Pharmacy Security

[NaplexSlacker]

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I am an overnight pharmacist. I, of course, am concerned with the increase in pharmacy robberies over the last couple of years. At my store, at night, I am the only pharmacy employee and there is 2 front store employees in the store. My question, how can we better secure the pharmacy?

The first thing I thought of was bullet proof glass cage around the pharmacy like in a gas station. But then that could lead to a situation were the criminal uses a threat to the front store employee to make the person behind the glass open up.

Another thought I had was to lock the store after a certain time. Then require pharmacy business to come through the drive through. If someone really needed in the store, they could ring a sort of doorbell and someone could see them on a camera (thus guaranteeing their face is on camera) before they are allowed entrance into the store. I think this would definitely deter some would be robbers.

None of these ideas are perfect but I think retail pharmacies need to reassess the security of pharmacies. A pharmacy is as much of a target if not a better target than a bank or gas station these days. We are sitting on a lot of money in drug stock.

 

[Carboxide]

I am an overnight pharmacist. I, of course, am concerned with the increase in pharmacy robberies over the last couple of years. At my store, at night, I am the only pharmacy employee and there is 2 front store employees in the store. My question, how can we better secure the pharmacy?

The first thing I thought of was bullet proof glass cage around the pharmacy like in a gas station. But then that could lead to a situation were the criminal uses a threat to the front store employee to make the person behind the glass open up.

Another thought I had was to lock the store after a certain time. Then require pharmacy business to come through the drive through. If someone really needed in the store, they could ring a sort of doorbell and someone could see them on a camera (thus guaranteeing their face is on camera) before they are allowed entrance into the store. I think this would definitely deter some would be robbers.

None of these ideas are perfect but I think retail pharmacies need to reassess the security of pharmacies. A pharmacy is as much of a target if not a better target than a bank or gas station these days. We are sitting on a lot of money in drug stock.

We are, but it's not our responsibility to protect it. If you get robbed, just give them what they want and let them go.

 

[WhiteSnows]

I think the best way to protect you and your pharmacy is having camera in the store. If you get robbed, let them take what they want, then call the police to identify who they are.

 

[PharmEcon]

I am assuming this isn't a chain since you are thinking about implementing these things? Anyway, I know many gas stations have a system where the doors lock at a certain time and if someone comes up to it, the person at the register can push a button to unlock it. This might help cut down on just random people walking in and certainly from people who are trying to hide their face (which I assume a lot of people doing robberies would do).

 

[Ghibli]

Get a camera system and make it visible. Robbers are less likely to go after you if they know they are going to be recorded.

 

[Unchained]

I certainly don't like the idea of just give them the drugs. This is not an acceptable long term strategy. All overnight shifts should have security guards. Pharmacies also need to be redesigned to make access more difficult particularly in high risk areas. The chain I worked for had a certain night pharmacist who was robbed 3x in a span of 2 yrs. Unfortunately none of the aforementioned will happen until the losses exceed a certain amount or God forbid violence towards the staffs becomes rampant.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

I put all of the cages down. The only way to the outside world is through the bulletproof glass drive-thru and a crack I leave between the cage and the consultation window that's tall enough to see people on the other side, but locked and secured. A person couldn't get through. but face-to-face communication isn't inhibited. I feel rather safe. They could shoot me through the cage with a big enough caliber bullet, I suppose, but they wouldn't be able to get in...so shooting me would be pointless...

 

[museabuse]

I put all of the cages down. The only way to the outside world is through the bulletproof glass drive-thru and a crack I leave between the cage and the consultation window that's tall enough to see people on the other side, but locked and secured. A person couldn't get through. but face-to-face communication isn't inhibited. I feel rather safe. They could shoot me through the cage with a big enough caliber bullet, I suppose, but they wouldn't be able to get in...so shooting me would be pointless...

And your supervisor is ok with that? If so, you have the coolest anti corporate policy supervisor ever.

 

[type b pharmD]

And your supervisor is ok with that? If so, you have the coolest anti corporate policy supervisor ever.

Night shift

 

[museabuse]

Night shift

None of the 24 hour stores around me do that at night, and I am pretty sure it's not corporate policy for Wags or CVS.

 

[Ghibli]

None of the 24 hour stores around me do that at night, and I am pretty sure it's not corporate policy for Wags or CVS.

Its not corporate policy for Wags. Some Wags have the time release safes and will post signs indicating this. Today at Wags we got an email in my district stating that an endcap shelving unit was to be placed in front of the door once the pharmacy closed in non-24 hour stores to prevent robberies. Like that is gonna work