Safe Trade Station

About Safe Trade

The internet can be a great place to buy or sell property, but conducting the transaction should be as safe as possible for both the buyer and the seller.

In a proactive effort to safeguard our citizens, the Cedar Park Police Department is welcoming the public to our department to close their online transactions in a safer way.

Some online sites require transactions to be conducted in person. The Cedar Park Police Safe Trade Station is a location set up by CPPD to aid in the safe transfer of goods purchased online at classified or social media websites, such as Craigslist, Facebook, and other online sites where you deal directly with another person to exchange money for items purchased. 

Meetup Spot

For your safety and convenience, the Cedar Park Safe Trade location has been designated as the 4 parallel spots directly in front of the Police Department Expansion along Discovery Blvd (see image references below). This location is monitored and recorded on a 24-hour surveillance video system. We recommend that transactions are conducted during daylight hours for increased safety but this area is also well lit if you must conduct the transaction during early morning or nighttime hours.

How Does It Work?

It's simple! Those who have made arrangements to buy or sell items over social media such as Facebook groups and Craigslist, agree to meet only at a SafeTrade location.  Our lobby is only open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm Please note: Cedar Park Police Officers will not personally witness, facilitate or participate in exchanges as these are civil matters. 

SafeTrade Tips

SafeTrade offers a few tips for a successful exchange:

• Ask for proof of the seller's identity. Take a photo with a cell phone.
• If you're carrying a large sum of cash, either before or after the transaction, don't make it obvious, and be careful to ensure that you're not followed after the transaction.
• Beware of common scams, like checks for an amount higher than the amount of the deal; "cashier's checks" that are forged and presented when the bank is closed.
• If you are given a cashier's check, money order, or another equivalent, call the bank - at the number listed online, not a number the buyer gives you - to verify the validity of the check.
• A list of SafeTrade Stations is online at www.safetradestations.com. For more information on the SafeTrade program, please email SafeTrade.

Cedar Park Police Personnel do not get involved in, enforce, guarantee, or become a party in any way to the transactions of the individuals trading. We are simply offering a safer environment to conduct your prearranged transaction. Currently, the only restrictions on transactions at the Cedar Park Police Department are the buying or selling of weapons or medications of any kind, and obviously no transactions involving items prohibited by law.

Like any crime prevention initiative, a SafeTrade station is not a 100% guarantee against unpredictable behavior or that something will go wrong, but it is a step to make your transaction safer.