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current.mnsun.com Bloomington • Richfield Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019 Page 3 Bloomington provides designated spot for safe swaps By MIKE HANKS [email protected] From dusty comic book collections to last year’s cellphones, online ads are often used to convert the unwanted and forgotten treasures in our home into cash. And, the Bloomington Police Department is offer- ing a way to help facilitate those transactions, as well as other exchanges, at times when meeting at a neutral, public location is impor- tant. The police department has established a Safe Swap Spot in the parking lot of Bloomington Civic Plaza. The swap spot is intended to provide a place to con- duct transactions in public and under surveillance. The police department doesn’t assist with or oversee the transactions, but the swap spot is in- tended to improve personal safety for those seeking a public location for a trans- action, be it the purchase of goods or a child cus- tody exchange. Although the designated area has 24- hour security monitoring, it is not under continuous surveillance by law enforce- ment personnel. The swap spot is avail- able for use 24 hours a day. In addition, exchanges are permitted in the police de- partment’s lobby weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Establishing a swap spot has been supported by the police department’s com- mand staff, but it took more than placing a metal sign on a post in the park- ing lot to make it hap- pen, according to Katie Chase, a crime prevention specialist with the depart- ment. An important com- ponent of providing a swap spot is ensuring that the area has good surveillance, Chase said. The police department has a camera system in place that provides over- sight in and around the police station, but accom- modations were needed to ensure that the designated area of the parking lot was under surveillance. In addition, the camera was programmed so that if it was directed to another area of the parking lot by department personnel, it would automatically return to a position over- seeing the swap spot, Chase explained. The camera is set up to capture vehicles access- ing the designated park- ing spots. The department wanted a spot that could be observed by surveil- lance cameras, but didn’t interfere with regular day- to-day parking for Civic Plaza. That area ended up being the parking spots closest to Logan Avenue, near the police depart- ment entrance on the west side of the building, Chase noted. The camera will record activity in the swap spot which investigators can re- view if a crime is reported following a transaction, allowing them to obtain images of the perpetrators and license plates from ve- hicles involved, Chase said. The department also has surveillance of the vesti- bule for the police depart- ment, which can be used as a swap spot during regular weekday business hours of the police department, she added. Recommendations Although the swap spot doesn’t guarantee safety, the police department has several recommendations St. Richard’s Catholic Church 7540 Penn Avenue South Richfield • 612-869-2426 www.strichards.com for buyers and sellers fa- cilitating business online. Although many people are honest and sincere when buying or selling items online, such transactions have been used to facilitate crimes, according to the police department. Recommended safety measures from the police department include telling a friend or family member where and when a sched- uled transaction is taking place, and when you expect to return, as well as having a person accompany you during a transaction. It is See Swap , PAGE 7 Other Lenten Opportunities Reconciliation Service: St. Edward—Tues, Mar 12, 11am Thurs, April 4, 7pm St. Richard—Sat, April 6, 10am DON’T LIKE TO GO OUT AFTER DARK IN THE COLD? St. Peter’s Catholic Church 6730 Nicollet Avenue South Richfield • 612-866-5089 www.stpetersrichfield.org Lenten services at 11:00 am and 6:30 pm Beginning Ash Wednesday, March 6th and continuing Wednesday’s thru April 10th Light lunch following the 11:00 am service Dinner served at 5:00 pm hymn sing at 6:15 pm before the 6:30 pm service Redemption Lutheran Church 927 E. Old Shakopee Rd., Bloomington, MN55420 www.RedemptionMN.org St. Peter—Sat, April 6, 10:30am St . Bonaventure—Sun, Apr 7, 4pm Nativity of Mary—TBA Weekly Stations of the Cross: Nativity of Mary Catholic Church March 6—Liturgy with Distribution of Ashes St. Richard—12:15pm, 7pm St . Peter— 8am, 12:15pm, 6:30pm Nativity of Mary—8am, 9:45am, 6:30pm St. Edward—9am, 12pm, 6:30pm St. Bonaventure—8:45am, 6pm Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation, however, the special liturgy with the imposition of ashes is an important part of our Christian tradition. 9900 Lyndale Avenue South Bloomington • 952-881-8671 www.nativitybloomington.org Church of St. Edward 9401 Nesbitt Ave S Bloomington • 952-835-7101 www.stedwardschurch.org St. Richard—Fridays, 12:15, 7pm St. Peter—Fridays, 8:30am, 7pm Nativity of Mary—Fridays, 7pm St. Edward—Fridays, 7pm St. Bonaventure—Fridays, 9:30am, 7pm Nativity of Mary Fish Fry Friday, March 15, 4-9pm St. Edward Fish Fry Friday, March 15, 5-7pm St . Bonaventure Fish Dinners St. Bonaventure Catholic Community 901 East 90th Street Bloomington • 952-854-4733 www.saintbonaventure.org Fri, Mar 15 & Apr 12, 4:30-7pm St . Richard Family Soup Supper Fridays after 5:15pm Stations Learn more about our programs and services on our parish websites! Want more for your home and pay less in fees? 4.75% Total Commission For Bloomington and Richfield Residents Eric Perkins | 612-219-0234 [email protected]