Conway police officers conducted security checks at local businesses Friday as part of a training exercise for newest department recruits.

The crime prevention class focused on what to look for in identifying a business or residence’s potential weak points.

La Tresha Woodruff, Conway Police Department’s public information officer, said security checks are a free service provided by the department that she feels is under utilized.

Woodruff said any Conway business or Conway resident may request officers to come to their property and address issues that could make them an easy target for criminals.

A security check performed last year at a service station on Highway 65 identified an issue Woodruff said the business has since corrected.

Advertisements in the front windows of the station prevented someone outside from being able to look inside and see if there was a potentially dangerous situation that could be avoided.

“If the windows are clear, someone walking by would see through the window that the place was being robbed and call police instead of walking in on a dangerous situation,” she explained.

At Friday’s check, police observed the advertisements had been moved to no higher than four feet from the ground.

Another subtle security feature CPD Sergeant John Zanin pointed out was a ceiling of mirrored tiles.

“The mirrored ceiling is a good feature. It is crime prevention through subtle design,” said Zanin. “It seems decorative and cool, but that’s by design.”

The manager of the business showed police a live security feed that he could access on his mobile phone.

Zanin called the business “proactive” in crime prevention.

One potential hazard had remained unchanged, Woodruff said.

The height of lottery cards at the cashier’s counter was too high for the employee to see the door, but the employee could move to either side to have a clear view.

Would be burglars were stopped recently, according to the store’s manager, when they tried to break into the car wash.

They were unsuccessful, he said, due to alarm and surveillance systems.

Woodruff said officers earlier identified that a business inside an older home would benefit from larger screws in its doors.

“They were told to reinforce their doors. It’s as simple as larger screws,” she said.

Another service provided by the department is residence checks.

Woodruff said anyone leaving their home for a while can fill out a residential check form at the department to request an officer to check the property while they are away from home.

(Staff writer Courtney Spradlin can be reached by email at courtney.spradlin@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1236. To comment on this and other stories in the Log Cabin, log on to www.thecabin.net. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)