18K Killed in Workplace Violence From 1992 to 2019
Federal Agencies Release Joint Study on Workplace Violence
WASHINGTON - JULY 21, 2022 - Today, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) released indicators of Workplace Violence, 2019, which provides findings on fatal and nonfatal crimes that occurred in the workplace or away from work but over work-related issues. Findings are presented for 13 indicators of workplace violence, using data from five federal data collections.

The study found that, over a 27-year period from 1992 to 2019, nearly 18,000 persons were killed at work, on duty, or in violence that was work-related, using data from BLS's Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. Homicides in the workplace peaked at 1,080 homicides in 1994 and dropped to 454 in 2019, a decline of 58%. During a more recent period from 2014 (409 homicides) to 2019, workplace homicides increased 11%.

According to the study, an annual average of 1.3 million nonfatal workplace violent victimizations occurred during the combined 5 years from 2015 to 2019, based on data from BJS's National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). Violent victimizations include rape or sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault and simple assault. This was a rate of 8.0 nonfatal violent crimes per 1,000 workers age 16 or older. Persons in corrections occupations had the highest average annual rate of nonfatal workplace violence at 149.1 per 1,000 workers among all occupations measured.

In other findings based on the NCVS, strangers committed about half (47%) of nonfatal workplace violence during 2015-19, with male victims less likely than female victims to know the offender. The offender was unarmed in 78% of nonfatal workplace violence, and the victim sustained an injury in 12%. Fifteen percent of victims of nonfatal workplace violence reported severe emotional distress due to the crime.

The joint study also stated that about 529,000 nonfatal injuries from workplace violence were
treated in hospital emergency departments (EDs) for the combined 2015-19 period, based on data from NIOSH's National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-Occupational Supplement. This was a rate of 7.1 ED-treated injuries per 10,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers. Physical assaults (hitting, kicking or beating) accounted for 83% of such injuries, which were most often contusions and abrasions (33%), followed by sprains and strains (12%) and traumatic brain injuries (12%). ED-treated injuries were more common among younger victims than older victims.

Read the full report here. bjs.ojp.gov

Historic First: Biden's Crime Plan Includes "Tackle Organized Retail Theft"
Retailers Back White House Plan to Tackle Organized Theft with More Transparency on Amazon

Biden's crime plan calls for more transparency on Amazon

Washington, DC - Retailers welcomed a provision in President Biden's crime plan that would require Amazon and other online marketplaces to verify the information of third-party sellers on their platform.

"To tackle organized retail theft, the plan calls on Congress to pass legislation to require online marketplaces, like Amazon, to verify third-party sellers' information..."
- Fact Sheet: Biden Safer American Plan

Statement from Retail Industry Leaders Association, Senior Executive Vice President for Public Affairs Michael Hanson:

"We appreciate President Biden including marketplace transparency in his crime plan. The anonymity provided by Amazon and other marketplaces makes it too easy to sell counterfeit and stolen products from behind screen names and bogus business accounts, and it has led to a dramatic increase in theft at local retailers across the country. Law enforcement at the federal, state and local level have all confirmed this troubling trend. Beyond monetary losses, these crimes have led to a significant uptick in attacks on employees in stores. Earlier this year Homeland Security Investigations released a study connecting the financial proceeds of organized retail crime to the funding of more dangerous and violent crimes involving gun smuggling, drugs, and human trafficking.

"The INFORM consumers Act would direct online marketplaces to verify high-volume third-party sellers by acquiring the seller's government ID, tax ID, bank account information, and contact information. If enacted, it would also ensure that consumers can verify basic identification and contact information for when shopping on Amazon and other marketplaces. The rise in organized retail crime has been dramatic and it is time legislation is enacted to help stop these criminals from harming communities and families."

