11/23/2005  

Extra security to patrol Hwy 78 during shopping season
Hwy 78 CID boosts police presence for merchants beginning Nov. 25

Business owners and workers won’t be the only ones getting busy the day after Thanksgiving when the holiday shopping season kicks off.

Thanks to the Highway 78 Community Improvement District (CID), a security team comprised by off-duty Gwinnett County police officers will be patrolling the Highway 78 corridor from Stone Mountain to Snellville for an additional 72 hours a week. The 50 percent increase in weekly patrol hours for the holiday crush will continue through the end of the year.

“Keeping the corridor safe for people to work and shop is one of the most important things we can do for the businesses in our area during the holidays,” Highway 78 CID Executive Director Brett Harrell says. “A safe environment invites shoppers and the Highway 78 CID is partnering with law enforcement and merchants to make 78 safe.”

Merchants appreciate the service.

“I’m grateful for the extra security,” says Henry Lam, owner of Tina’s Fine Jewelry in Lilburn. “We see the security team driving by all the time anyway, but every bit of extra security helps. We appreciate that the police are there for us and for our clients.”

The Highway 78 CID launched its security program in June 2003. Since then, officers have patrolled the corridor on behalf of the Highway 78 CID for more than 4,800 hours. The off-duty Gwinnett County officers will patrol and additional 500 hours this holiday season.

“As a merchant, it’s good to know the CID has extra security out there to look out for us,” says Dorine Mitnick, manager of promotional items for the Snellville-based company STA Screen Printing & Embroidery, located in the Gentry Shop in the Heritage Village shopping center. “We need that, and we really appreciate everything the officers do.”