Economic Hardship - Lockdowns - Protests - Police Funding - Guns
Perfect Storm of Factors Could Be Driving Violent Crime Up
One set of explanations has to do with the economic hardship, social disruptions and uncertainty that the pandemic has caused, especially for communities already strained by poverty and structural disadvantage. But there is little evidence that violence increases markedly during economic downturns.

Social disruptions that change patterns of human activity and social control provide a more promising explanation. When community institutions are weakened, people feel they're on their own and may respond to uncertainty by assuming the worst, carrying weapons and reacting to aggression with even greater aggression.  But the problem with these explanations is that unlike the coronavirus, the jump in lethal violence has been a uniquely American phenomenon.

Lethal violence didn't rise immediately after the coronavirus reached our shores and governors imposed lockdowns. Overall crime appeared to drop in many cities as businesses closed, people stayed home and routine social activities were disrupted. But unlike street crimes such as robbery and retail theft, homicides didn't decline, suggesting that activities among the young men most prone to committing homicide weren't affected as much by lockdowns.

One popular narrative has it that cuts to police funding have contributed to the growth in homicide rates. While there is some evidence that the pandemic challenged departments and there were fewer officers on the streets in some places, most cities maintained their required levels of patrol in 2020. A reasonable argument can be made that the movement to defund the police created greater discontent among officers, but reductions in police funding don't seem to explain the violence.

Some have hypothesized that the rise in homicide rates is specifically a result of the June 2020 protests. But theories about the role of the protests must contend with several challenges. Violence typically climbs during the summer, and in 2020, that happened to correspond not only with the protests but also with an end to the most intensive lockdowns in many cities - making it hard to pin blame on any one cause without more examination.

Beneath it all, the ready availability of guns looms. Put simply, social disruptions and de-policing probably have higher stakes in American cities - where a small but persistent number of criminal offenders carry guns - than they do in countries where firearms are not as easy to get. washingtonpost.com

All Federal Options Are on the Table to Address Surging Crime
White House's tough-on-crime message: Use COVID funds
With crime surging around the country, the Biden administration is telling local officials how to use some of the $1.9 trillion in COVID relief funds to bolster their police departments.

Driving the news: That guidance is spelled out in a White House memo obtained by Axios ahead of President Biden's meeting today with law enforcement and elected officials from around the country - including Eric Adams, New York City's Democratic mayoral nominee and former police captain, who's openly critical of his own party.

The big picture: Democrats are concerned that violence and lawlessness could affect Biden's presidency and their political fortunes in the midterm elections.

The intrigue: Adams has railed against fellow Democrats for focusing on national gun control and police reform legislation instead of directly addressing crime in blighted neighborhoods, calling those priorities "misplaced."

Details: The memo's subject line leaves little mystery about how the White House is seeking to position itself: "How Local and State Government Can - and Should - Use the President's Gun Crime Reduction Strategy and Historic Rescue Plan Funding to Improve Public Safety."

Flashback: In June, when Biden first explained that states and localities could use some of the $350 billion in local COVID money for law enforcement, he also touted traditional Democratic efforts on gun control and announced a new plan to crack down on gun dealers.

The bottom line: Monday's event is another attempt by the White House to show that it is aware of a national crime problem and that Biden is considering all his policy options to address it. axios.com

Biden sends 'strike force' to Chicago to help curb spike in violent crime

More than 100 people were shot and 19 killed over the Fourth of July weekend in Chicago

President Biden's "strike force," meant to help curb crime in Chicago and four other cities seeing a surge in violence, is expected to come to the Windy City "relatively soon," Mayor Lori Lightfoot said earlier this week.

The Justice Department announced new "strike forces" in June, which are supposed to curb violent crime in Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., by helping city leaders crack down on illegal gun trafficking.

"My hope and my expectation is that they're going to be coming relatively soon. I've made no secret of the fact that this is a matter of incredible urgency and I think the president's plan is to make a difference in localities like Chicago this summer," Lightfoot told reporters Wednesday as she met with Biden outside O'Hare Airport, according to ABC 7 Chicago.

