as potted plants or rocks, near any doors or windows, as they could be used to break into a business. Additionally, removing access to utilities, such as electricity or water, can prevent people from trespassing or loitering.

To get started in PSO’s free Business Crime Prevention program, fill out our form online at PascoSheriff.com. After a submission is received, a PSO deputy will reach out to the business to discuss their interests and needs. This opportunity pairs unique insight directly from law enforcement to businesses to prevent them from becoming a victim of crime. Together, we can keep Pasco County a safe place for all to live, work and enjoy life.