Safe zone for online sales created in Redwood City

A safe exchange zone for online purchases near prisoners might seem an odd arrangement on first blush, but it makes sense to San Mateo County’s sheriff.

On July 6, county Supervisor David Canepa and Sheriff Carlos Bolanos held a press conference to unveil the first county-implemented internet Safe Exchange Zone in the parking lot of the Maple Street Correctional Center in Redwood City. Two of five underutilized electric-vehicle charger spaces were converted into an area for residents to safely meet and conduct transactions, such as for Craigslist purchases. The spaces contain signs that read “exchange zone” and “activities in this area are recorded.”

Bill Silverfarb, legislative aide for Canepa, said the idea came from Canepa, who helped install the first exchange zone in the county last year in the parking lot of Daly City’s police station when he was the city’s vice mayor. Canepa proposed the idea after a Daly City resident was shot to death in 2013 after agreeing to meet a potential buyer in San Francisco for a PlayStation 4 he was selling.

The correctional center site was chosen for safety and because it already had surveillance cameras.

“If you’re going to do something like this, you can’t find a safer place,” Silverfarb said. “Redwood City’s police department is right across the street.”

The exchange zone is well-lit and can be used 24 hours a day, he said. Police don’t actively monitor the cameras, but if there is a problem, footage is stored for at least 30 days. Silverfarb said there wasn’t data yet available on how well the spots have been utilized over the past two weeks. He said the zone would be up for a one-year experiment, at which time the plan is to roll out additional locations in the city.

“We just sent letters to all 21 cities,” he said. “We are encouraging every city to consider implementing zones.”