Pub. 5 2015-2016 Issue 4

6 O V E R A C E N T U R Y : B U I L D I N G B E T T E R B A N K S - H E L P I N G C O L O R A D A N S R E A L I Z E D R E A M S A Word From CBA... Sometimes, Interesting Isn’t In Our Best Interest As the holiday season approached at the end of last year, two of your banks and their communities were struck by violence. A pair of robberies – one particularly violent – took place within days of one another, leaving three people shot and others injured. Reporters descended on the first of the robberies, detailing the crime with TV drama-like details, describing a fleeing get- away car driven by Halloween-masked assailants, leaving a trail of bullets and cash. They also included a very dangerous detail: the amount of money taken in the robbery. CBA staff pounced, contacting reporters and journalists from traditional news agencies to managers of Twitter feeds and bloggers to advise against re-reporting the number, as doing so could elicit further crime. Some heeded the warning; others didn’t. We contacted law enforcement, too, warning them about revealing such information. Unfortunately a day later, a second similar but apparent- ly unrelated robbery occurred, making our point very clear: sometimes, what’s interesting to report isn’t in the public’s best interest. As bankers, our customers trust you with their assets, their dreams and their livelihoods. In turn, as our members, you en- trust CBA with industry advocacy so you can focus on serving your customers. With that in mind, CBA revamped its bank robbery-related materials, including talking points and tips on what to do should an incident occur. We are seeking meetings with law enforcement to ensure dangerous information isn’t released again. We know that despite increased security measures, well trained staff and constant work toward new ways to prevent robbery, criminals will continue to target our places of business. We are here to help you communicate to your customers and the public that not only is their money safe with you, but they are safe in your banks. Your staff is trained and prepared should an incident take place. Better bank security is one of several factors contribut- ing to the sharp decline in robberies. And most importantly, 96 percent of all robberies do not involve actual violence such as a shooting, assault or injury, according to the FBI. As you have read in our Chairman’s message from Mark Bower, CBAworks constantly on your behalf to advocate for your industry, for laws that help rather than hurt you and to create a stronger economy for your institutions and the customers you serve. We know strong, successful and safe banks are in every- one’s best interest.  Don Childears President and CEO Colorado Bankers Association