MARYVILLE, TENNESSEE — Blount County Sheriff James Lee Berrong would like to remind citizens the Sheriff’s Office offers a designated “SAFE” (Safety Against Fraudulent Exchanges) Zone for the exchange of online transactions.

The “SAFE Zone” area is located in the public parking lot of the Blount County Justice Center between the main building and the correctional facility. This area is well lit at night and monitored 24 hours a day. Citizens are free to use the “SAFE Zone” parking spaces any time of the day, however, the area is more accessible and less congested on week nights after close of business and on weekends. While deputies will not be present or get involved with the transactions, the location and surveillance acts as a deterrent against fraud and theft.

Although the number of online transactions through Facebook Marketplace and other on-line markets conducted safely is in the millions, there is always a chance the meet-up can go wrong.

The “SAFE” Zone was implemented in 2017, and the area is commonly used by citizens to make online exchanges.