‘Safe Exchange Zone’ Designated

Feel concern when making an e-commerce transaction with someone you don’t know, like a seller from Craigslist?

Anderson Township has a safe place to conduct e-commerce transactions or conduct child custody exchanges without fear of being victimized.

In early 2017, the Sheriff’s Office District 5 substation designated a “safe exchange zone” in its parking lot, a location that is well lit and also under 24-hour surveillance. This parking lot provides an alternative to meeting a stranger at a private residence or unfamiliar location.

Although the video surveillance is not monitored in real time, it is available for review if an incident would occur. During regular weekday business hours, the inside lobby is also available for residents to use. “While the district has not investigated any incidents involving meetings where transaction encounters have led to violence, we want to have a secure location available for our residents to help ensure and enhance their safety and to minimize the opportunity for an encounter to go wrong,” said Cpl. Dave Boiman, crime prevention officer with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. Boiman notes that patrol officers will not be present during transactions.