Wegmans increasing police presence at Irondequoit store

People who shop at Wegmans at 525 Titus Ave. in Irondequoit will be seeing a police officer there more often.

At the company’s request, a uniformed Irondequoit police officer will now be at the store from 4 p.m. to midnight seven days a week.

This is an off-duty detail that won’t affect normal Irondequoit Police Department shifts, and Wegmans will cover the cost, Irondequoit Police Chief Scott Peters said. (Wegmans will pay the officers the same rate they would make if on duty.)

For the past several years, an officer has been stationed at the Irondequoit Plaza store Wednesday through Sunday, he said.

Asked whether the move to increase coverage resulted from a particular incident, a Wegmans spokesperson responded with a statement:

“We hire law enforcement officers at a variety of our stores and put a great deal of time and thought into each store’s security program. For security and safety purposes, we do not share the breadth of measures that are in place at each store. The safety of our employees and customers always has been and always will be a top priority.”

In this area, similar arrangements exist between the Gates Police Department and the Lyell Avenue Wegmans and the Rochester Police Department and the East Avenue store.

Peters believes that Wegmans is just trying to be proactive about security, especially as the weather improves.

“As it gets warmer out, you’ll see more foot traffic,” he said.

At a Feb. 22 Irondequoit Town Board meeting where the agreement was approved, he said: “The officers there are not the first line of enforcement. They actually have their own asset protection. … We’re kind of a second line. … And then the officer’s also there to help make any type of arrest.”

Reporter Marcia Greenwood covers general assignments. Send story tips to mgreenwo@rocheste.gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @MarciaGreenwood.