Business Watch – Cowichan Community Policing & Engagement Society

Purpose of Business Watch

To prevent crime from taking place in and around our businesses
To increase communication and a sense of community between local business owners

Business Watch is an RCMP-supported crime prevention program which utilizes a network of business owners to share community updates. It is a collaborative program between business owners, community policing, and the RCMP, who work together to protect our local businesses from crime and mischief.

Business Watch Participants Sign Ups

Why become a Business Watch member?

There are many benefits of having your business participate in the Business Watch program. Members of the program will have access to Community Policing’s staff who are trained in the police reporting process, crime prevention education, and a network of other active business owners trying to make a change.

Are you ready to become a Business Watch participant?

Are you:

Committed to deterring crime in your area and surrounding businesses?
A team player who will communicate concerns to other businesses?
Committed to alerting other businesses of crime and theft quickly?

If so, please join!

Do you own or manage a business?

Are you concerned with crime at your business or the surrounding area?

Would you like to help protect your own or surrounding businesses?

Are you ready to become actively involved in reducing crime in the business community?

If so, we would like to have you as a Business Watch participant!

Business Watch Sign Up

Why does Business Watch work?

Business Watch is an effective program because offenders look for easy targets to steal from or vandalize. A network that communicates efficiently makes it significantly harder for an individual to commit a crime or to repeat the same crime in the community. Business Watch combines an efficient network with Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design or CPTED principles. This combination makes our participating businesses a harder target and makes an offender more likely to be caught, which reduces attempted crime.

Business Watch is also supported by the RCMP and increases efficiency in contacting the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP with concerns surrounding crime and mischief in the area.

Business Watch Application

Complete the application form to join the Business Watch program. This program is run in collaboration with Cowichan Community Policing & Engagement Society and the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP. Upon joining Business Watch, you agree to:

Receive updates on crime concerns in the Cowichan Valley and Duncan areas and share concerns you have to Community Policing and the RCMP
Receive crime prevention material tailored to Business Watch from Cowichan Community Policing & Engagement Society
Join a network of business owners with similar concerns, building a sense of community between business owners
Be committed to reducing and preventing crime and crime opportunities in the business community

Bylaw Services

Call Bylaw Services for non-emergency, drug-related, or loitering concerns. Please attempt to contact Bylaw Services before the RCMP if you have concerns with:

Squatting
Panhandling
Temporary shelters
Loitering
Noise
Garbage
Graffiti

North Cowichan Bylaw Services
7030 Trans-Canada Highway, Duncan, BC V9L 6A1
Email: bylaw@northcowichan.ca
Phone: (250) 746-3108

Duncan Bylaw Services
200 Craig Street
Duncan, BC V9L 1W3
Phone: (250) 746-6126

City of Duncan and the Municipality of North Cowichan Lookout Sharps Pick-up Team
Phone: (250) 883.3592 (to collect sharps and other debris)

Duncan/North Cowichan RCMP
6430 Ford Road, Duncan, BC V9L 6C5
NON-EMERGENCY Phone: (250) 748-5522

North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP Detachment 6430 Ford Road Duncan, BC

Business Watch Crime Prevention Tips

Crime prevention is most effective when it is a community-wide effort. The more eyes and ears in our community, the fewer opportunities there are to commit crime.

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)

One of the main ways businesses can protect themselves from crime is by using Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design techniques. These techniques focus on making crime harder to commit. Here are some CPTED tips to consider for your business:

Use dead bolt locks on all doors
Have a visible alarm system
Have a visible CCTV or security camera system
Leave an interior light on at night
Leave an exterior on at night
Keep a well-maintained appearance of the interior and exterior of your business and remove graffiti
Keep only small amounts of cash on hand and put up a sign stating so
Put up mirrors in your business to see around corners or areas currently blocked by product

Proactive Crime Prevention Techniques

Train staff to detect counterfeit money
Give “active” customer service and periodically check in with every customer
Ask customers to remove sunglasses and jacket hoods upon entry

For further information on Business Watch, come by our Duncan office at #5 2628 Beverly St (beside Seaside Computers). You can also submit an application using our online form above to be contacted by our staff in regards to joining our Business Watch program!