Pierce County considers new grant program to help small businesses upgrade security

PARKLAND, Wash. - A rise in commercial thefts in Pierce County has some small businesses one crime away from shutting down.

In 2022, the number of burglaries were up 21% over the last five years. Elected officials are looking to use federal dollars to support increased security tools for businesses.

Pierce County Council is considering a proposal to create the Pierce County Small Business Security and Safety Grant Program. Council members Dave Morell, Amy Cruver and Paul Herrera sponsored the ordinance.

"The small businesses have to deal with such a large rise in criminal activity, that we felt that we could put together a program that would help them with the basic needs of securing their business, their customers, their parking lot and, ultimately, their livelihood," said Morell.

If approved, federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act would fund the grant program. According to the ordinance, "the intent is to focus resources to unincorporated areas and small cities and towns most impacted by property and business-related crime."

"The last four years for small businesses, as you know, have been so challenging—with COVID, with the shutdown and everything. A lot of our small businesses, their savings accounts have been drained and they can’t take another theft. I know multiple businesses that their insurance companies canceled them due to two break-ins, three break-ins. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg when we’re talking about crime," said Morell.

The ordinance reads, "The program shall seek to reimburse 50% of eligible costs up to $20,000…as a match for one-time expenditures to make physical changes to business premises." This could include installing devices like lights, alarms, secure doors, fencing, bollards, cameras and more.

"The more eyes we can put out there, as far as technology, to focus in on the operations or small businesses, the better off we are to keeping the criminal element away from that business and hopefully out of Pierce County," said Morell.

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Franchise Brothaz Barber and Beauty is equipped with surveillance cameras and barred doors. Barber Dido Ayala said their business has not been hit with crime, but they would still consider applying for the grant for additional security.

"It’s a way to kind of deter someone and protect your asset," said Ayala. "Especially with technology too. You have access to your cameras on your phone, and there’s keypad locks. There’s so many different things we can do to try to protect our businesses. It’s amazing that the county is thinking about giving back to the smaller guy. A lot of times the bigger corporations—they have insurance and everything to protect their assets, just as we do, but it’s a lot more difficult of a process."

The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said in Sept. 2023, there were 25 robberies in the county. 19 cases were armed, and 6 cases were strongarm. That’s up from 16 cases total in Sept. 2022.

"Things are kind of crazy in the world," said Ayala. "I do think we could do better overall as a community to help each other out." 

Council will continue reviewing the ordinance and will discuss it further during county budget meetings in November.