The business police academy commercial loss prevention through education. and the business police academy - citizen police academies CPAs - BPA

FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin,The, Jan, 2003 by Giant Abutalebi Aryani, Carl L. Alsabrook, Terry D. Garrett

Further, implementing the advice and practices learned at the BPA reduces the likelihood of businesses being victimized; increases the probability that business owners, managers, and staff members will survive violent incidents; and increases the probability of arresting offenders. In the long run, these factors lower rates of crime against businesses. But, in the short term, the greater number of reports and apprehensions will lead to a statistically higher rate of crime against businesses. However, many crimes against businesses, such as check and credit card fraud, business burglary, and counterfeiting, are committed by serial criminals. Their apprehension and prosecution will significantly decrease the number of such crimes in the community and further lower the crime rate in the long run. Moreover, the short-run statistical increase in crime against businesses gives the agency a more accurate picture of crime incidences. Departments can develop appropriate strategies and allocate resources needed to figh t crime, which leads to a decrease in the rate of crime against businesses.

Indirectly, the agency benefits from enhanced ties to the business community, which results in a safer business climate or, at least, the perception of one. The agency's reputation in the business community increases, which potentially can lead to tangible business support of various agency initiatives and programs. Business assistance may include sponsorships for different agency volunteer programs. Other examples include business support for agency resource requirements and bond issues.

CONCLUSION

Business police academies bring the business community and police agency together. The academy's educational environment gives law enforcement personnel an ideal opportunity to communicate with members of local businesses. Agencies carefully should select their target audience, provide a curriculum that covers topics specific to members of the business community, and choose instructors from individuals outside of their departments to ensure that the BPA accomplishes its goal. Additionally, the costs of implementing and operating a BPA are minimal compared with its direct, as well as indirect, benefits.

The BPA provides law enforcement with an opportunity to teach and convince business owners, managers, and staff about the multitude of mutual rewards that both sides will derive from greater cooperation in fighting crimes against businesses. In the end, the reduced crime rate proves beneficial to the whole community.

Endnotes

(1.) See Dave Hurdle, Bunbury District Police, western Australia, "Business Police Academy," retrieved on July 25, 2002, from http://www.ezefind.com.au/Police Business Academy.htm.

(2.) For more information on CPAs, as well as their implementation, see Ronald E. Ferguson, "The Citizen Police Academy," FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, September 1985, 5-7; Martin Alan Greenburg, "Citizen Police Academies," FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, August 1991, 10-13; Giant Abutalebi Aryani, Terry D. Garrett, and Carl L. Alsabrook, "The Citizen Police Academy: Success Through Community Partnenhips," FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, May 2000, 16-21; and Elizabeth M. Bonello and Joseph A. Schafer, "Citizen Police Academies: Do They Do More Than Entertain?" FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, November 2002, 19-23.