ISSUE: Jul/Aug 2008

JUST THE FACTS:

Creating A Partnership With The Police

JUST THE FACTS

By Elizabeth Ferrin

Dateline: Today. Place: Any local self storage facility. The article you are about to read is a factual account of the best ways to create a solid partnership with the police. No names have been changed. Instead, the following story is true and full of useful information to help self storage managers understand and create a successful and lasting partnership program. These are the facts.

There’s always a potential for crime at a self storage facility. Burglars are often enticed by the business’ unique combination of fully stocked units housed in an area with few people on site at any given time. Identity thieves are attracted by self storage facilities’ vast amounts of data, including credit card and driver’s license numbers. Hackers may go after a facility’s database, while nuisance crimes like littering, graffiti, and property damage generally crop up late at night when the facility is closed. With so much potential for crime, it’s no wonder managers are taking the offensive and looking for new ways to deter or prevent criminal activity before it ever starts.

With security in mind, a growing number of managers are looking to their local police departments to help them make their facilities as safe and crime-free as possible. Self storage professionals are quick to recognize the benefits such partnerships can produce, so managers are willing to work hard to develop a strong relationship. “Police partnerships are certainly an important part of a comprehensive program to reduce crime,” points out Theresa Atchley, crime prevention specialist for the Irvine, Calif. police department. Atchley adds that there are many advantages to working hand-in-hand with local law enforcement officials. “The benefits include more awareness about emerging crime trends and an exchange of information both ways.”

First Steps

While most self storage managers like the idea of creating a partnership with the police, few know how or where to start. “In some communities, developing a strong partnership can be difficult,” states Deb Tellinghuisen, crime free programs coordinator for the Fargo, N.D. police department. She suggests managers start by calling their local police department and speaking with the officer who patrols the area. “Call the non-emergency number and ask the operator for information.”

Some police departments, especially those serving larger cities, have special officers who are assigned to partner with local businesses. It’s easy to call these officers directly to talk about starting up a partnership program. “Find out if your local police department has a crime prevention specialist,” suggests Atchley. “Then, call them and invite them to visit your facility. Or, find out if you have a local patrol officer and ask them to stop by as time permits during their shift so that you can get to know them.”

Although some departments are short staffed and lack dedicated crime prevention specialists, most law enforcement officials are willing to work with businesses in the communities they serve. Managers can always call and ask to meet with an officer to develop a crime reduction plan.

Many departments also offer free business security inspections. These inspections not only help build a relationship between self storage managers and police officers, but they also make self storage facilities safer and more secure. “We encourage managers to call and ask a crime prevention specialist to come out and do an assessment,” says Tellinghuisen. “It’s a community service program, so there’s no charge at all. We have a form officers can go over with them that lets them know what they do well and what they can do better.”

Several police departments are also part of the International Crime Free Self Storage program. This well-known program was instituted to help reduce drug activity and other crime at self storage facilities throughout the world.

In order to become a certified crime free facility, managers must participate in seminars with both the police and fire departments. Managers must also work to keep the facility safe by allowing only police-approved padlocks, offering 24-hour facility access to officers, utilizing break away tape on all locks, providing law enforcement with a list of new tenants each month, patrolling the property at least once a day and requiring customers to sign a crime-free lease addendum. Once the manager has completed the training courses and commits to the Crime Free program’s requirements, the self storage facility is allowed to display the Crime Free Self Storage signage on site and use the program’s official logo in all of its advertising.

Community-Oriented Policing

While not every police department participates in the Crime Free program, most law enforcement officials boast a strong commitment to community oriented policing. In fact, some officers will seek out self storage managers rather than wait for businesses to come to them.

“The police department approached us on creating a partnership,” recalls Jennifer Carter, manager of AAAA Reilly Road Storage in Fayetteville, N.C. “An officer came to our location because he was going to all the self storage facilities to get everyone on board with his program, Operation Safe Watch.”

One of the cornerstones of the officer’s program involved getting tenants to switch from standard locks to disk locks. “The police department gave us letters that helped explain why we were moving to the disk locks,” says Carter. “We offered the disk locks to our existing tenants for half off and we didn’t have any problems getting the tenants to use them.”

Carter also instituted special canine training sessions that allowed the police to bring the dogs onto the self storage property to run practice drills. “It doesn’t happen all that often, but the training is part of the agreement we’ve made with the police,” says Carter. “They call us and coordinate the training, which lasts from two hours to half a day.”

In addition to the canine training, the police can come onto the site at any time to check on the property. In fact, the police department has its own gate code officers can use after hours. Carter is quick to add that this arrangement benefits both the local police department and the self storage facility. Law enforcement has a place to run drills and is able to maintain a solid presence at the business. The self storage facility, on the other hand, not only has a quality relationship with the police department, it also advertises the partnership with both signs and flyers for new tenants.

Positive Results

Carter says that she is very pleased with the partnership program’s results. “So far, we haven’t had any criminal activity,” she says, adding that she has signs posted displaying the words “operation safe watch.” The signs also state that the Fayetteville police department randomly patrols the facility with canines. “Our signage lets people know we do it and people pay attention to the signs. When a prospect comes in and asks about security, we always mention the partnership. It offers them a better sense of security.” On the flip side, Carter believes the signage deters would-be criminals from renting a unit.

Managers working in areas without a previously-developed partnership program may wonder what they can do to create a solid working relationship with law enforcement. If it’s available, consider participating in a police-citizen group to learn more about security and safety. “Irvine has a police/private security partnership program,” says Atchley. She explains that this group was developed to serve security companies and businesses that have enhanced security interests. Not only do managers who choose to join the group have a chance to build a relationship with individual law enforcement officers, they also become better informed about security training, information, and crime trends.

Managers can also search for information about established partnership programs on the internet. Even when such programs are not available, self storage managers can still follow various program guidelines to help make their facilities safer. Better yet, managers can talk with staff of competing self storage facilities to see if there is any interest in coming together to urge the local police department to institute a formal partnership program.

Teamwork And Cooperation

Of course, building a solid relationship with the police does not have to involve a large-scale, formal commitment from self storage managers. Successful partnerships can be loose and often begin when one person simply extends a helping hand to the other. In fact, Atchley’s overarching suggestion for all industry professionals looking for an in with the police department is to simply strive for cooperation. “Cooperate with officers when they arrive at your storage facility to investigate a crime. In Irvine, we also invite managers to call and call often when suspicious behavior is noted.”

Atchley is quick to add that making a friendly phone call to a local officer is much easier and often more effective than trying to entice the police with inducements like free drinks and snacks. “Incentives should not be necessary to get an officer’s attention.” Some police departments actually prohibit officers from accepting any type of gratuity.

Rather than focusing on what a manager can do for a police officer, look at what both individuals can do for each other. “We want to help you because it helps us,” says Tellinghuisen. She adds that self storage managers should go out of their way to create a sense of community both with the police and with those who rent a unit at their facilities. Tenants should then be encouraged to report anything that’s out of place to the manager or directly to the police.

No matter how friendly a manager becomes with the local police department, officers can’t be at a self storage facility all the time. However, a solid partnership program will help tenants feel law enforcement’s presence every day, around the clock—even when they’re not on the site. Whether or not the program actually reduces crime, customers are bound to feel safer and more secure renting from a facility that advertises and delivers on a successful relationship with the local police. As Joe Friday would say, criminals want to gain access to your self storage facility. Your job: Keep them out. Creating a partnership is a good way to start to close the door on crime at a self storage store—and that’s just the facts. Over and out.

Elizabeth Ferrin is the Editor of Self storage Now! and a frequent contributor to the Mini Storage Messenger.