What Is the Media Doing to Bank Security?
If you happened to catch one of the lead stories in USA TODAY on February 3, the headline caught your eye - "Bank Robbers Loving New York City: Police say lax security encourages the crooks - armed and unarmed".
The article goes on to say that in New York City although "…you can't smoke in bars, cabbies can't hold cellphones and dogs are not permitted to be off the leash …it's still pretty easy to knock over a bank." The writer goes on to say that in order to get money you need only write a note asking for it and hand it to the teller - correct spelling not required - and you walk out with money.
The New York Bankers Association, in response to NYC police complaints, issued a 15 point list of "Best Practices" meant to help deter bank robberies and aid in the apprehension of bank bandits. It includes most of the safeguards we already have - CCTV, height markers, employee training, alarm systems, and vaults. They add recommendations for bullet-resistant bandit barriers, greeters, dye packs, direct telephone numbers to law enforcement, improved communications between law enforcement and banks, and signs. Yes - signs. They suggest that we place signs in conspicuous places indicating that we are using surveillance equipment. (Smile - You're on Candid Camera?)
Reporters seem to relate more to the law enforcement mind-set of "catch the crook" than to the financial industry's primary goal of "keep everyone safe." One reporter called this editor and asked if I knew how and when employees who were being robbed were instructed to hit the alarm button - how soon could the police be notified during a robbery? I declined to answer, and suggested this information was not something she'd want to print in her article. Her response? "But people are interested in that sort of information!"
Nowhere but in financial institution publications, this one included, do you find what we consider interesting statistics. The FBI statistics that tell us that:
On the average, working in a bank is one of the safest jobs in the United States. It ranks with that of Real Estate Agent. The most dangerous? A New York City taxi driver.
About 75% of bank robbers are caught and serve jail sentences for their crime - it's a federal offense.
Our employee robbery response training is among the most complete and efficient in any industry. The FBI credits many arrests to employees' accurate suspect descriptions.
The average 'take' from a bank robbery is around $4,000 - not the thousands and thousands visualized by the general public.
In 1980 there were over 1,000 bank robberies in New York City. Last year there were 408. I'd say the banks there are doing a pretty good job in robbery prevention.
According to NYC Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, the police are tired of bank robbers, "…armed only with pencils…" driving the crime statistics up. The police are making security recommendations and have proposed "outing" banks that don't take the measures suggested. Normally, this kind of "blowing off steam" by law enforcement would be disregarded. Unfortunately, because of New York City's high profile and wide news coverage, other parts of the country may have law enforcement individuals who may decide to follow suit. The media is making the banking industry look like uncooperative bad boys. Maybe we should do a little public relations push in the other direction.
Copyright © 2004 Bankers' Hotline. Originally appeared in Bankers' Hotline, Vol. 13, No. 12, 2/04
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