This week’s meeting of the Jacksonville Chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services hosted its annual Installation of Officers. The program included a very interesting presentation from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office about Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design.

The topic focused on ways a building can be designed or modified to help prevent crime. A few of the tips included:

• Lighting – This element is key to security and you can never have enough. Don’t just light up the trees around the building, light the building and, specifically, any entry points.
• Vegetation – Go with the “two-foot, six-foot” rule. Ground cover should be no higher than two-feet and trees should not hang lower than six feet. Use prickly vegetation as well.
• People are your best security – If there is an often neglected area of your building that is prone to theft, put the employee break room there. Place bathrooms in suspect areas as well – activity and people are a great defense against theft and intruders.
• Use aggressive customer service – Notice and talk to anyone in or around your building. Criminals like to be ignored.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office offers complimentary crime analysis of buildings and areas of town. Visit www.coj.net and click on “Services” then “Police” to learn more!