The strike force teams will coordinate with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and share information with local and state law enforcement agencies about where firearms originate and where they are used to commit crimes in an effort to bring down gun-dealing rings. foxnews.com

Biden to Use COVID Rescue Funds To Help States Hire More Police
Biden to talk crime with city, police leaders nationwide
President Joe Biden will host New York City's Democratic mayoral candidate and other city and law enforcement leaders from around the country to talk about reducing crime.

Eric Adams, Brooklyn borough president and the likely next mayor of New York, plus Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser and San Jose, California, Mayor Sam Liccardo are expected to attend the meeting Monday, according to two people familiar with the plans. They were not authorized to speak publicly about the meeting and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Biden will also host Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis, Chief David Brown of Chicago and Lt. Anthony Lima of the Newark, New Jersey, police.

Shootings and killings are up around the nation, with local politicians and police struggling to manage the violence that has ballooned since the coronavirus pandemic. But there is a continued push for police reform, revived nationwide with the death of George Floyd, and Biden is trying to work on both simultaneously.

The president recently announced new efforts to stem the tide of violence, but the federal government is limited in what it can do to help localities reduce the spike. His plan focuses on providing funding to cities that need more police, offering community support and cracking down on gun violence and supplying illegal firearms. news.yahoo.com

Criminal Justice Reform Driving Crime & Closures?
Crime forces Jersey Shore town to close beach, boardwalk early

Avalon mayor says Gov. Murphy's stance on juvenile cannabis use, justice reform to blame for tying police's hands

An uptick in crime, including the vandalism of property as unruly crowds of young people have gathered on the beach, has forced one upscale town in New Jersey to close its boardwalk overnight in order to hand back police powers restricted by Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy's stance on cannabis use.

Avalon Mayor Martin Pagliughi on Friday signed an executive order extending restrictions issued under the coronavirus state of emergency keeping closed the beach daily between the hours of 9 p.m. and 4 a.m., and the boardwalk daily between the hours of 11 p.m. and 4 a.m.

In issuing the extension, the mayor cited "unsafe and disruptive behavior," witnessed as juveniles have been congregating on the beaches and boardwalk, regularly vandalizing public property and leaving behind excessive litter and debris. Residents are now being forced off the beaches and boardwalk "until further notice" under the new policy in the borough of Avalon, located in Cape May County on Seven Mile Island where the median home lists at $2.6 million, according to Realtor.com.

The mayor said the state is "directly responsible for unlawful conduct which compromises public safety," citing juvenile justice reform, the elimination of bail in many cases to threats of charging police officers with third-degree crimes for investigating potential offenses.

Avalon Police Chief Jeffrey Christopher also criticized state leaders for implementing new legislation that requires police to issue only curbside warnings to minors for ordinance and disorderly persons offenses where there is no breach of peace, even when alcohol or cannabis use or possession is involved. He explained that police can do nothing more than issue a warning to a juvenile in possession of drugs or alcohol, and the juvenile is not obligated to provide his or her actual name. Young adults between 18 and 20 can only be issued written warnings for using alcohol or cannabis.  foxnews.com

Albany DA Blames NY's Criminal Justice Reform for Crime Uptick
Cuomo's weak-sauce crime plan misses the real issue: bail reform
Last week, Gov. Cuomo declared gun violence a "disaster emergency" in New York. For those of us in law enforcement, this sudden change in tone came as a welcome surprise. After all, it was barely two years ago when Cuomo signed into law sweeping criminal-justice reforms that have transformed the state's public-safety landscape - for the worse.

At the time, law-enforcement professionals, led by the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York, warned that the reforms would lead to rising crime and a surge of gun violence. As DAASNY's then-president, I cautioned that the "reckless and irresponsible" legislation would come back to haunt us.

Back then, Cuomo governed the safest large state in the country. Today, he can no longer make that claim. Crime, and especially violent crime, is up by 50 percent to 75 percent - in some places, even more. In Gotham, shootings through June were up 68 percent year-on-year. In Rochester, there were 34 homicides through June, putting the city on track for a higher murder rate than Chicago.

Now Cuomo is desperate to reverse the crime wave those reforms caused. But his plan - a Bureaucracy and Bucks approach - will do little to stop the gun ­violence plaguing our streets.

