Hundreds of New Crime-Fighting Cameras Coming to Oakland
Is 'the most dangerous square mile in America' located in Oakland?

Governor Newsom Announces Contract to Install 480 New High-Tech Cameras in East Bay to Improve Public Safety

California is installing a network of 480 high-tech cameras in Oakland and the East Bay to aid law enforcement in identifying vehicles linked to crimes using real-time information and alerts.

OAKLAND - Building on public safety investments in Oakland and the East Bay, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the California Highway Patrol (CHP) has entered into a contract with Flock Safety to install a network of approximately 480 high-tech cameras in the City of Oakland and on state freeways in the East Bay to combat criminal activity and freeway violence. The camera network will use a patented technology that allows law enforcement agencies to identify vehicle attributes beyond license plate numbers, enabling the CHP, the Oakland Police Department, and allied agencies to search for vehicles suspected to be linked to crimes and receive real-time alerts about their movement.

WHAT GOVERNOR NEWSOM SAID: "This investment marks another step forward in our commitment to bolstering public safety and tackling organized crime and roadway violence in Oakland and across California. With the installation of this 480 high-tech camera network, we're equipping law enforcement with the tools they need to effectively combat criminal activity and hold perpetrators accountable - building safer, stronger communities for all Californians."

The partnership with the city will result in the deployment of approximately 480 crime-fighting cameras. 290 of the cameras are expected to be deployed on and around surface streets in the City of Oakland and 190 cameras will be deployed along state highways in the East Bay. The camera network allows for improved vehicle recognition, enabling law enforcement to search for crime-linked vehicles by vehicle type, make, color, license plate state, missing/covered plates, and other unique features (e.g., bumper stickers, decals, and roof racks). The system also enables real-time crime alerts, alerting authorities when a suspected crime-linked vehicle is spotted by the network.

The cameras will assist law enforcement in addressing crime while protecting privacy interests - improving public safety while balancing privacy protections. The network will employ a limited 28-day retention period, camera footage will not be disclosed to third parties beyond California law enforcement, and the network will be compliant with recent legal bulletins issued by the California Department of Justice to ensure the storage, collection, sharing, and use of the data is consistent with California law. gov.ca.gov

   RELATED: Newsom to deploy 500 surveillance cameras to Oakland to fight crime


The Retail Theft Crackdown Debate Rages in New York
How to tackle retail theft a sticking point in the late NYS budget
New York State lawmakers are on a four day break for the Easter holidays, while they let the budget deadline pass. One of many sticking points remaining in the spending plan is how to crack down on growing instances of retail theft.

Hochul is proposing new stiffer penalties for retail theft, including making it a felony to assault a store employee. She held a news conference with small retail store owners earlier in March.

It's part of a $45 million dollar plan that includes authorizing the state police to investigate and prosecute interstate and international organized retail theft rings. Hochul wants to spend $25 million of that amount to hire more troopers.

But Democrats in the Senate and Assembly are reluctant to increase criminal penalties. Neither house included the new criminal penalties in their budget plans. Both leaders of the legislature are African-American, and they have said repeatedly that are wary of any criminal justice law changes that could disproportionately impact Black and Brown New Yorkers.

Senate Majority Lader Andrea Stewart-Cousins says there are better ways to reduce retail theft, like providing funds for stores to hire more security.

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie says in the past, raising penalties for certain crimes has not decreased the rate of their occurrence. He says it's more important to look at the root causes of crime, like improving the education system and better mental health treatment.

Senator Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Heastie backed the 2019 bail reform laws. They did agree in last year's final budget deal to include Hochul's proposal to alter that law, and they added back some crimes to the list of felonies that are bail eligible. northcountrypublicradio.org
 
    RELATED: NY lawmakers debate effectiveness of harsher penalties for retail crime


Kansas Passes Tougher ORC Penalties
Kansas is among the top 10 states in dollar value stolen

State makes retail theft a felony as organized crime proliferates

Kansas AG supports tougher penalties for organized retail theft

The Kansas legislature passed a bill Wednesday that would classify organized retail crime (ORC) a felony offense, joining nine other states that have passed similar laws in the last year.  ORC refers to orchestrated groups of shoplifters who commit smash-and-grab robberies of stores or target cargo carriers.

The state's upper chamber passed the Substitute House Bill 2144, which would split the felony charges into two tiers. A theft of merchandise valued at more than $3,000 would be classified a felony and those convicted would face between 31 and 136 months behind bars. If the amount stolen exceeds $15,000, the sentence range is between 38 and 172 months.

