•  Is your address visible on your home or business?
•  Prevent Burglaries
•  Prevent employee theft
•  Prevent Fires
•  Stop shoplifters
•  What to do if a burglary occurs
•  Workplace Safety Tips

Is your address visible on your home or business?
Every second counts when you're waiting for a fire truck or ambulance. Please help police and firefighters find your home or business quickly: make sure your address numbers are easy to read at night.

To test how readable your address numbers are, try reading them from your car at night. If you have to squint to see them: replace them with larger numbers that contrast sharply with your home's siding. Emergency vehicles will be able to find your home much more quickly if they don't have to slow down and shine a spotlight to read small address numbers. Garages facing alleys should also have a visible address numbers.

Prevent Burglaries
To reduce the chances that your business will become a burglary target, please take these precautions

• Don't leave cash in registers after hours: put cash in another location. If you must leave cash in registers, don't close the registers. (This will prevent damage to registers). The cost of replacing a register that has been broken into is far more expensive than losing "start up" money.
• Do not leave large sums of money on the premise. If possible, keep only the amount of money on the premise necessary to conduct business. Increase the number of daily cash drops, if necessary.
• Update your doors and locks. Replace single cylinder locks with double deadbolts. Add "Charlie bars" to rear entrances. Be sure door hinges are exposed from the inside only.
• Maintain key control by limiting the number of employees with keys. Don't label keys or use a code that would be apparent to burglars.
• Make sure roof openings, skylights and air ducts are secured.
• Improve exterior views and lighting both during business hours and after closing. Keep bushes trimmed and advertising in windows at a minimum so passersby and patrolling officers have a clear view of the inside.
• Make sure the building interior is well lit.
• Consider installing or improving an alarm system. Then, make sure it's used consistently.
• Clear debris away from entrances to avoid giving burglars a place to hide.
• Make sure fences are in good repair.
• Lock up tools and ladders that can make a burglar's job easier.

For more information or to arrange a business premise survey, please contact the St. Louis Park Police Department at (952) 924-2661.

Prevent employee theft
To prevent dishonest employees from stealing

• Check references of each new hire.
• Eliminate as many temptations as you can.
• Be careful with keys. Sign out all keys and collect them when employees leave the company.

For more information, please contact the St. Louis Park Police Department at (952) 924-2661.

Prevent Fires

To prevent fires -

• Install smoke detectors
• Test smoke detectors every month, and change the batteries twice a year.
• Buy a fire extinguisher (rated 2A-10BC) for the break rooms with a kitchen.
• Equip power strips with overload protection.
• Have the furnace properly maintained.
• Don't store boxes close to the furnace or water heater: leave at least three feet of clearance.
• Prepare and practice an evacuation plan in case of fire.

For more information, please contact the St. Louis Park Fire Department at (952) 924-2171.

Stop shoplifters

To deter shoplifters -

• Train clerks to be attentive and learn how to spot potential shoplifters.
• Greet each person who enters. Let visitors know you're aware of their presence.
• Keep a close watch on fitting rooms and isolated areas.
• Arrange counters and displays so merchandise in full view of employees.
• Keep easily removable merchandise in protected or locked cases whenever possible.
• Keep expensive items away from entrances.
• Use help - convex mirrors, television scanners or security guards - to keep an eye on things.

For more information, please contact the St. Louis Park Police Department at (952) 924-2661.

What to do if a burglary occurs

• Call 911 as soon as the crime is discovered.
• Do not touch or disturb anything that may have been part of the crime scene.
• If you witness a burglary in progress, try to give as many details to the 911 dispatcher as possible. This includes a physical description of the suspect, which direction the suspect fled, etc.

Workplace Safety Tips
It is important to remember personal safety in the workplace. Here are some crime prevention tips to promote good safety habits outside of the home:

Traveling in and out of work:

• If it is dark when you go into work or when you leave work, try to park in a well-lit area.
• Walk in and out of work in pairs, especially late at night. Try to avoid walking
  out to your car alone if you can avoid it.
• If you see someone in the parking lot that you do not feel comfortable with, do
  not leave work.
• Report anyone waiting in the parking lot who does not appear to be there for
  business.
• Avoid working late or odd hours if possible. If you must work late, notify a
  family member or close friend. If possible, have a security officer check on you
  from time to time.

Safety at work:

• LOCK UP VALUABLES. Purse, wallet, keys should always be secured when
  left unattended.
• Let other employees know when you leave the office and about what time you
  will return.
• Leave a number where you can be reached in emergencies.
• Carry a cell phone in case you need help.
• Maintain communication with peers.
• If you have an Order For Protection or are having domestic problems, tell other
  employees or the front desk so this person is not allowed to contact you.
• Make sure doors are secure after normal working hours.
• Complete thorough background checks on all employees before hiring them.
• Require visitors to sign in.
• Have an emergency plan in place and review it with all employees annually.
• Know the location of fire extinguishers and medical kits.
• If there is an emergency, set a designated meeting place for employees.
• When using elevators, stand near the control panel so that you may push the
  alarm button in an emergency. Also, do not get onto an elevator with someone
  you feel uncomfortable with. If you are already in the elevator with someone
  who makes you feel uncomfortable, get off the elevator as soon as possible.
• Avoid using isolated or deserted stairways in the workplace.

Front Desk:

• If your business has face to face customer contact, do not leave objects that may
  be used as weapons out on the front desk (stapler, paper weights, coffee mugs,
  etc.)
• Have the front desk positioned so that there is an escape route for the employee.
• Set up a pre-coded page for the front desk employee to use in case an upset
  customer gets out of control or the employee feels unsafe.

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