Business Safety Toolkit
Practical steps to protect yourself, your employees and your business
Whether you own and operate a small storefront, or manage a large commercial property, crime prevention is an important element in maintaining a successful business. It's essential to reducing loss and can help attract and retain customers by increasing sense of safety in and around your business.
The City of Kelowna has developed this Business Safety Toolkit in partnership with the Kelowna RCMP to help support our business community. By adopting crime prevention practices, Kelowna’s business community can play an active role in reducing criminal opportunity in and around their property.
Who to call, when to call
Keep your business safe by staying aware and knowing who to call when you see criminal or nuisance behaviour.
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Keep your space safe
Whether you run a coffee shop, doctor’s office or laundromat, you welcome members of the public into your storefront space. This comes with a variety of safety priorities that are unique to businesses. You need to secure the outside of your building, like a homeowner, but you also need to take steps to keep the interior of your business secure.
See WorkSafeBC’s Preventing Violence, Robbery, and Theft guide for a comprehensive manual to promote safety in your business.
Prevent break-ins
Unwanted afterhours visitors can add costs to your business operations and create serious headaches. These proactive steps can help tighten up security and decrease the likelihood you’ll be the victim of a break-in.
Adopt a safety routine
Assess your property’s security when you close up shop each day. Lock your doors and windows, move valuable and portable items out of view of windows and doors, lock up anything you can, turn on exterior lights and set your security system. Don’t leave your float in the cash register and keep the till out of easy reach from doors and windows.
Consider a security system
Alarm systems, security cameras and other technologies can help protect your business from break-ins. Many of these technologies have become cheaper, more accessible and more user-friendly in recent years.
Ensure your system is monitored and provides notifications in real time, and that cameras capture high-quality footage. Maintain cameras regularly to keep them clear of obstructions and working properly.
Security film on your windows offers an extra layer of protection against break-ins. The film holds shattered glass in place, making smash-and-grab burglaries much more difficult.
Brighten up your exterior
Let the light shine bright all around your business, particularly over entranceways and exits, and the darker corners surrounding your property.
Leave some lights on inside to ensure any unwanted overnight activity in your business is highly visible.
Make your address visible from the street
Visible address numbers help first responders find your location in the event of an emergency. This can reduce response times when every second counts.
Consider Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)
CPTED is a multi-disciplinary approach to crime prevention that influences how we use landscape, architecture and the surrounding environment.
Building maintenance plays a major role in a safe community. Broken windows, graffiti and other signs of social disorder can decrease sense of safety in our community. A clean and well-maintained environment promotes a sense of community and well-being.
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CPTED in action
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Visible valuables
Community Safety Services employees worked with a local restaurant to apply CPTED principles to their property.
Restaurant owners were encouraged to move valuable items like tip jars, electronics and propane tanks out of view and away from doors and windows. Owners also learned how to eliminate night-time hiding spots around their property with the help of some strategic lighting.
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Lifted landscaping - before and after
A tree damaged by fire was removed outside the Okanagan Heritage Museum, and low-growing vegetation was added to beautify the space while preserving sightlines.
A prominent pathway from ground level to an existing stairwell was added to define the route to the museum entrance.
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Recessed alcove - before and after
The gates at Elks Stadium were moved forward a few feet to eliminate an alcove. This hidden space had provided an attractive spot for drinking, loitering, public urination and other unwanted behaviours.
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Better visibility - before and after
Controlled, lower-cut vegetation invited more light into this parking area and improved sightlines.
Plants didn't need to be taken out completely, just controlled to remove potential hiding places and improve sense of safety.
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Alley beautification - before and after
Neighbours joined forces to give their alley a new lease on life. Alleyway buildings got a new coat of paint and address numbers were posted on building exteriors.
Residents received a $1,500 Strong Neighbourhood Grant to fund the project. Learn how to apply for the grant.
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Uptown Mural Project
The Uptown Rutland Business Association's mural project has turned blank walls into works of art in the Rutland neighbourhood. They've helped make Rutland even more colourful, dynamic and inviting.
Learn more about the project, the murals and the artists at uptownmurals.com .
Prevent shoplifting
It’s easier and safer to prevent shoplifting and theft than to confront it when it’s underway. Consider the steps below to save yourself the costs, risk and headache that come with theft and shoplifting.
Emphasize customer service
Nothing prevents shoplifting better than good, old-fashioned customer service. Noticing your customers, making eye contact, saying hello and asking if they need help shows your customers that you’re there for them and it shows everyone that you’re paying attention.
Keep sightlines clear
Convex mirrors and security cameras can help you keep a close eye on every square inch of your business. Have the area behind the till raised for a better line of sight throughout the space, keep your storefront organized and clutter-free, and design your floorplan to promote visibility.
Know who's coming and going
Clear sightlines help you see people as they enter and exit your space. Keep posters and products out of your windows so you can see your customers as they come and go.
Add a chime to all your doors to ensure you never miss someone entering your business – it helps with customer service and security.
Keep a close eye on your cash
The contents of your cash register are as attractive to thieves as anything on your store’s shelves. Keep cash inaccessible to visitors and monitor it closely. Ensure your till and cash are secured and out of sight overnight.
Avoid confrontations
Confronting someone shoplifting can quickly escalate into an altercation. Be careful how you approach them. Ask if they’re ready to pay for an item or if they need a bag, rather than making a direct accusation.
Personal safety
There’s nothing more important than your personal safety. Take these simple steps to help manage your risks.
Prevent robbery
The steps to prevent robbery are mostly the same as those to promote safety generally: maintain sightlines, keep your space neat and organized, make sure it’s well-lit outside and in, focus on customer service, keep limited cash in the till and handle it carefully.
If a robbery occurs, stay calm and cooperate. Your safety is more important than money. Keep the interaction brief and smooth.
Only activate alarms, call police and lock the store once the suspect has left.
Manage angry, difficult or unwanted customers
According to the Trespass Act , you can ask difficult customers to leave the premises and call 9-1-1 if they refuse. The best first step is to defuse the situation, so asking them to leave may not always be the best starting point. Focus on being respectful and courteous and don’t put too much emphasis on who’s right or wrong.
With all of this said, don’t forget that you have a right to refuse service. Don’t tolerate demeaning, degrading, offensive or abusive behaviour.
Work in groups
There’s strength in numbers so, if possible, use your co-workers for support. This can help in managing unwanted customers and it can also keep you safe as you arrive at and leave work, especially if this happens early in the morning or late at night.
Crime Reporting Checklists
Crime Reporting Checklists
Please use the following Response Guides when reporting incidents of theft:
