New Pilot Rolled Out to Give Retailers a Direct Line to NYPD
The new effort has already resulted in arrests

Bronx stores using WhatsApp and calling officers directly in new NYPD test to combat shoplifting - and they say it's working
The NYPD in the Bronx has quietly begun working more closely with small businesses as it grapples with a shoplifting epidemic - and local supermarket owners say the early signs look promising.

In a throwback strategy, police officers in the Bronx's 46th Precinct last month began handing out their personal phone numbers to local business owners - a stark contrast to the past several years, during which shopkeepers gripe they've given up on dialing 911 over a lack of response.

At the same time, NYPD detectives at the precinct also have set up new WhatsApp chat group where retailers can upload photos and videos of shoplifters swiping merchandise in real time, according to store owners.

While the pilot is only weeks old, Bronx business owners say that having direct access to officers has already resulted in arrests.

Carlos Collado, who owns two Fine Fare stores in the Bronx and Harlem, said the WhatsApp chats are especially helpful for logging repeat offenders for NYPD's crime prevention team.

"The idea is to aggregate these crimes [so we know] when someone has exceeded the misdemeanor threshold," Collado said, adding, "We saw the fastest response ever."

The month-old Bronx initiative comes as robberies are up 5% citywide for the first three weeks of 2024, NYPD data show. Last week, meanwhile, the City Council rejected Mayor Eric Adams' veto of the controversial How Many Stops Act, which will require NYPD cops to file paperwork on everyone they question - making it even tougher for cops to do their jobs, critics say.

Buoyed by early success, some local retailers say they're already pushing to make the new strategies a broader effort by the city to address out of control shoplifting. nypost.com


Another Progressive DA Changes His Tune Over Retail Theft
Philadelphia launches task force to tackle retail and house theft, reinforce safety
Philadelphia is taking a major step in trying to combat theft crimes that continue to plague the businesses and homes of innocent residents.

DA Larry Krasner launched the office's first 'Organized Retail and House Theft Task Force' during a press conference Monday morning.

Community leaders, business corridor professional, retailers, Philadelphia police and the DA's Office have joined in a united front to reinforce the city's "commitment to safety along business and neighborhood corridors."

The move comes after countless Philadelphia businesses became the victim of looting last year, which ended with dozens of arrests, including juveniles.

Several videos showed suspects flooding large retailers, local pharmacies and smaller local shops as they completely ransacked shelves.

Some of those stores were forced to temporarily close due to damage and stolen goods.

Meanwhile, Wawa and Target have permanently closed the doors to some of their Philadelphia stores due to repeated safety and security challenges. fox29.com

   RELATED: DA announces task force to combat organized retail & home theft


Specialized ORCA Unit Mobilized to Fight Theft in Oakland
Alameda County DA Launches Specialized ORCA Unit to Battle Organized Retail Theft in Oakland
Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price has rolled out the big guns with the inauguration of the Organized Retail Crime Alameda (ORCA) Vertical Prosecution Unit, a specialized squad aimed at putting a stop to organized retail theft.

The new task force, which was put into operation earlier this year, was devised to target and dismantle the organized networks behind a recent wave of retail crime, by joining forces with local law enforcement, retailers, and the smaller shops that line the bustling streets of Alameda County.

According to a detailed bulletin from Alameda County District Attorney's Office, the ORCA team includes two deputy district attorneys, two inspectors, a specialist, and analysts, all dedicated to connecting the dots between incidents, analyzing crime data, and prosecuting crime rings, and they've hit the ground running with $4 million in funding behind them-half from state grants and the other from the DA's own coffers to ensure there's zero slack in their pursuit of justice.

Meanwhile, DA Pamela Price is resolute, declaring her intent to clamp down on the market forces feeding this spate of theft, her voice a harbinger of a no-nonsense crackdown.

Assistant Chief Tara Regan Anderson, in an address brimming with resolve, emphasized the importance of this collaboration, "The funding ensures that the ORCA Unit has the dedicated staffing needed to maintain important communication and coordination with our law enforcement partners together, we can leverage data, connect incidents, and ultimately resolve cases, providing a sense of justice for retailers hard hit by retail theft," she was quoted saying in the DA's communication. hoodline.com


Stores Turning into Security Fortresses to Fight D.C. Crime Wave
Surging crime leads Columbia Heights Safeway to boost security and install gates
Crimes like retail theft and robberies in Washington, D.C.'s Columbia Heights have gotten so bad that now owners are having to take extreme measures. Now, the Safeway on Columbia Road is adding security gates, where customers must scan receipts to leave the store.

Last month, 7News reported about a CVS in the area closing down two weeks ago after pictures surfaced showing theft was so rampant, the shelves were emptied after being ransacked. Many merchants have already added special police officers.

According to MPD, robbery went up 67% last year. Overall theft increased 23%. Retailers in D.C. lost $120 million in revenue to theft in 2022.

"It's sad that this is the current state of affairs and I hope it sends the alarm bells to everyone that we need, it's not just the store's responsibility, it's not just the city officials, it's not just police, it's all of us. Parents, community groups, we have got to address the issue of people just going in and thinking they can take what they want," added Lynch.

