GBPD works against holiday crime
BY SCOTT PAGE Gulf Breeze News Scott@gulfbreezenews.com

The Gulf Breeze Police Department (GBPD) is taking proactive efforts against holiday crime in the wake of several November robberies. Two local banks, the People's First Bank on Shoreline Drive and the SunTrust bank on Nine Mile Road in Pensacola, were robbed this year by the same man. Another robbery occurred at the SunTrust Bank in Gulf Breeze. Consequently, GBPD Chief Peter Paulding is taking a page from the SunTrust playbook in order to protect local businesses during the holiday season.

"This time of year, crime rates generally tend to increase," Paulding said. "With a somewhat slumping economy, this year we are paying extra attention."

The police department gained more than an increased awareness from the SunTrust robbery. They decided to incorporate the bank's comprehensive checklist for identifying robbery suspects into their crime fighting efforts.

When most people witness a crime, they are so overwhelmed and excited by the experience that they sometimes have a hard time describing the event and the person who is responsible. The suspect identification form is a single sheet of paper that Sun Trust asks its employees to fill out immediately after a robbery has taken place. It helps to prompt their memory of the robbery in order to aid in the identification of the suspect.

The GBPD has distributed a copy of this form to many local businesses in case they become victims of a similar crime this holiday season.

"We're encouraging locals to be more vigilant during the holidays," Paulding said. "We've suggested that they adopt a no hats and no sunglasses policy to help reduce the risk of robbery."