"Basic transparency can make a difference. Making it harder to sell illicit goods from the shadows will help consumers avoid unscrupulous sellers, and aid investigators and prosecutors as they crack down on criminal networks in our communities. Congress had an opportunity to pass INFORM this summer, but failed to include it in a recent legislative package headed to the President's desk. We urge Congress to pass the INFORM Consumers Act this year, and send this common-sense legislation to protect retail workers and consumers to the President's desk." rila.org

Biden's $37B Crime Plan - 100K New Police Officers
White House Unveils $37 Billion Crime Prevention Plan
U.S. President Joe Biden is due to speak Thursday about a $37 billion proposal to combat and prevent crime. The White House released some details of the plan ahead of Biden's scheduled address at an event in the state of Pennsylvania.

It includes nearly $13 billion to help communities hire and train 100,000 police officers during the next five years. Another $3 billion would go toward addressing court backlogs, solving murders and setting up local task forces to reduce the rate of gun violence.

The White House said Biden's proposal would boost penalties for trafficking fentanyl and ask Congress to enact legislation making online marketplaces liable if they sell stolen goods.

The plan also includes $15 billion for cities and states to put into place efforts to prevent violent crime and to identify situations in which public health agencies should respond to non-violent situations instead of police.

Another portion would focus on services for mental health and substance abuse, as well as social work and giving more people access to job training, education and housing. voanews.com

San Francisco's New 'Sprawling Surveillance Program'
Crime-Obsessed San Francisco Flirts With 'Police State' Crackdown
Under the latest policy proposed by a newly emboldened police department-and backed by Mayor London Breed and the new DA's office-cops would be able to watch residents in real time during a "significant event with public safety concerns," and as part of "investigations" relating to both "active misdemeanors" as well as felonies.

The cameras available for access would include those with a variety of both low- and high-level capabilities. Everything from commercial to private doorbell cameras could ultimately be employed to keep tabs on possible crimes.

"The mayor now controls the DA, and I think people should be very alarmed and be very, very wary of where their civil liberties are going, because they're trying to take us back to a police state where constitutional rights are trampled and police misconduct is overlooked," former San Francisco Assistant District Attorney Arcelia Hurtado told The Daily Beast.

In a post on Medium, Breed-who appointed Jenkins-praised the proposed policy as a chance to "prevent mistakes" and also curb the "chaos" of "organized drug dealing" and "robberies".

"The police right now are barred from accessing or monitoring live video unless there are 'exigent circumstances,' which are defined as events that involve an imminent danger of serious physical injury or death. If this high standard is not met, the police can't use live video feed, leaving our neighborhoods and retailers vulnerable," Breed wrote.

In 2019, the city passed a historic measure requiring the police to seek permission from the Board of Supervisors to use any kind of new surveillance technology-and banned the use of facial recognition.

On Monday, Police Chief William Scott told city supervisors, who must approve the camera measure for it to go into effect, that live surveillance could help them watch drug dealing from afar instead of needing to put boots on the ground. yahoo.com

Mayor Expects New DA To Hold People Accountable
SF Mayor Breed on Cracking Down on Crime, Drugs in the Tenderloin
For months, San Francisco Mayor London Breed has vowed a crackdown on crime and drugs in the Tenderloin, so can the new DA Brooke Jenkins make it happen? NBC Bay Area's Raj Mathai spoke to Breed for some insight. nbcbayarea.com

SF's Mayor Looking to Rein in The Tenderloin
San Francisco Mayor's $14B Budget Funds Community Ambassadors & Increased Police Staffing
Breed's proposed budget includes $4.2 million for community investments in the Tenderloin through the Planning Department.

The budget includes $16.9 million to sustain the community ambassadors in the Tenderloin and Mid-Market areas, as well as $2 million for welcome ambassadors and retired police community ambassadors, who would be stationed in "tourist nodes" like downtown BART stations.

The budget would increase the 249 full-time community ambassadors in the Tenderloin and downtown to 302 next year. sfexaminer.com

As Buffalo Supermarket Reopens, Memories of Massacre Haunt Workers
Two months after 10 were killed at Tops Friendly Market, employees and Masten Park residents confront the pain of returning and remembering.

California's capital outpaces San Francisco in homeless population as violent crime skyrockets in Bay Area

$20M Mall Security Lawsuit
Mall, security company sued for $20M over negligence in April shooting
Two women wounded in the Easter weekend shooting at Columbiana Centre have sued the mall's parent company and its security firm for $20 million.

