From RCIPS

On Friday, 4 May, PC Jonathan Kern, a Community Officer in Beat 9 – Seven Mile Beach South, conducted a series of training sessions on robbery prevention for business owners and staff.  The sessions, which were hosted at the Kimpton Seafire Resort & Spa, covered a variety of robbery-related topics, including clarifying the difference between a burglary and a robbery, prevention tips, and what to do if confronted with an armed robber.

Attendees were first given advice on how to secure their businesses against robberies, including ensuring that their premises and the surrounding areas are well-lit, and that the interior is visible from the outside, and having visible cameras and alarm systems. Attendees also learned how to enable their staff to be more vigilant in order to spot potential robbers, by making note of any suspicious or unusual activity and reporting it to the authorities.

A large portion of each session was dedicated to giving advice on what to do during a robbery, a topic which PC Kern says he has received numerous questions on. The most important point stressed was to cooperate with the culprits so as not to endanger your own life or the lives of anyone else present. During a brief demonstration attendees were shown just how dangerous it is to try and resist someone who has a weapon pointed at you.

This is the second series of training sessions that PC Kern has hosted for members of the business community. The first series took place in March and centered on providing useful descriptions of culprits and vehicles, a topic PC Kern also revisited on Friday.

“Both training sessions so far have been well-attended and well-received, showing that there is a desire out there among commercial businesses to be more equipped and informed. I would like to thank the management of the Kimpton Seafire for hosting today’s training,” said PC Kern. “I’m hopeful that these sessions will not only provide valuable information, but foster a greater sense of community, as people come together to address these issues that affect us all.”

PC Kern is planning to host further training sessions in the near future, and is also happy to offer further training to individual businesses.

“If you operate a business in Beat 9 and would like me to come to your company and give you advice more specific to your business, your location, and the factors you might have to deal with, please don’t hesitate to contact me.”

PC Kern can be reached at [email protected].

Information about Community Beats and Community Officers can be found at https://www.rcips.ky/community/.