Thanks to the Columbus Police Department, local businesses now can be a step ahead of area crime.
The CPD released a statement Wednesday announcing the beginning of the Columbus Business Alert initiative, an effort to inform local businesses of crime information as it is happening.
“If we have some kind of alert going on that we need to get out, we can,” Terrie Songer, CPD public information officer, said. “Whether it”s a missing child, or like one year we had a girl going from store to store shoplifting on Fifth Street North, we could have put an alert out to let people know.”
Songer remembers a number of past instances when the crime alert would have benefited businesses.
“One time there was a shoe shop downtown and we had two males shoplifting. We could have put an alert out about that, too,” she said.
The initiative also allows businesses to network with one another and the CPD to decrease crime activity.
“Businesses can correspond with one another via email, so if they send something to me, it goes to everybody,” she said. “Not only is it going to decrease crime, it will also let businesses get to know one another and improve the rapport between the CPD and businesses. We have not had any dealings with them so we really don”t know them.”
A business alert system is not a new idea, Songer said, noting other cities” police departments use a similar concept.
“It works wonderful,” she said. “This is an old concept because it stems from the neighborhood watch.”
If this works, crime will decrease in neighborhoods, Songer said.
“People who burglarize businesses also are burglarizing cars in the neighborhood,” she said. “Holidays are coming up, and that means more people are out. When more people are out, crime increases.”
The CPD previously tried the initiative but halted it due to changes at the department, Songer said.
The hope is to include all local businesses, Songer said. Those interested in joining should contact Songer at 662-244-3528 or 662-364-1540.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
