News Flash
01-19-2008, 02:09 PM
Robberies: "No Hats, No Hoods & No Sunglasses" in Banks?
Are dress codes coming to banks?
You might have to doff that cap and remove the shades before cashing your check.
The Florida Bankers Association rolled out the "No Hats, No Hoods, No Sunglasses" program this week, noting that bank robberies in Florida soared 36 percent last year.
Signs will ask customers entering bank lobbies to remove those items before doing their business.
Customers who refuse will not be turned away, but they may be directed to a "more experienced" teller or to an area with more security.
"Bankers aren't just going to hope robbers won't come," said FBA president Alex Sanchez. "The 'No Hats' program is one more layer of protection."
Even when robberies occur, suspects should be more easily identified, the FBA says. Florida ranked ninth in the nation for bank robberies in 2006.
State and federal law enforcement agencies are on board, saying the program has worked elsewhere: Missouri adopted "No Hats" in 2002 and saw bank robberies drop 47 percent in three years.
Click here (http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080119/BUSINESS/801190425) for the full story.
Are dress codes coming to banks?
You might have to doff that cap and remove the shades before cashing your check.
The Florida Bankers Association rolled out the "No Hats, No Hoods, No Sunglasses" program this week, noting that bank robberies in Florida soared 36 percent last year.
Signs will ask customers entering bank lobbies to remove those items before doing their business.
Customers who refuse will not be turned away, but they may be directed to a "more experienced" teller or to an area with more security.
"Bankers aren't just going to hope robbers won't come," said FBA president Alex Sanchez. "The 'No Hats' program is one more layer of protection."
Even when robberies occur, suspects should be more easily identified, the FBA says. Florida ranked ninth in the nation for bank robberies in 2006.
State and federal law enforcement agencies are on board, saying the program has worked elsewhere: Missouri adopted "No Hats" in 2002 and saw bank robberies drop 47 percent in three years.
Click here (http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080119/BUSINESS/801190425) for the full story.