Hamilton Police Creating 'Trade Zone' for Online Commerce

The Hamilton Police Department wants residents to be safe when they meet up to conduct business related to online transactions on Craigslist, EBay and other such sites.

Police chief Russ Stevens told selectmen Monday night that the police department is introducing a trade zone, or commerce zone, at the police department where people can meet up to exchange money and goods they’ve bought or sold online.

Stevens explained that there has been ”a lot of violence” associated with online commerce over the years and police departments throughout the country have begun establishing ”trade zones” to help make the process safer.

“We are going to have a trade zone or a commerce zone, if you will, in front of the police department,” Stevens explained, adding that camera systems are now up and running and signage should be in place within the next couple of weeks. “Basically, if you’re selling a product, Craigslist, Ebay, whatever, and someone wants to meet you, you would say... ’We’ll meet [at] the Hamilton Police Department. There’s a trade zone right there.’

“Hopefully it’s a deterrent that if someone was going to rob you or take your wares, they wouldn’t want to do it in the police department parking lot,” Stevens told selectmen.

Stevens said the department would alert residents when the signage goes up and the official zone is established.