In a statement about the crime, Safeway officials told 7News, "Like other local businesses, we are consistently reviewing our operations and working on new ways to curtail escalating theft, so we can ensure the wellbeing of our employees and foster a welcoming environment for our customers."  wjla.com


Handguns #1 Weapon of Choice in Mass Shootings
Data shows most mass public shooters used handguns, not 'assault rifles'
The national gun control debate focuses heavily on AR-15-style rifles, but handguns have been used in most mass public shootings over the past 25 years, according to myth-busting data from the Crime Prevention Research Center.  washingtontimes.com


Organized retail crime: Uncovering how crime rings operate

Perrysburg Township, Rossford police join forces for retail theft, trafficking team

Make Safety a Top Priority in 2024
Safety Best Practices to Implement in the Year Ahead

To improve safety, companies need to emphasize leading indicators over lagging indicators.

The first step is to assess the state of your EHS culture. Then, you can work towards developing a site-specific safety plan by first determining your hazards to establish how best to protect your employees. Every workplace is unique, so by understanding what you need to improve and how injuries are impacting your environment, you can begin to address the overall safety of your workplace.

The basic components of any workplace safety plan include risk identification, understanding the compliance standards applicable for your environment, and understanding your safety gaps. Assessing your risk and conducting a day-to-day job safety analysis are crucial, particularly with tasks not regularly assigned. When workers complete a task, they are unfamiliar with or don't regularly perform, the chance of injury is elevated. According to data gathered by the Electrical Safety Foundation (ESFI), between 2011 and 2022, 49% of fatalities occurred when a worker was completing a task they were not normally assigned to complete.

It can be challenging to justify the amount of money spent on a safety program, but investing in the tools to understand and improve your safety reputation will ultimately impact your bottom line and reputation. With OSHA increasing their fines and implementing national focus programs, you may find it beneficial to investigate safety trends and the cost of potential incidents to determine if expenses are worthwhile.

A company needs to decide if they want to invest in a robust safety program or potentially pay much higher OSHA fines if an incident occurs. By working with your company workers' compensation provider to understand what your EMR rate is, you can demonstrate how much money can be saved by implementing safety practices and technologies. Your provider can help connect you with contractors to assist with the services, and even help offset some of the costs of the services through your plan.

To improve your workplace safety plan and the overall safety of your organization, you need to emphasize leading indicators over lagging indicators. Lagging indicators-injury or fatality data that occurred in the past-do not focus on how you will effectively prevent these injuries in the future. ehstoday.com


5,300 Retail Layoffs in 2024 So Far
Retail employees are working fewer hours. That's a risk to the economy.
The labor market grew at a much faster pace last month than forecast, but one key metric - average hours worked - declined, a trend economists say could be worrisome for the economy since it could indicate changes in hiring trends.

"Companies that are hiring or keeping their employees are reducing their hours. Hours worked have declined in a way that you typically see around a recession," Lakshman Achuthan, co-founder of the Economic Cycle Research Institute, told Yahoo Finance Live.

A perfect example is retail. The sector's challenging landscape amid a shift in consumer buying habits has forced companies to make tough choices. Average weekly hours fell to 29.1 in January from 30.2 a year ago, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Some of the industry's major companies, including Macy's, Wayfair, Levi Strauss, and REI, announced job cuts.

So far this year, retailers have cut more than 5,300 jobs, according to a report from global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The sector is the third highest in layoff announcements in January, after finance and tech.

And those in the leadership ranks are not exempt either. Retail CEO turnover more than doubled in 2023 from the previous year to more than 50 departures.  finance.yahoo.com

   RELATED: How retail is shaping up in 2024


TSA Plans Expansion of Facial Recognition to 400+ Airports
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is set to expand a pilot facial recognition program to more than 400 federally-run airports nationwide. Current generation Credential Authentication Technology devices - CAT-2 units - are currently deployed at around 30 U.S. airports as part of a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) pilot program.

... Scanners being used in the DHS pilot program use A.I. to compare government I.D. photos of passengers with those taken in real-time at the airport, bypassing the need for passengers to provide identification to a human TSA agent before proceeding through the security checkpoint.

According to the TSA, the CAT-2 units use one-to-one verification - meaning the real-time passenger photo is compared to a single government-issued photo like those found on I.D.s instead of a larger database of images. Once the passenger is cleared, the scanner is supposed to delete the photo.

... TSA Administrator David Pekoske told attendees at last year's South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas, that facial recognition and other biometric programs are inevitable. "Eventually we will get to the point where we will require biometrics across the board because it is much more effective and much more efficient," Pekoske said. thenationalpulse.com


NRF Calls Border Bill 'Positive Step Forward'
NRF Encouraged by Senate Border Policy Deal
The National Retail Federation today issued the following statement from President and CEO Matthew Shay in response to the Senate introduction of the "Emergency National 4 Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024":

"NRF acknowledges the bipartisan progress made in the Senate on border security and immigration reform. We applaud the senators for their work to address the long-standing challenges at the southern border. While viewing this compromise as a positive step forward, NRF encourages further congressional action to find common ground on effective solutions to foster a fully functional immigration system."