Some parts of the plan are bizarrely mismatched, such as a new office within the Department of Health to combat crime. Some parts are window dressing, such as allowing gun manufacturers to be sued in the future, which will do nothing to stop gun violence now. And some parts, such as funneling money for police in violent areas, simply rebrand the work police were already doing.

If they are serious about gun ­violence, one common-sense ­step stands out: New York must give judges discretion to keep dangerous offenders in jail. nypost.com

Man hit with hate crime charges for umbrella attack on Asian woman in NYC

TSA found 70 guns at airport security checkpoints over Independence Day weekend
 

COVID Update

334.1M Vaccinations Given

Body Cameras in the Security/LP Industry
Body Camera Use by Security Employees is Growing
Over the past few years, individual security officers and some private security providers as well as some proprietary security departments have invested in the purchase of BWC's. We have found that most are being used in general patrolling, apartment complexes, shopping centers, school campuses and a few, in hospital settings.

Of course, the use of such technology has served the law enforcement community well over the years in defending themselves against false claims, lawsuit protection and as evidence against an arrestee.

Video documentation has also been used as evidence against an officer during criminal and internal proceedings which overall is a good thing when an actual crime has been committed or an egregious or flagrant departmental policy violation has occurred. But sometimes, it has also been misapplied, misinterpreted, and used as a weapon against an officer.

Another consideration for the private user is the "Two Party" recording law which requires that all parties being audibly recorded be notified and agree to the recording.

Eleven states require the consent of every party of a conversation in order to make the recording lawful. These "two-party consent" laws have been adopted in California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

While video may be recorded without consent in areas of no expectations of privacy, the audile would have to be removed before use.

So, are body cameras a valuable tool for the security industry or are they a liability? In truth, the answer isn't so cut and dry, and the decision for or against body cameras will depend on the risks within your facility. privateofficerbreakingnews.blogspot.com

Women Gravitating Toward Security
A Glimpse of Women in the Security Sector Today

A new generation of young professionals are joining the industry who may not have considered security as a career path previously thanks to others that have paved the way through their dedication and successes.

While security is not a sector that many women have traditionally considered to build their careers, the landscape has shifted dramatically. It has been an evolution rather than a revolution that has attracted the diverse population of employees who now serve as our country's security professionals. The issues and threats that exist today are quite different than those of 20 years ago, as is the demand for a multicultural and diverse workforce to creatively and collaboratively address them.

Historically, physical security services companies sought to hire people with law enforcement and military background. While this background is an important part of the mix of any successful security company, today's security professional comes from many different industries including hospitality, staffing, technology, corporate and more. Why is this an important development for the industry, as well as a catalyst to attract more women?

The greater the mix of talent, with a focus on diversity and inclusion, the stronger the physical security sector becomes. A new generation of young professionals are joining the industry who may not have considered security as a career path even 10 years ago.

With women such as Rush pioneering a path into law enforcement and security for women, the security universe, today, fully embraces and welcomes women. Careers in physical security go beyond traditional guarding and include paths in technology, human resources, marketing, sales and management.

In today's business world, the successful team is a diverse blend of the best men and women. As the security industry continues to evolve and tap into the greatest talent and resources, we will continue to see more women as senior leaders, middle managers and new entrants to the field. The security sector offers unparalleled opportunity across multiple disciplines. securitymagazine.com

Walmart's Black Senior Managers Don't Recommend Working There
An internal survey commissioned by the retailer offered blunt assessments of the Black employee experience.

Some high-ranking Black managers at Walmart Inc. say career advancement is difficult at the retail chain and they wouldn't recommend working there, a recent internal survey commissioned by the company found.

The report, which was presented to members of the company's senior leadership late last year and seen by Bloomberg News, asked 56 Black supervisors, senior managers and directors about the barriers that made it difficult to achieve their career goals. A majority of those surveyed gave mediocre rankings for career satisfaction.

The findings, which have not been made public before, include the following:

● Lack of diversity in leadership deters Black employees that are looking for support and career modeling.

● Black workers feel there is a heavier emphasis on external recruitment than developing existing talent.

● Unequal access to career and growth opportunities and/or information makes it difficult for Black people to thrive and progress.

● Compared to their peers, Black staff feel that they must perform at an exceptional level and take on more complex workloads with little room for error to maintain their position.

