| Published
May 15, 2007 |
Volume
15, Number 5
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Pleasanton Police Department Partners
with Hacienda for Workplace Security
New Police Chief Fraser Recommends Business Watch
Program

 
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Top, Pleasanton
Police Chief Michael Fraser. Bottom left and right, Officer Penelope
Tamm of the Crime Prevention Unit works with both businesses and the
public to make Pleasanton a safer place.
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Knowing you have a safe place to work gives you one less thing to worry
about during the day and makes going to work less stressful. That
is the goal of the Pleasanton Police Department and Hacienda
Security. Together, these organizations work to help ensure your
work environment, inside and out, is safe.
“The Pleasanton Police Department has had a good relationship with
Hacienda and its security staff for years,” says Pleasanton’s new
police chief, Michael Fraser. “I want to continue this
relationship, working with the individual businesses and Hacienda
Security to help maintain a good quality of life for employees and
business owners at Hacienda.”
Fraser recommends each business at Hacienda take advantage of the
department’s Business Watch Program to help beat crime. “Our
Business Watch Program has worked well for businesses, at no
cost. We send our folks to businesses and conduct a security
survey that has been well received by companies. It helps to
better secure facilities.”
The program provides periodic emails to update businesses on crime
prevention tips and recent activity in the city. It includes
presentations to employees about personal and business safety, and
robbery prevention.
“Pleasanton Police officers patrol Hacienda day and night, driving
through lots and around offices,” explains Officer Penelope Tam of the
department’s Crime Prevention Unit. “The Pleasanton Police Department
wants to make the city a safe place in which to own a business and do
business. We believe in working in partnership with the
businesses in our community and encourage business owners and managers
to contact us if they have any concerns or problems.”
Office Tam offers these tips to make your workplace safe and secure:
Secure your facility.
Be certain that all doors and windows are locked when the business is
not occupied. During business office hours, be sure that back
doors are secure so that persons cannot enter the business
undetected. Openings such as skylights and roof hatches should
also be secured to prevent entrance to the business. Rooms or
parts of your business facility that can be locked should remain locked
to prevent unnecessary access.
Visibility.
Make the front of your business visible to the public. If you
have posters or other items to display in the front window, place them
so that you can still see out and the public can see in. Keep the
shrubbery around your business cut back to eliminate potential hiding
places.
Secure keys.
Create a system to control facility keys. Make sure you have
accounted for all keys used to access your business facility and
rooms.
Visitor identification.
Have someone at the front of your office, either a security person or
receptionist, who can control and track visitors throughout the
workday. Create a visitor sign-in/sign-out sheet and a process
for issuing and collecting visitor passes. Have visitor passes
for contractors or other persons who are coming into your
business. Check employee identifications on a regular basis and
be familiar with employees who work in the business.
Know occupants.
Become familiar with those individuals who have reason to be around
your facility. If you encounter someone that you do not know,
approach him or her and ask if they need help. Find out why they
are there. If you do not feel comfortable doing this, advise a
manager, call Hacienda Security or the police.
Lighting.
Have sufficient lighting in and around your business. Lighting is
a deterrent to criminals and also makes the environment safer for
employees.
Alarm systems.
Alarms are the number one deterrent to burglaries. If you have an alarm
system, make sure your employees know how to use it and know the pass
codes. The City of Pleasanton has an alarm ordinance. For
information on the alarm ordinance, call the Crime Prevention Unit at
931-5233 or 931-5240. You can also find it at www.sterlingcodifiers.com/CA/Pleasanton/index.htm
Report needed repairs.
Create a system for employees to report a problem such as inoperable
lighting or a door that does not lock properly. Making reports of
these issues in a timely manner can help keep your business a safer
place and potentially prevent crime.
Document shredding.
Have a system for shredding all paperwork that contains personal
information about employees, customers or the business. Take
every precaution to prevent your business and your employees from
becoming victims of identity theft.
Personal safety at work
- When away from home, at work or not, do not carry
large amounts of cash and do not carry more credit cards than are
necessary. Be sure to keep account numbers and 800 numbers in a
safe place, so you can call credit card companies and banks if you
become the victim of a theft.
- Lock all personal items in a desk or locker when away
from them. Secure laptop computers and shut down your desktop computer
if you will be away from it for a long time. Do not leave
personal information visible on the screen while away from your desk.
- Before you enter an elevator, look to see who is
already there. Stand near the controls. If you do not feel
comfortable, make an excuse and do not get on. If you are on the
elevator and the people getting on make you feel uncomfortable, get
off.
- Park as close to your building as possible and in
areas that are well lit. If you must work late, move your car
closer to the building before others have left or darkness falls.
If you have to work late or on weekends, work with a buddy, if
possible. If you must work late and alone, advise someone of your
plans. If you are alone at night and not comfortable leaving
alone, ask security to escort you to your car.
- If you travel at night or far from home, take a
cellular phone. If necessary, call the local police 925-931-5100
non-emergency phone number, not 911. All 911 calls placed from cellular
phones are routed to the local CHP office and the operator will not
automatically know who or where you are. The operator must determine
and then transfer your call to the appropriate local police
jurisdiction, which causes delays.
- When in your car, keep your doors locked and windows
up.
- If there are people loitering near your car, get
someone to accompany you to your car and stay until you drive off.
- If you are being followed, go to any open public
establishment, go inside, and call 911. Or call police from your cell
phone, if you can do so safely.
Contacting the Police.
In case of an emergency, call 911 from a regular phone. If
calling from a cell phone or for general information, call (925)
931-5100. Call Officer Tamm in the Crime Prevention Unit at
925-931-5233 or email ptamm@ci.pleasanton.ca.us
with questions regarding crime prevention, brochures and the Business
Watch Program.
Hacienda Security
Hacienda Security provides the basic day-to-day security at the park.
Officers provide comprehensive high-visibility patrols 24 hours a day,
every day of the year. Hacienda uses security officers as one of
the best deterrents to crime, accidents, vandalism and malicious
mischief through their visibility. Their objective is to help protect
both private property and property managed by Hacienda.
Hacienda Security can be reached 24 hours a day. To contact a
security officer, use Hacienda’s voicemail/paging system by calling
925-734 6520. Your message will immediately page a security
officer. You can also reach Security by e-mail at security@hacienda.org and your
note will be forwarded to the Lead Security Officer.
A complete description of Hacienda’s Security program is available
online at www.hacienda.org/services/services_security.

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