The Chapel Hill Police Department has gained national recognition for pioneering a community watch program that aims to reduce crime among local businesses.
The Business Alert Network, a crime prevention program that involves the cooperation of the police department and area businesses, has been featured in the National Crime Prevention Council's 2004-05 calendar.
The calendar, available with NCPC's crime prevention kit, is a 12-month calendar featuring a different crime prevention method each month. Chapel Hill's BAN program is the May feature.
BAN, which has been in effect for the last five years, is designed much like a residential community watch program. Officer Danny Lloyd said there are more than 1,000 businesses registered in the program.
Business owners in the program receive information about crimes when they occur and prevention methods they can take to secure their own businesses, said Art Englebardt, director of the Office of Senior Services for the police department.
Business owners also can take advantage of training opportunities to learn how to reduce losses from crimes that include robbery, larceny, fraud, shoplifting, counterfeiting and internal theft.
The program also aims to increase awareness of criminal laws. Officers can conduct security surveys to suggest strategies for improving the safety and security of businesses.
Englebardt said police coordinate in-store robbery simulations, conduct shoplifting seminars and disseminate information to help workers prevent vehicle break-ins.
He said the program has been very effective, and other police departments have started their own programs based on BAN.