The eight-page lawsuit filed in federal court in South Carolina accuses Brookfield Properties and security firm Andy Frain Services of negligence and recklessness.

This is the first lawsuit filed in response to the April 16 shooting, when 15 people, who ranged in age from 15 to 73, were injured. No one died in the shooting. Three people have been charged in the shooting, which resulted from a yearslong conflict among the alleged shooters, law enforcement investigators have said.

They came to the mall for an Easter celebration when the shooting occurred in the area of the food court. The two were shot, and the lawsuit claims that only one retail associate from one of the mall's tenants offered immediate care.

"The resulting chaos caused by the shooting created even more fear and trauma for the plaintiffs," Sheheen wrote in the lawsuit. "(The) plaintiffs have suffered severe and life altering injuries both physical and mental." The lawsuit says the Columbia Police Department has more than 100 incident reports on file regarding assaults, robberies and other violent crimes at or around the mall in the last five years.

Because of those previous incidents, local police advised the mall to increase its security presence prior to the shooting, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit alleges the mall and security company failed to provide adequate security, didn't properly train employees and didn't provide proper screening measures at the mall entrances. The mall added enhanced security measures after the shooting, which included a greater police presence and a K-9 trained to sniff out firearms. thestate.com

Retail's Newest Trend: Going Small
Macy's speeds up plans to open smaller stores outside of malls

Macy's is speeding up its plans to open smaller stores that aren't attached to suburban shopping malls

Macy's is accelerating its plans to open smaller stores that aren't attached to suburban shopping malls, in a bid to evolve along with its customers' shopping preferences coming out of the Covid pandemic.

The department store chain said Wednesday that it will open three stores this fall that each represent ways Macy's is thinking about how it aims to reposition its real estate in the future.

In February 2020, the company said it planned to shutter 125 stores in lower-tier malls within three years and would explore formats outside of malls. Since then, Macy's has opened five stores under the Market by Macy's banner, which are about one-fifth of the size of its full-line locations and tout services such as buy online, pick up in store. It will reach eight by the end of this year.

Going small and getting away from the mall has become somewhat of a trend in the retail industry. It's a blueprint that retailers from Gap to Nordstrom have been following. Kohl's also said it's aiming to open 100 smaller-footprint locations over the next four years. Macy's last year opened its first pint-sized Bloomingdale's shop, called Bloomie's. cnbc.com

Union-Busting Closure?
Chipotle permanently shutters store that filed to unionize
Chipotle permanently closed a restaurant in Augusta, Maine that filed to form a union last month. "We have been unable to adequately staff this remote restaurant with crew and continue to be plagued with excessive call-outs and lack of availability from existing staff," Laurie Schalow, chief corporate affairs officer at Chipotle said in a statement Tuesday, adding that it's been even harder to find managers to lead the restaurant.

"Because of these ongoing staffing challenges, there is no probability of reopening in the foreseeable future, so we've made the decision to permanently close the restaurant," she said. The restaurant had been closed to the public since June 17, Schalow noted, and was open only for staff trainings. Workers at the location will get severance pay, she said.

The closure has raised alarm bells among union organizers, who accused the chain of trying to stifle workers. Young described the closure as "union busting 101," adding "it's meant to discourage not just the workers here, but ... other Chipotle organizing efforts elsewhere." cnn.com

Shaking Up America's Food-Safety Program
FDA announces overhaul as baby formula shortage continues

Longtime problems in structure, function and leadership at the agency have left the American food system vulnerable to outbreaks of food-borne illnesses, legislators say

The commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday that the agency is preparing for a shake-up of its food-safety program, four months after a nationwide shortage of baby formula drew attention to shortcomings in the program.

At a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, Commissioner Robert M. Califf said the agency has initiated a review to recommend changes in light of the expanding number of industries producing food, as well as the role of climate change and the war in Ukraine. Califf did not cite the formula shortage as the main reason for the overhaul but spoke of an increasingly complicated food system that requires a new approach.

