More than 50 businesses have signed up for the Pickens Sheriff’s Business Watch since it was launched last month.
Business Watch is an information sharing network that disseminates information to businesses and offers the merchants an easier route to send questions and concerns to law enforcement agents.
Sergeant Kris Stancil, a former Chamber of Commerce director, said the first priority is for the sheriff’s office to quickly provide information that they feel is important to businesses.
Stancil cited break-ins and counterfeit cash circulating as two crimes that are of specific interest to businesses.
In the past week, the business watch e-mail alerted the participants to, “Coke/Pepsi Machines that have been broken into. The main focus area for these crimes has been in the Marble Hill Area.” The e-mail noted that a dark green mini-van had been spotted leaving the scene of one machine break-in and instructed employees to not confront the drivers or passengers themselves but to call the sheriff’s office.
If businesses are notified of similar crimes happening in the area, they can take precautions at their own establishments, Stancil said. The vending machine e-mail requested stores with video cameras place the machines under sur.
Stancil said the sheriff’s office also gathers information from nearby counties and passes it along. For example, if the sheriff knows convenience stores are being broken into across North Georgia, they can inform local store owners as to what make and model of cars to look for, as well as methods of entry used by perpetrators.
Stancil said since most of the county businesses are inside the city limits, the sheriff and City of Jasper police force are working together on the project.
Stancil said since it launched, they haven’t had any significant updates to send out -- which is a good thing in many ways, he noted.
On the reverse, Stancil added, they have already received some worthwhile tips from business members. Nothing huge, he said, but some information on smaller crimes.
“This information hasn’t lead to any major cases, but it’s the type of stuff that people may not want to call 911 for,” he said.
Pickens has borrowed ideas from other counties in establishing their Business Watch, but one feature they added is personal contact. Stancil said each business member gets a direct contact person at the sheriff’s office. “We’re going to keep regular contact with the businesses,” Stancil said. “This will personalize it and give them someone to call. This would help people who want to ask us a question to not have to call 911.”
One additional feature of the Business Watch program is a preliminary survey of the business premises for those who sign up.
“We may visit the outside of a business at 2 a.m. and let the owners know any obvious safety concerns, such as if more lighting is needed or the trees block the view from the road,” Stancil said. “We’re not the fire marshal and we only make recommendations.”
Stancil said there is no downside to a business joining, no fees or requirements other than providing an e-mail address. In the future, they are working to develop a short curriculum, which has been requested by some business members.
Stancil said one item they are still working on is posting regular updates on bad-check writers including their names. He said once a warrant is issued for previous bad-checks they may send e-mail noting that businesses should be cautious taking checks from these people.
The Business Watch is part of an expanded internet presence under Sheriff Donnie Craig. For more information on the Business Watch program and the sheriff’s office, see www.PickensGaSheriff.com.
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