Police, Proprietors to Talk Security at Katonah Chamber Meeting

Local business owners looking to pick up a few tips on keeping their establishment secure will have the chance to do just that at a meeting this evening.

The Katonah Chamber of Commerce is hosting the 6 p.m. gathering, which Bedford Police are slated to attend, at the Katonah Village Library. Christopher Roberts, one of the chamber's co-presidents, is expecting a larger turnout than usual.

"The incident at Kelloggs & Lawrence, it was a bit of a wake-up call about the vulnerability of our town, our retail district," Roberts said, referring to the Nov. 29 theft, which left owners short about $550. 

Providing an opportunity for business owners to hear from authorities—about the larceny, other incidents that have occurred in the nearby area, and rumors—and share their own experiences is the goal for the evening, according to Roberts.

He and co-president Edris Scherer visited with several shop owners after the crime at Kellogg's. Most said there is always more to do when it comes to security, which is why Bedford Police will be offering expertise.

"We want to help business owners deter crime in their businesses," Lt. Jeffrey Dickan said. "We want to protect members of the community from being victims; we would rather prevent a crime, than solve it later on."

Dickan said the department's focus will be addressing concerns of public safety—during the holiday season and beyond. He noted that several reports of suspicious individuals have surfaced recently. Officials issued an alert about "distraction type larcenies."

Representatives from Knight Security Systems will also deliver a presentation at the meeting. Bringing in appropriate parties and letting the conversation happen is part of the chamber's role, Roberts told Patch.

"I think people are sensibly concerned, and I think shop owners feel they are doing what they can do," he said, stressing that the area is still quite safe, and "not in the midst of a crime wave." "They also want to know the community is doing what it can."

The chamber has not hosted an event like this one, with police and security experts, in the past several years, but Roberts and other members have organized a host of meet-and-greets, networking events and seminars recently.

"This is completely consistent with that," he said.