South Gate Police Department Announces "Business Watch" and Launches Program at South Gate Chamber of Commerce this Thursday

Business Watch in South Gate and Southern California

Many local police departments throughout Southern California have documented significant reductions in reported crime where Business Watch programs are instituted. Long Beach and surrounding cities introduced city-wide crime prevention and community type programs and saw substantial reductions in both violent crimes and crimes against persons and property.

The City of South Gate Police Department will work proactively with blocks, or districts of businesses on essential training to eliminate opportunities for criminal activity. The South Gate Police Department wants to erase the "easy prey" temptation associated with many business-related crimes by training business owners and staff in the skills of perceiving potential crime indicators, protecting themselves, and reporting to the police. South Gate police officers will provide both English and Spanish speaking workshops for business groups and provide checklists for shoplifting prevention, bad check controls, internal theft precautions, security of premises, and more.

South Gate Police Chief Randy Davis commented on the launch of the program. “The South Gate Business Watch program will play a significant part in our department’s ongoing crime prevention program. This signature program is being used in Southern California and Los Angeles County with great success. We will be assigning police department personnel to the business districts in the City and arrange meetings and trainings with business representatives, similar to the concept we use with our Neighborhood Watch Program. Our department is eager to work with the business community and offer them new ideas and proven methodologies to help in eliminating opportunities for criminal activity in the City of South Gate.”

There is no cost associated with joining the South Gate Business Watch Program. To learn more, join Chief Randy Davis and other notable presenters at the South Gate Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, September 1, 2016 at 12 noon. A free box lunch will be provided to the first 30 business owners or representatives who attend. RSVP to: businesswatch@southgatecc.org or visit the South Gate Chamber of Commerce website to sign up at http://www.southgatecc.org/south-gate-business-watch-program.html or call the South Gate Chamber of Commerce at 323-567-1203.