Retail C.O.P. (Cameras on Patrol)

Retail C.O.P. is a web-based, interactive program that permits business owners to share information relating to known and unknown retail criminals in our community. It allows retailers and the Victoria Police Department to fight back against organized retail crime and illegal activity that includes theft, fraud, counterfeit currency, robbery and break & enter. This secure website has been designed in full compliance with British Columbia and Canadian privacy laws.

The Retail C.O.P. program is based on a network of businesses sharing information downloaded from security camera systems and distributed amongst themselves and the police.

It has been developed by the Downtown Victoria Business Association and the Victoria Police Department, in collaboration with the Surrey Business Improvement Association and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (Surrey Detatchment) whose Retail Theft Prevention Project inspired this site.

The program is being launched simultaneously in Victoria and Surrey and is also being offered to other communities elsewhere in the province.

According to the Retail Council of Canada, retailers lose up to $3 billion a year, or $8.2 million a day due to theft alone. Credit card and debit card fraud, robbery, break & enter, and counterfeit currency are other retail crimes - not even factored into shrinkage loss - that significantly affect retail sales, increased consumer costs, and the safety of employees and customers. RETAIL C.O.P. provides the opportunity for you to reduce these impacts on your business!

To join RETAIL C.O.P., please contact Cst. Mike Russell, Victoria Police Department, at 995-7209 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .