With burglaries and theft up, Pierce County could help businesses increase security
A new grant program to help small businesses in unincorporated and rural areas improve safety and security might get approval from the Pierce County Council amid more reported incidents of burglaries and thefts last year.
Council members Amy Cruver, Paul Herrera and Dave Morell sponsored the ordinance. Final council action will take place Nov. 21, according to the agenda.
The proposed Pierce County Small Business Security and Safety Grant Program would reimburse 50% of eligible costs up to $20,000 (with up to $10,000 reimbursement per applicant) as a match for one-time expenditures to make physical changes to businesses such as lighting, alarms, cameras, secure entrance doors, bollards, fencing or other devices or capital improvements “that enhance the safety and security of the business,” according to an ordinance brought before the council Tuesday, Oct. 24.
Eligibility would be limited to small and micro-stage businesses with no more than 20 employees that have been in business for at least two years, per the ordinance. Revenue would come from federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars, according to county documents.
Eligible businesses also must operate from a commercial property physically located in unincorporated Pierce County or within a city or town in Pierce County with a population of fewer than 8,000 people, the ordinance said.
The application process would be overseen by the county’s Economic Development Department, which would consider factors like the applicant’s business sector, geographic equity, participation in previous grant programs and prevalence of criminal activity near their business when determining eligibility, according to the drafted ordinance.
The Economic Development Department would pre-approve applicants before security upgrades have started and would verify they have occurred prior to reimbursement, according to the ordinance equity note.
Periodic reports documenting the program’s participants, participant demographic information (like race or veteran status), the value of grants awarded and other measures of performance would be given to the council, according to county documents.
According to the Sheriff’s Department, in 2022 there were more than 800 non-residential burglaries, 130 commercial robberies, 123 shoplifting incidents and over 600 fraud and forgery incidents reported in unincorporated Pierce County.
In the previous five years, non-residential burglary is up 21%, armed robbery is up 71% and motor vehicle theft is up 96% in unincorporated Pierce County, according to department data.
This story was originally published October 25, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
