Some Denver Businesses Take Security Into Their Own Hands

DENVER (CBS4)- As baseball season begins and the weather heats up, crime typically increases in some parts of downtown Denver. To protect themselves, many business owners have taken security into their own hands.

Meg Batizy, owner of The Lobby restaurant in the Ballpark Neighborhood, has seen a variety of crime.

"I've seen all kinds of things," said Batizy. "Everything between drug use and prostitution."

Last month The Lobby was burglarized twice within days. Someone crashed through her glass door after midnight and stole her cash register.

On Wednesday, Batizy joined city leaders and police officers on how to combat crime in the neighborhood.

"If you see drug use, if you see a drug deal, if you see a suspicious car, take pictures," said Batizy of the advice she received.

Batizy is hoping her neighborhood can see the return of a $30,000 Halo camera that helped police keep an eye on crime.

"Probably went up about a year ago and as soon as the Halo camera went up, it cleared out," said Batizy. "The more you call, the more you show there's an issue, they're a response-driven unit so the more we can show them there's an issue, the more they can respond to it."