Convenience Store Security Fact Sheet
The information below is a summary of the full requirements which can be found in Chapter 68-33 of the Milwaukee Code of Ordinances, accessible from www.milwaukee.gov/ordinances .
What is a Convenience Food Store? "Convenience food store" means a food store that contains less than 5,000 square feet of retail sales space and has as its primary business the sale of basic food items and in addition sells household products or a filling station that sells basic food items and household products.
What are the requirements?
1. Visibility: The cash register is to be located so that at the time of a sales transaction, the employee and customer are both visible from a person directly outside the store. Customer entrance and exit doors are to be made of transparent material and kept clear of any signs or advertisements. Parking areas must have adequate lighting.
2. Safe: An approved safe must be maintained on the premises.
3. Security Cameras: At least 2 high resolution surveillance security cameras which can produce reproducible digital color images from a digital video recorder shall be installed and maintained. Please see Milwaukee Code of Ordinances Chapter 68-55 for the detailed requirements for the cameras. See below for funding assistance that may be available for security cameras.
4. Robbery Prevention Training: All Owners and employees of convenience food stores shall be required to complete a training course in robbery prevention approved of or provided by the police department within 120 days of ownership or employment. Police department training class schedules and information can be found below .
Who enforces these requirements?The City of Milwaukee Health Department’s Consumer Environmental Health Division inspectors assess compliance with the requirements during inspections of the food stores and issue orders when necessary. When orders are not complied with, they are referred to the Milwaukee Police Department.
Are there any exemptions? Yes, a store is exempt from requirements 1-3 above if:
- The store is located in an enclosed shopping structure, enclosed commercial building or hospital and a customer cannot enter it directly from the outside or
- The store physically separates employees from customers with a solid partition that bars a person from entering the employee area from the customer area, has a secure lock on the employee side of any door between the employee area and the customer area, and conducts all transactions through a service window or similar arrangement.
- These exemptions do not apply to requirement 4 above, Robbery Prevention Training
Robbery Deterrence Training
Robbery Deterrence training classes are offered by the Office of Community Outreach and Education of the Milwaukee Police Department.
Location: Milwaukee Safety Academy
6680 N. Teutonia Avenue
Time: 4:30 p.m.- 5:30 p.m. Doors open at 4:00pm for Check IN/Doors close at 4:30 p.m. NO ENTRY INTO CLASS AFTER 4:30 PM
2024 Dates:
- Wednesday, February 7
- Wednesday, April 3
- Wednesday, June 5
- Wednesday, September 4
- Wednesday, November 6
Registration is REQUIRED prior to attendance to the training section. Register online at: www.mpdocoe.org (scroll to the bottom of the page). If you have any questions please email Ofc. Schilling-Mess at [email protected] or call (414) 935-7967.