Business Watch
Thank you for visiting our Business Watch page. We are committed to working with local businesses in a partnership to reduce crime.
What is Business Watch?
Business Watch is a crime prevention partnership between community businesses and the Scappoose Police Department. Its purpose is to reduce the wide-spread impact of business related crime, including financial and emotional. Generally, businesses are concerned about crimes involving cash and credit cards, but we will also focus on crimes that impact business operations, such as loitering and vandalism.
How Does Business Watch Operate?
As a partnership, Business Watch will be most effective when both partners are active. Using two-way communication, the Police Department will gather information from business owners and, using our email and phone networks, relay that information to other members.
We definitely believe in preventative efforts. If you would like us to come and do a security walk-through at your place of business, just call Lt. Norm Miller at 503-543-3114.
Important Business Watch Concepts:
Get to know your business neighbors. There is a social component to Business Watch. The better you know the people who work in your neighboring businesses, the more likely you -- and they -- are to look out for each other. So make personal contact and let them know you are a member of Business Watch. Talk about how you can work together to prevent crime and keep an eye on each other's business.
Watch and Report. Report suspicious activity to 911 immediately, even if it means taking a chance you are wrong.
Never risk personal harm to stop a criminal. Instead, learn to be a good witness. This requires a plan. We provide Business Watch members with Suspect Description sheets that make it easier to remember details. Take note of unique or unusual characteristics such as scars, tattoos, bad or missing teeth, speech mannerisms, visible injuries, or odd clothing. Note the direction the person goes and get a license plate number if possible.
If the situation is occurring at the moment but is not an emergency or it is something that occurred while your business was closed, call 503-397-1521.