● Favoritism, internal politics and having to conform to unspoken social norms or present in a digestible manner negatively impacts Black employee morale and motivation. bloomberg.com

American Dream sets date Sept. 17th - to open high-end retail wing,
giant Ferris wheel
If you've been longing for Saks Fifth Avenue to come back to New Jersey, your wait will be over Sept. 17.

Saks and several other high-end retailers will open shops at American Dream when the megamall in the Meadowlands debuts its long-awaited luxury wing, dubbed The Avenue.

About 20 stores, which make up 25% of The Avenue, will be ready for shoppers at that time. But The Avenue will have 80 total storefronts when it's completed, according to Ken Downing, chief creative officer at American Dream.

The Sept. 17 opening date of The Avenue corresponds with end of New York City's Fashion Week and is the day before the Met Gala.

In addition to Saks, Hermes, Saint Laurent, Tiffany & Co., Dolce & Gabbana, Mulberry, Jonathan Adler, Anne Fontaine, Zadig & Voltaire, Johnny Was, and gourmet dining at Bal Harbour favorite - Carpaccio will open, among others. American Dream expects to announce another eight to 10 retailers that will occupy a total of 80,000 square feet of The Avenue in the next 30 days or so, Downing said.

The long-awaited opening of American Dream's luxury wing will be the last major opening for the complex, which has been 18 years in the making and passed through the hands of three developers before Triple Five took it over in 2013. Currently, about 80% of the 3.3 million square foot complex is open, a spokesperson for American Dream said. nj.com

President Issues Order Aiming to Limit Employer Use of Noncompetes
President Joe Biden has asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to ban or limit employment-related noncompete agreements as part of an executive order he signed on July 9.

Employers generally use noncompetes to discourage employees from taking valuable trade-secret information to competitors, but lawmakers have sought to ban noncompetes with hourly workers in the retail and restaurant industries. Limiting employer use of noncompetes will make it easier for workers to change jobs and help raise wages, the White House said. The order also aims to limit occupational licensing requirements that may make it harder for workers to find employment when they move to a different state.

Michael Wexler, an attorney with Seyfarth in Chicago, noted that policies targeting noncompete restrictions on hourly and lower-wage workers have been sweeping across the country in recent years. "However, businesses and most states-even the most employee-friendly states-still recognize the need for restrictive covenants supporting the investment of time and resources by businesses to develop trade secrets and customer relationships which are vital to maintaining innovation, developing new products and actually protecting existing employees." shrm.org

You can make a difference industry wide!
The Daily is looking for some analytical help with our quarterly crime stat reports.

Having experience in tabulating and analyzing crime stats would be a huge benefit. As well as any development experience with the actual reports themselves.

Take a look at our previous reports to get a feel for the industry needs and we'd love to hear from you. Contact me directly at gus@d-ddaily.net

Back-to-school shopping could reach nearly $33B - Up 16% Y-O-Y: Deloitte

Papa John's giving bonuses of up to $400 as restaurants cling onto staff
 

CISA Analysis Reveals Successful Attack Techniques of FY 2020
The analysis shows potential attack paths and the most effective techniques for each tactic documented in CISA's Risk and Vulnerability Assessments.

The Department of Homeland Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has released an analysis detailing the findings from Risk and Vulnerability Assessments (RVAs) conducted during the 2020 fiscal year across industries.

The officials' analysis details a sample attack path an intruder could take to compromise an organization, with weaknesses that represent the ones CISA saw in RVAs over the past year. Both CISA's analysis and the accompanying infographic, which includes the success rate percentage for each tactic and technique, map to the MITRE ATT&CK framework, they report.

In the breakdown of successful initial access techniques, officials found phishing links were most common and used to gain initial access in 49% of RVAs. Next were exploits of public-facing applications (11.8%), followed by phishing attachments (9.8%). For execution, PowerShell was used in 24.4% of RVAs, followed by Windows Management Instrumentation (13%) and Command & Scripting Interpreter (12.2%).

Valid accounts were used to gain privilege escalation in 37.5% of RVAs, followed by exploitation for privilege escalation (21.9%) and making and impersonating tokens (15.6%). For lateral movement, attackers primarily used pass-the-hash (29.8%), followed by Remote Desktop Protocol (25%) and exploitation of remote services (11.9%). darkreading.com