Helping You Stay Secure, Stay Informed, and Stay Connected

By Dasia Mendez, Business Liaison Ambassador, Community Improvement Districts

Running a small business in Kansas City is no small feat—and keeping your business safe is just as important as growing it. Whether you’re on the street level or inside a shared space, crime prevention is key to protecting your assets and your peace of mind. Below are some helpful tips to keep in mind.

CPTED

Think about incorporating CPTED—Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design—principles into your business that can offer long-term protection. CPTED focuses on using your physical environment to reduce opportunities for crime. CPTED is based off of four key principles:

1. Natural Surveillance: Increase visibility to deter criminal activity (e.g., clear sight lines, good lighting, etc).
2. Natural Access Control: Direct people through well-defined entrances and exits (e.g., fences, pathways).
3. Territorial Reinforcement: Use signs, landscaping, and design to show ownership and care of space.
4. Maintenance & Management: Clean, well-maintained spaces signal active ownership and deter vandalism and neglect.

Security Film

Another helpful step is installing 3M™ Security Film on your windows and glass doors. This clear film strengthens glass and helps better hold it together during an attempted break-in, if someone is trying to shatter the glass.  It can reduce the risk of smash-and-grab incidents and give intruders one more barrier to overcome.

Video Surveillance

Additional safety measures like security cameras and visible alarm signage can significantly deter criminal activity before it starts. Criminals are far less likely to target businesses with obvious surveillance systems in place. Another simple upgrade that makes a big impact is your lighting—especially outside your business. Brighter, motion-activated exterior lights make it harder for suspicious activity to go unnoticed and easier for law enforcement or passersby to spot something out of place.

Safety Committee Meetings

Consider attending a Safety Committee meeting—a valuable resource for the Kansas City business community. These monthly gatherings provide a dedicated space for business owners, property managers, and stakeholders to come together, voice concerns, and collaborate on solutions to safety issues affecting their areas.  The committee meets every second Tuesday of the month at 9:00 a.m. at the Downtown Council of Kansas City’s office.

If you’re interested in formal CPTED training, local 3M film vendors, or just wanting to learn more about how to apply these principles to your Kansas City business, reach out to Dasia Mendez at dasia@downtownkc.org for more information. Let’s build a safer, stronger business community—together.