Dana Point Business Services Team Asks Community to Support It’s Your Business Program

Oct. 6, 2011 - PRLog -- The California Crime Prevention Officers’ Association awarded Dana Point Police Services with its top 2011 honors for the Hide It, Lock It or Lose It program. On the heels of this internationally acclaimed initiative, Dana Point once again looks to draw upon the support of the community for its business-focused initiative, It’s Your Business.

The Hide It, Lock It or Lose It program emerged following a study of crime statistics, a survey of community members, and input from deputies working with the City of Dana Point. Evidence showed that thefts, particularly from unlocked vehicles and unsecured garages, were the most prevalent and preventable crime occurring in the Dana Point community. Dana Point Police Services went to work to engage the public, encourage them to secure their personal belongings out of sight, and lock their cars. With the help of local community members and grant funding, the Dana Point Police Services developed the Hide It, Lock It or Lose It campaign. Between September 2009 and September 2010, the campaign resulted in a 35 percent (35%) drop in total property crime, 38 percent (38%) drop in thefts from unlocked vehicles, and a decrease in overall crime from 79 to 55 incidents.

“We are so pleased with the community adoption and support of the Hide It, Lock It or Lose It program and we look forward to seeing that same level of support from our business community,” said Mark Levy, Chief of Police Services, City of Dana Point. “It’s Your Business started with a focus on business safety, and quickly grew into a comprehensive program designed to meet a wide variety of needs in our local business community.”

It’s Your Business launched in late August 2011 as a collaborative effort among the City of Dana Point, Dana Point Chamber of Commerce, and Dana Point Police Services. It’s Your Business aims to identify the needs of the local business community, address those needs in a timely and professional manner, and prepare for the future through proactive and ongoing dialogue. The program kicked off with a survey asking local business owners and professionals for feedback on what they feel is going well in Dana Point, and in what areas there are opportunities for enhanced services. Now as responses come in, the Dana Point Business Services Team immediately gets to work to address the feedback, ranging from increased patrol in high speed areas to new signage to more updates on networking opportunities.

The Dana Point Business Services Team is reaching local businesses owners through personal visits at their stores, restaurants, offices and shops; at mixers and networking events; and online, through a dedicated It’s Your Business survey website. To learn more about It’s Your Business and take the survey online, visit www.itsyourdpbusiness.com. Businesses can join in on the conversation on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itsyourdpbiz and Facebook at http://facebook.com/itsyourdpbiz.

About the Dana Point Business Services Team:
The Dana Point Business Services Team is an alliance comprised of the City of Dana Point, the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce and Dana Point Police Services. The team launched It’s Your Business, a program designed to evaluate the needs of local businesses in order to better serve them and foster their success. For more information, visit www.itsyourdpbusiness.com.