RICHARDSON, Texas — Over the last several years, online marketplace transactions have become the norm, but meeting up with a stranger has and always will be risky business. That’s why Richardson Police Department is joining several neighboring cities offering designated areas where residents can safely conduct private-party transactions.

Richardson PD’s “Exchange Zone” is a few parking spots on the southeast side of the visitor’s parking lot at headquarters. The area is under surveillance 24/7 and has access to an emergency call button that is a direct line to 911 dispatch.

"With the new construction of our building in 2017, it allotted us the extra space to put this in. And this was another resource that we wanted to provide to our citizens to help ensure their safety when selling different goods,” said Officer David Beregszaszy. “Most, if not all other police agencies [in the area] have gone to something like this. Their intentions are just like ours. They want to provide for their citizens a safe place to meet just like we do. We don't want anyone falling victim to anything. You’re starting to see them more places than not."

Beregszaszy says he’s even taken advantage of exchange zones in the past and is thankful the area is now available in Richardson.

"With the increase of people selling and meeting up, there has been crime that has come because of it, either it be robberies or thefts, and we just want to give them a safe place to meet,” Beregszaszy said. "If someone has the ill intentions to do harm, hopefully this would be a deterrent where ‘Hey, we're meeting in a police station, there's obviously going to be police there. So we may not want to do that,’ — if that was their true intentions."

Richardson entrepreneur Jackie Loubriel is no stranger to e-commerce. She frequently buys previously loved dresses online and gets them in the hands of new owners.

“So I guess you can say instead of flipping houses I flip dresses,” Loubriel said. "Besides just having the physical showroom here, I also sell on Facebook Marketplace, I have an Instagram, I have a website LoubrielLove.com. So I really just try to get on all online platforms that I think will be useful for advertising my work."

Loubriel got married back in April, but not before she found her most important dress online. After that, the entrepreneurial ship set sail.

"So the whole reason I began this is because I was looking for my own wedding dress and I was kind of having trouble finding something I could afford. And it was the midst of the pandemic and I just happened to find the perfect one on Facebook Marketplace. And so I just started finding more and more dresses and basically thought that if I was in that position, maybe there's other brides that want to find something that's affordable that still make them feel special, especially on their special day. So I started with bridal dresses, and then I just started finding like more and more stuff, so I had to keep adding,” Loubriel said.

Loubriel is happy to know that the exchange zone now exists in Richardson, because you can never be too careful when it comes to meeting potential buyers in person, she says.

“On Facebook Marketplace, like just from some sketchy messages and things that I've experienced before, even in just emails, is kind of dicey,” Loubriel said. “So now I know if I may not trust somebody to come in here, which is still sort of a personal space, I can just grab the dress and meet them in a safe area. I can meet with them safely and make sure that everything works out according to plan."

Loubriel encourages Richardson residents to take advantage of this new area, which she says gives her peace of mind.

“I remember there was a news story like a couple years ago where there was a guy that was in, I think, New Orleans or somewhere in Louisiana, he was selling his motorbike and then the person shot him. So that story really stuck with me and just kind of scared me from, you know, being more of an optimist, I’m more skeptical of people now,” Loubriel said. "From selling things on Facebook Marketplace and to strangers online, after I found out about the Exchange Zone, it made me feel like I also can offer that safety to somebody but have it myself and have that peace of mind.”

The Richardson PD exchange zone is located at 200 N. Greenville Ave. If you’re unsure if your neighborhood police station has a safe location to exchange items or conduct (legal) transactions of goods, many departments will have the location listed online.