It seems like everybody is buying, selling and trading stuff over the internet these days.

But you never know who’s on the other end of that transaction and what their motives are. Is it someone legitimate just looking to conduct a little business or a criminal waiting to pounce?

Acting Oxford Village Police Chief Mike Solwold wants to make online transactions that lead to face-to-face encounters a much less risky proposition, so he’s designated the parking lot behind the W. Burdick St. municipal complex as an official “meetup spot.”

“This is a safe place to exchange your items,” he said.

A green sign with white lettering – located on the south side of the building, near the police station entrance – lets everyone know it’s an “internet purchase exchange location.”

“The whole lot is under surveillance, so any spot back here is safe,” Solwold said. “We just got a new camera system.”

This new system includes 16 video cameras strategically positioned throughout the municipal complex. Ten of them are trained on the building’s interior, including the council chambers, while six cameras monitor the exterior and parking lot. The cameras run 24-7.

“Any type of incident or altercation that’s out there, we’re going to capture it on video,” the acting chief said.

Solwold said the new cameras are far superior to the previous surveillance system, which he estimated to be at least 30 years old.

He said the old cameras offered black-and-white images that were “grainy” and “distant.”

“You couldn’t see anything clearly,” he said.

The new cameras provide “clear, color images” and feature real-time zoom capability that allows the user to pan in on a specific area, vehicle, license plate or person, according to Solwold.

In addition to the cameras, the police station is just a few feet away as an added measure of security.

“If something happens, we can be right here on top of it,” Solwold said.

Folks have reacted positively to the meetup spot. On the village police’s Facebook page, it received 415 likes and 153 shares.

Solwold encourages folks to take full advantage of it whenever they need it.

“Come make your exchanges, keep it safe and get on with your day,” he said.