The bill still has to be signed by Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, before it goes into effect. In support of the bill, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach wrote that ORC isn't "mere shoplifting."

In Wichita, retail theft is on the rise. It's a problem seen nationwide and spotlighted in Kansas with a push for harsher penalties in cases of organized retail theft. The Kansas legislature held a hearing this month on Senate Bill 415, a proposed law that would recognize organized retail theft as an official crime and increase the penalties

"It's a big problem and oddly, Kansas remains one of the top 10 states in terms of dollar value stolen," Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach said. The Wichita Police Department says shoplifting is up about 20% compared with this time last year.

In Kansas, the House and the Senate passed a measure creating the formal charge of organized retail crime, a felony. It's a change Herman said would help to protect his store.  foxnews.com  kwch.com

   RELATED: Bill making organized retail crime a felony heading to the governor


New Undercover Retail Theft Crackdown Launched in D.C.
DC police launch undercover initiative to tackle rising retail crimes
D.C. police are cracking down on retail crimes, sending a warning to criminals with a new initiative. Many of us have walked into CVS, Target, or drug stores in the District to see products behind lock and key - deodorants, detergents, makeup, and more. For workers and customers alike, it's been a frustrating trend.

This is why D.C. Police are trying to be proactive now. They're teaming up with retail stores, and posing undercover to crack down on the crimes and catch thieves in the act. Investigators told FOX 5 that in the last few months, they have made dozens of arrests; many of them, repeat offenders.

Some of the items that were stolen and recovered can be seen in photos: candy, chips, toothbrushes, and shampoos. A lot of these stolen items are then resold on street corners.

Colin Hall is the First District commander for D.C. Police. In an exclusive interview with FOX 5, Hall said closures like that hurt the community because people can't get hygiene products or medications as close as they could.

And he said he hopes this crackdown sends a strong message. "We reduce the thefts in these places where it's really a deterrent. People don't think they can just come in and steal things off the shelves and walk out and there's going to be no repercussions," Hall said.

Hall said they will be doing these undercover operations every week throughout the city. fox5dc.com


Shaming Shoplifters on Social Media
El Cajon Police Department using new technique to deter retail theft

"If we can't prosecute it for a felony, at least our public is going to be aware of who these thieves are," said Amanda Stills of El Cajon Police.

In an effort to crack down on retail theft, the El Cajon Police Department is posting photos of suspected thieves on social media to publicly shame them.

"I think there's this perception retail theft is exploding throughout the state and it's frustrating, because there are not a whole a lot of repercussions for retail theft at the moment, unfortunately," said Amanda Stills, Community Information Officer for the El Cajon Police Department.

"We just wanted to make it clear that especially in our community and hometown, retail theft will not be tolerated. If we can't prosecute it for a felony at least our public is going to be aware of who these thieves are," she said.

Stills said since the beginning of March, they've posted surveillance photos of suspected thieves from four separate cases on their Instagram account. "The community is loving it, they're really helping us out," said Stills. cbs8.com


Hy-Vee Plays Role in New ORC Bill in Iowa
Organized Retail Theft Bill Passed by Iowa House and Senate
One Iowa lawmaker voted for a bill that is on the governor's desk waiting to be signed into law.

District 24 Senator Jesse Green (R-Boone) says the bill that was passed in the Senate and House is about having heightened penalties for organized retail thefts. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio the issue was brought to the legislature by Hy-Vee.

"An idea is that when somebody is prosecuted with that, they might be able to plead out and be able to tell the police who else was involved in the organized retail thefts. And hopefully come to slow these retail thefts down and lighten up the prosecution load for our judicial system."

Green adds this bill sets penalties for multiple occurrences of retail theft.  raccoonvalleyradio.com


Overland Park Police say shoplifting has become a 'crisis.' What does the data say?

Simple Response To The Alarming Trend Of Grocery Cart Theft In Utah
 

New Rules Finalized for OSHA Inspections
Final Rule Issued on Employee Representation at OSHA Inspections

"Worker involvement in the inspection process is essential for thorough and effective inspections and making workplaces safer," said OSHA's Doug Parker.

On March 29, the Department of Labor announced a final rule (the worker walkaround rule) clarifying the rights of employees to authorize a representative to accompany an OSHA compliance officer during an inspection of their workplace will be published in the Federal Register on April 1.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act gives the employer and employees the right to authorize a representative to accompany OSHA officials during a workplace inspection. The final rule clarifies that, consistent with the law, workers may authorize another employee to serve as their representative or select a non-employee.

For a non-employee representative to accompany the compliance officer in a workplace, they must be reasonably necessary to conduct an effective and thorough inspection.

