K-9s steal the show
Officers, canine partners greet residents at Salem bank
Consumers National Bank supervisor Lori Edgerton and customer Pamela Dotson, right, of Salem meet K-9 Simon of the Salem Police Department, along with his handler, Patrolman Mike Garber in the bank parking lot. The meet-and-greet was part of K-9 Appreciation Day hosted Monday by Consumers at the Ellsworth Avenue office. Bank personnel from the corporate office in Minerva also shared information on fraud awareness.
Consumers employees teller Robyn Crowl, kneeling, and Kennie Baker, systems sales and service manager, visit with K-9 Argo and his handler, Patrolman Steve LaRosa. Salem Police displayed some of the equipment purchased with the fund that’s set up for donations through the Salem Community Foundation, such as training equipment, protective vests, toys, harnesses and trading cards. (Salem News photos by Mary Ann Greier)
Consumers National Bank supervisor Lori Edgerton and customer Pamela Dotson, right, of Salem meet K-9 Simon of the Salem Police Department, along with his handler, Patrolman Mike Garber in the bank parking lot. The meet-and-greet was part of K-9 Appreciation Day hosted Monday by Consumers at the Ellsworth Avenue office. Bank personnel from the corporate office in Minerva also shared information on fraud awareness.
Consumers employees teller Robyn Crowl, kneeling, and Kennie Baker, systems sales and service manager, visit with K-9 Argo and his handler, Patrolman Steve LaRosa. Salem Police displayed some of the equipment purchased with the fund that’s set up for donations through the Salem Community Foundation, such as training equipment, protective vests, toys, harnesses and trading cards. (Salem News photos by Mary Ann Greier)
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SALEM -- Consumers National Bank hosted K-9 Appreciation Day Monday, giving customers an opportunity to meet the city's crime-fighting dogs and see some of the equipment purchased through the community's donations to the Salem Police K-9 Fund.
Bank personnel also used the event to spread the word about fraud and identity theft, passing out flyers explaining red flags that could indicate a problem.
"We often have our customers become victims of identity theft and elder financial exploitation," Consumers Assistant Vice President Dennis Coy said.
Coy also serves as the Chief Risk & Compliance Officer, working out of the corporate headquarters in Minerva.
With the recent data breach at the Equifax credit reporting bureau, he said the bank personnel have been working with customers to help them identify what they should do.
"We often speak to community groups to raise awareness of fraud schemes and things of that nature," Coy said.
According to an identity theft brochure from the Federal Trade Commission made available to customers, some of the red flags that could indicate identity theft has occurred include: mistakes on bank, credit card or other account statements; mistakes on the explanation of medical benefits on a health plan; bills and account statements don't arrive on time; bills or collection notices come for products or services never received; calls from debt collectors about unknown debt; notice from the Internal Revenue Service about someone else using the customer's social security number; mail, emails or calls about accounts or jobs in a minor child's name; unwarranted collection notices on credit reports; businesses not accepting a person's checks; and being turned down for a loan or job unexpectedly.
The brochure said ways to protect private information include checking credit reports, reading bank and credit card statements and looking for mistakes, shredding documents containing personal information, ignoring phone, email or text messages wanting personal information, creating passwords that mix letters, numbers and special characters, using anti-virus and and anti-spyware software and using secure websites.
Coy was accompanied by Brian McAllister, a fraud investigator with Consumers.
Any groups, organizations or businesses interested in having a presentation regarding fraud and identity theft can contact Coy at 330-868-9086.
Customers were treated to some snacks, too, while visiting at the bank located at the corner of West State Street and South Ellsworth Avenue.
The display of equipment used by K-9 Simon and K-9 Argo and handlers Patrolmen Mike Garber and Steve LaRosa included a bite suit and bite sleeves used for training, protective vests for both the dogs and the patrolmen, a first aid bag, toys, muzzles, harnesses, and even trading cards which feature a photo and description of each dog. Both Simon and Argo are the breed known as Belgian Malinois. The Salem Police Department K-9 Fund is overseen by the Salem Community Foundation which has offices at Consumers National Bank.
"This is just showing everybody what donations to the canine fund purchased," LaRosa said.
The department used the fund to purchase Simon, cover the cost of the training for Garber and Simon, purchase equipment and purchase the vehicle specially-equipped for a police dog. The SCF funded the cost of Argo, training for LaRosa and their vehicle.
The dogs had many visitors who stopped by to pet them and to see the equipment during appreciation day. LaRosa said they were grateful for the bank hosting the event.
mgreier@salemnews.net