As the leading authority and voice for retail, NRF will continue to advocate for policies that ensure the efficiency and functionality of our nation's legal immigration system. nrf.com


ISCPO Announces Vector Security® Networks as a Preferred Vendor Partner

Dallas, February 05, 2024 - Vector Security® Networks, a division of Vector Security®, Inc., and the single-source provider of physical security solutions and managed network services to multi-site businesses across North America, has been named as a preferred vendor partner of the International Supply Chain Protection Organization (ISCPO).

The partnership helps connect ISCPO members to solutions offered by Vector Security Networks that safeguard their supply chain operations while protecting people and product.

As part of its Preferred Partner Program, ISCPO is dedicated to expanding its array of vendor solutions, harnessing proven products and staying at the forefront of industry best practices.

Read more here


UK retail sales growth slowed in January, industry data show
Growth in UK retail spending slowed in January, according to new industry data that suggests households continue to be squeezed by the cost of living crisis. The value of retail sales rose by an annual rate of 1.2 per cent in January, the British Retail Consortium said on Tuesday. This was below the 1.7 per cent growth in December and the three-month average of 1.9 per cent, according to the trade body's figures. ft.com


Estee Lauder to cut jobs on skittish China demand

Ikea makes strides in reducing carbon footprint

In Case You Missed It

Genetec Shares Best Practices for International Data Privacy Day

Genetec encourages businesses and individuals to use International Data Privacy Day as an opportunity to enhance their data protection.

MONTRÉAL-In support of International Data Privacy Day, unified security, public safety, operations, and business intelligence solutions provider Genetec shared best practices to help physical security leaders protect privacy, safeguard data and enable trust without compromising security.

Genetec encourages businesses and individuals alike to use International Data Privacy Day as an opportunity to evaluate and enhance their data protection strategies. By prioritizing privacy, organizations can effectively contribute to a safer digital and physical landscape for all.

"Organizations should never have to choose between data privacy and security," says Christian Morin, chief security officer at Genetec Inc., in the company announcement. "That's why Genetec solutions are built on privacy by design principles so that our customers can ensure the highest levels of security while respecting personal privacy and complying with privacy laws."

Read more here
 

Hiring Managers Get Creative Amid Cybersecurity Worker Shortage
Cybersecurity Hiring Managers Are Looking For More Than Tech Skills
With thousands of job openings and more tech professionals focused on a security career than ever before, cybersecurity hiring managers and executives would appear to have an easy time picking the talent they need to help defend their organizations from attacks and threats.

The reality, however, is more complex. A study published by ISACA (which included answers from more than 2,100 of the association's members) found that, while cybersecurity hiring managers and executives now have better relations with their HR departments, 71 percent report that their organization has open positions regardless of the type of job.

The report also found that hiring managers continue to have low confidence in candidates' qualifications, with only 26 percent reporting that they believe at least half of applicants are well qualified for the position they are applying to. When it comes to hiring, 72 percent of survey participants noted that previous experience remains a primary factor in making a decision-but the most significant skill gap relates to so-called soft skills such as communication, writing and adapting to company culture.

The push-and-pull between needing experienced tech professionals with particular certifications and skills and also having numerous open positions that create critical gaps in security coverage can further complicate the hiring process, which affects job seekers.

"Organizations continue to have a hiring problem-an estimated 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs-that is not projected to get any better through 2025," Dave Gerry, CEO of Bugcrowd, recently told Dice. "The cause of that is somewhat self-inflicted. By focusing too much on certifications, experience and background, employers are significantly limiting the talent pool that they can go after. The impact of this is unfilled jobs, losing out on high-potential talent and a lack of diversity of candidates from under-represented and non-traditional backgrounds."

For tech professionals looking for a cybersecurity position or those interested in moving up the career security ladder, knowing what a hiring manager or executive is looking for is crucial.  dice.com


Cybersecurity Companies Cash in on Rising Threats
Measuring CrowdStrike's Meteoric Rise as Its Artificial Intelligence (AI) Revolutionizes Cybersecurity
Hacking is a huge problem. In 2023, some of the world's largest organizations were attacked, and the results were devastating. MGM Resorts International was hacked in September 2023, resulting in operational disruptions that lasted several hours and cost the company over $100 million in lost revenue.

Also in September 2023, Johnson Controls was hit with a ransomware attack that crippled the company's IT infrastructure. Johnson Controls was ultimately forced to delay its earnings release due to the breach. Moreover, the damage from the attack resulted in a $60 million impact to earnings.

As these examples show, cybersecurity threats are all too real, and corporations are taking them very seriously. This has led many to invest heavily in the products that cybersecurity companies like CrowdStrike Holdings produce. Here's a closer look at why it's one of the leading cybersecurity companies and why its stock has increased more than 415% over the last five years: finance.yahoo.com


AnyDesk has been hacked, users urged to change passwords

We Need Cybersecurity in Space to Protect Satellites