“If a person comes to your place of business, but is not doing business and s/he looks suspicious, call us and let us decide. ” These were the words of Deputy Chief Charlie Brown of the Ocoee Police Department, who was part of a three-member panel discussing business security issues at the Business Security Forum that took place on May 14 2008 at the Westside Crossing Shopping Center/Chinatown. The other panelists were Commander Ronald Chapman of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and Captain Fred Smith of the Orlando Police Department.
With some 50 audience members in attendance, Brown, Chapman and Smith, responded to a raft of questions that focused on several issues including, how can law enforcement make shopping districts safer, cooperation between the various law enforcement agencies of government, how might businesses better protect their environment and the most prevalent commercial crimes that are currently being perpetrated in the West Colonial Business District.
The Business Security Forum, organized by the Pine Hills Community Council and Orlo Vista Chamber of Commerce, was attended by Mayor Scott Vandergriff of Ocoee, Commissioner Fred Brummer, Orange County Commissioner (District 2), and Lydia Gardner, Clerk of the Court of Orange County, among other guests.
In commenting on the role of law enforcement in helping to make shopping districts safer, Commander Chapman observed that, foot patrols are always encouraged; he was mindful that business owners would like to see more of them. But, he suggested that, there are occasions when officers go into businesses and their radios do not function properly. This he says could be problematic, particularly if there’s an incident.
Regarding inter-agency cooperation between the Ocoee Police Department, Orange County Sheriff’s Department and Orlando Police Department, Captain Smith opined that, “there is very good collaboration between the various law enforcement agencies in several areas, including the use of Orange County helicopters, canine units and radio frequencies/channels, which are mutual.”
Noting that resources are always an issue on the part of law enforcement agencies, the panel informed that, there are always measures that businesses can undertake to make them less vulnerable. In particular, emphasis should be put on adopting environmental changes, preferably arising from the conduct of an environmental survey, in order to enhance business safety. An example given was improvements in perimeter lighting, should the situation warrant.
Mr. Kenneth Dwyer II, Past President, Pine Hills Community Council and one of the principal organizers of the Forum, in closing noted that, “the future is one of cooperation between Pine Hills and Ocoee’. He stressed too, the importance of a zoning overlay for the area.
Participants who attended the Forum were able to gather materials from the several information booths present, including Disney Entrepreneurial Center, West Orange Chamber, and Orange County Neighborhood Services.
The Business Security Forum is a further step in bringing to the fore pertinent issues related to making the shopping and business districts– Good Homes Road in the west, Old Winter Garden Road in the south, Silver Star Road in the north and the City of Orlando in the east– safer.
Pine Hills and Ocoee to Cooperate on Security
