New St. Bernard businesses urged to use Sheriff’s free Business Watch program to alert them about emergencies; Established companies which have lost their I.D. decal can call 278-7628 for new one

It’s a win/win situation for St. Bernard Parish businesses when they register with the Sheriff’s Office’s free Business Watch program which uses an identification decal on a storefront for deputies to know who to contact during an after-hours emergency at a business site.

Sheriff James Pohlmann said business operators can be assured the Sheriff’s Office will use contact information on the decal to reach them if they are needed to come out to secure their building.

“Reasons for us needing to reach someone after normal business hours,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said, “could include a burglary or act of vandalism discovered by a deputy on patrol, weather-related damage or perhaps an electrical outage that could affect a business’ perishable goods.”

The sheriff added, “If you have any type commercial storefront we want you to participate to help keep your business safe and secure.”

Also, established companies which have lost the I.D. decal for their storefront can call the Sheriff’s Office for a new one.

With a number of businesses having opened in St. Bernard Parish in the last year a push is being made by the Sheriff’s Office to ensure all commercial enterprises, including any that are changing locations, register their contact information to keep the Business Watch program up to date.

To register a new business or get a replacement I.D. decal, call Capt. Charles Borchers, head of Community Relations for the Sheriff’s Office, at (504) 278-7628 or Lt. Billy Cure, who deals directly with companies in the Business Watch program, at (504) 583-9840.

St. Bernard, which had more than 2,500 businesses before Hurricane Katrina, has built back to an estimated 900 and all of them should be a part of the Business Watch program in case anything happens after normal working hours.

Business Watch was created by the Sheriff’s Office in the 1990s, part of the crime prevention program.

Borchers said the Sheriff’s Office will come out and get contact information and place a decal on a business, giving it an I.D. number that is cross-referenced to an information sheet kept on file with the sheriff’s Communication Division.

A deputy on patrol who comes upon a burglary or other type problem at a business, calls in the I.D. number to the Communications Division which gets in touch with the business’ after-hours contact people. They may be asked to meet with the deputy at the business to take actions needed to secure the building, Borchers said.

Cure said, “All information supplied is confidential and wouldn’t be released to anyone.’’