"Worker involvement in the inspection process is essential for thorough and effective inspections and making workplaces safer," Doug Parker, Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health, said in a statement. "The Occupational Safety and Health Act gives employers and employees equal opportunity for choosing representation during the OSHA inspection process, and this rule returns us to the fair, balanced approach Congress intended."

The rule is effective on May 31, 2024.

The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH) said on March 29 that the rule "will improve workplace safety and reduce on-the-job hazards, by giving workers the right to a representative of their choice during safety inspections." ehstoday.com

 
43K+ Bridges Nationwide in Poor Condition
Bridges play a key role in powering the economy - but many are in poor shape

After Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse - What are Safety Implications?

American Road and Transportation Builders Association found that about one in three U.S bridges need to be replaced.

The issue of safety of this bridge, and others, comes into focus. According to CBS News, this bridge scored a six out of nine during its latest federal inspection. This is considered a "fair condition." In 2002 the bridge passed inspection but there was a concern with one of the columns. However, this fair condition is common, and most bridges in the U.S fall in this range, according to Ben Schafer, professor of civil and systems engineering at John Hopkins, according to CBS.

A recent analysis from the American Road and Transportation Builders Association found that about one in three U.S bridges need to be replaced. And over 43,000 are in poor condition and classified at "structurally" deficient. The cost to repair the bridges is estimated to be $125 billion according to the American Society of Civil Engineers.

According to an article on CNBC, each day about 167 million trips are taken across structurally deficient bridges. With the average age of bridges being 44, the government is aiming to distribute $27 billion over the next five years to fix or rebuild thousands of bridges. ehstoday.com


Stores Close for Upcoming Solar Eclipse
Is the Solar Eclipse a Bright Opportunity for Retail?
Wegmans announced plans to close 48 of its 111 stores for 30 minutes during the total solar eclipse on April 8 so its employees can witness the celestial phenomenon. Other stores are looking at the event as a sales opportunity.

On Monday, April 8, the moon's shadow will sweep across the U.S., allowing millions to view a total solar eclipse for the first time since 2017. According to NASA, the differences in the path of totality and timing could make the total eclipse even more brilliant, exciting, and accessible than in 2017. The next solar eclipse also won't happen until 2044.

From a sales perspective, many websites, including Amazon.com, are selling solar viewing glasses or handheld solar viewers. Warby Parker and Natural Grocers will be handing out free eclipse glasses.

Stores alongside the path of totality - a 115-mile-wide track where the moon will completely block the sun for up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds - are expected to see a surge in traffic from eclipse seekers that will offer a major sales opportunity. retailwire.com


160 Closures, 100 Openings
H&M Group plans to invest more in physical stores, including refurbishing 250 globally

The fast-fashion company has been shuttering hundreds of locations and growing its e-commerce, but said the pace of closures will slow this year.

This year, H&M Group plans to open around 100 new stores and to close around 160, according to its annual report. While that is a net reduction of 60, the remaining stores will make a positive contribution to sales. So far in 2024, a net 31 stores have closed.

In 2023, the company opened 101 new stores and closed 197 stores, ending the year with 4,369 worldwide, among all its brands. Going forward, there will be fewer closures while new openings will continue, per the report.  retaildive.com


Lands' End lays off 10% of corporate workforce

Home Depot to acquire building products supplier for $18.25B
 
7-Eleven International closes $1.71 billion deal

Last week's #1 article --

NYC's 'Shoplifting Black Market' is Thriving While Businesses Suffer
Opinion: Thank pro-crime lawmakers for NYC's $4.4B shoplifting black market
Progressives' crusade to go easy on "minor" crimes has proved a bonanza for major criminal enterprises. Here in New York, a Post investigation has revealed, "mercy" for shoplifters opened to door to a multibillion-dollar black market whose kingpins now order up goods for theft by addicts and other "petty" thieves.

The thieves at every level pad their pockets; honest businesses get screwed and customers pay the price in the form of higher costs for products and demoralizing shopping experiences.

Meanwhile, lefties like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pretend shoplifters are merely the desperate poor just trying to survive. No matter that the shoplifting boom has resulted in stores to locking up essentials, forcing costumers to wait endlessly to access toothpaste, deodorant or even baby formula.

But businesses have no choice: The alternative is shelves emptied by the crooks.

The Democrats who run the state Senate and Assembly last year refused to pass measures to beef up penalties for repeat offenders and those who assault retail workers; will they this year block Gov. Hochul's $40 million plan to crackdown on this sprawling underground economy? nypost.com