Convenience Store Inspections

    Helping To Create a Safe Environment for Convenience Businesses

Convenience businesses serve an important role in Santa Rosa County, making life easier for our citizens while creating a large number of jobs. Unfortunately, they also provide convenient targets for criminals.

In February 2005, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office Crime Prevention team began working in concert with all local convenience stores, making sure that both they and their customers work in a safe and secure environment. This will be accomplished by ensuring that all convenience store facilities, those operating from 11 p.m. until 5 a.m., will be in compliance with the 1992 Convenience Business Security Act.

This act, passed by the Florida Legislature, was designed to protect convenience businesses from violent crimes. The requirements of the Act establish minimum security standards for the operation of convenience businesses. These standards include: lighted parking lots, a drop safe or cash management device that is secured to the floor or counter or that weighs at least 500 pounds, training in robbery deterrence and safety for each retail employee, conducted through an approved curriculum, notice at the entrance that the cash register contains $50 or less, height markers at the entrance, window tinting that permits physical identification of all persons in the sales transaction area from outside the building, a written cash management policy limiting cash on hand between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., a security camera system capable of retrieving an identifiable image of an offender, a silent alarm, and window sign placement allowing an unobstructed view of the sales transaction area from inside and outside the building.

In addition, any convenience businesses at which a murder, robbery, sexual battery, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, or kidnapping or false imprisonment has occurred, in connection with the operation of the business, must have to meet additional standards. These additional security measures must be in place for a minimum of two years after the date of the most recent crime.

The Sheriff's Office Crime Prevention team will assist each business in upholding all necessary and binding standards. The team members, who are state certified inspectors, will conduct a complete inspection of each facility and will advise the owner of the business as to its findings. If a facility is found to be out of compliance, they will be given an opportunity to correct any security measures not found to be in place in accordance with the Convenience Business Security Act of 1992. If corrections are not made, the business can face a fine of up to $1,000.

Convenience businesses that stay in compliance with the Convenience Business Security Act standards will be paramount to the overall effort to reduce the risk of robbery and therefore to protect the safety and welfare of business employees and customers. It becomes a win win situation for law enforcement, the convenience businesses and the citizens at large.

For further information please contact:

Ms. Cindy Sarver

Santa Rosa Sheriff's Office

5755 East Milton Rd.

Milton, FL. 32583

csarver@srso.net

850-983-1236

The Convenience Business Security Act

The Convenience Business Security Act was implemented to protect convenience businesses from violent crimes. The Act established minimum security standards for the operation of convenience businesses. The Attorney General's Office is responsible for the enforcement and training is provided on how to conduct convenience store inspections; security standards and devices required by law; and to provide a model Robbery Deterrence and Safety Training Program.

The Convenience Business Security Act requires that certain security devices and standards be established at all convenience businesses open any time between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. The Act, which is contained in sections 812.170 - 812.175, Florida Statutes, places enforcement authority within the Office of the Attorney General. Violations of the law may result in civil penalties of up to $5,000.00.

Under the Act, a convenience business is defined as one that:

• Is primarily engaged in the sale of groceries, or both groceries and gasoline; and
• Is open for business during any hours between 11 p.m and 5 a.m.

Excluded from the Act are businesses that:

Minimum Security Standards

• Training in robbery deterrence and safety for each employee, conducted through an approved curriculum
• Drop safe or cash management device that is secured to the floor or counter or that weighs at least 500 pounds
• Lighted parking lot
• Notice at the entrance that the cash register contains $50.00 or less
• Height markers at the entrance
• Window sign placement allowing an unobstructed view of the sales transaction area from inside and outside the building
• Window tinting that allows for physical identification of all persons in the sales transaction area from outside the building
• A written cash management policy, kept on-site, that limits cash on hand between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
• A security camera system that is capable of retrieving an identifiable image of an offender, including an annual test photo and a maintenance log showing maintenance every four months
• A silent alarm
• Additional security measures, if required (see below)

Additional security measures are required when:

Convenience businesses at which a murder, robbery, sexual battery, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, kidnaping or false imprisonment has occurred in connection with the operation of the business must have one of the following additional security measures in place between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.:

• At least two employees on the premises at all times
• A secured safety enclosure made of transparent polycarbonate
• A security guard or off duty law enforcement officer on the premises
• Locked premises with business conducted through an indirect pass-through, trap door or window

The additional security requirements must be in place for a minimum of 24 months after the date of the most recent crime. After 24 months, the convenience business may file a notice of exemption with the Office of the Attorney General.

For More Information:

For more specific information from the Department of Law Enforcement on the Convenience Business Security Act, call Bureau of Criminal Justice Programs at (850) 414-3360 or write to:

Convenience Business Security Act
Office of the Attorney General
Criminal Justice Programs
PL-01, The Capitol
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1050