Critics have long complained that the FDA prioritizes drugs and medicine over food safety, despite a steady stream of high-profile outbreaks of food-borne illnesses in recent years, including romaine lettuce tainted with e-coli and salmonella in peanut butter. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 128,000 people in the United States are hospitalized with food-borne illnesses each year. washingtonpost.com

Retail Dive: The running list of major retail deals

Supply chain: 'We are seeing more shifts' to America's East Coast

Consumers cut discretionary spending amid high inflation

Video Recording Available of NRF Back-to-Class Webinar
 

Senior LP & AP Jobs Market

Sr. Mgr. Shortage Control job posted for Burlington in Burlington, New Jersey
As the Senior Manager of Shortage Control you will be involved with the reduction of company inventory shortage in our 850+ store portfolio, which continues to grow each year. This position will have job accountability for reducing the annual shortage measured in basis points, in which each basis point is worth more than a half of a million dollars in gross profit. burlingtonstores.jobs
 

Behind Amazon's Lawsuit Against Facebook
Why Amazon is suing the heads of 10,000 Facebook groups instead of Meta
Amazon has been fighting fake reviews on its e-commerce platform for years, and now it's taking the battle to court. On Tuesday, the tech giant announced that it has filed a lawsuit against the administrators of some 10,000 Facebook groups it claims are dedicated to fake review scams.

The move is meant to tamp down on fake review brokers and the individuals who participate in such schemes. The reason for such a concerted effort? Protecting both consumers who purchase products based on fake reviews, and Amazon's own reputation while it's at it.

After all, if customers end up buying faulty or otherwise terrible products based on Amazon's users reviews, those same customers will gradually lose trust in the company. And that could dent its bottom line.

You may ask yourself, if companies like Facebook-parent Meta are hosting sites where scammers are recruiting people to post fake reviews, why isn't Amazon just going after Meta?

The answer is the often controversial internet law called Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The law allows internet companies like Facebook to host third-party content without being held responsible for the content itself. So if someone runs a group about fake reviews, Amazon can only go after the person running the group, not Meta.

Of course, Section 230 also allows Amazon to host its own user product reviews without being held liable for what those users write. The law also ensures that internet platforms can moderate objectionable content.

In other words, Section 230 is a positive and negative for Amazon in that it lets users post reviews of products, while simultaneously protecting third-party sites where scammers collaborate and scheme about fake reviews.

Amazon says it has reported 10,000 fake review groups to Meta, and that the Facebook parent has taken down about half of those. Meta is continuing to investigate other groups, Amazon says. finance.yahoo.com

Prime Day Death at Amazon Warehouse
Amazon worker dies in N.J. fulfillment center on Prime Day
An Amazon worker died at a fulfillment center in Middlesex County last week during Prime Day, the company's biggest sale event of the year.

"We're deeply saddened by the passing of one of our colleagues and offer our condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time," Sam Stephenson, an Amazon spokesperson, said in a statement .

"We've contacted his family to offer support and will provide counseling resources to employees needing additional care," Stephenson said. The worker was not identified.

The death occurred July 12 at the company's EWR9 fulfillment center in the 8000 block of Industrial Highway in Carteret, according to Dave Jamieson, a labor reporter for the HuffPost who first reported the death.

A spokesperson for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said the agency's Avenel area office is investigating the death. The investigation could take up to six months, the spokesperson said. Additional details about how the worker died were not available. nj.com

Shopify Adds NFT-Gated Option for Online Retailers

DA Announces New ORC Theft Team
Maricopa County, AZ: County Attorney's Office looks to crack down on retail theft with new team
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office is looking to crack down on retail theft after Arizona and surrounding states saw an increase. Interim County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced in a press conference on Wednesday that she is creating an organized retail theft team, comprised of multiple prosecutors and an investigator to coordinate with local business owners and law enforcement to ensure successful prosecution of these crimes. "The people who are coming here from other states, such as California, specifically Los Angeles or Las Vegas or Albuquerque, you need to understand if you come here and commit these crimes, plan to stay a little bit longer than you thought you would," she said. "We are not going to tolerate that here." Mitchell said the Los Angeles District Attorney will not prosecute retail theft below $1000, but she said that is not the case for Maricopa County. Mitchell added she's making this a priority for her office to try and help curb the crime before it gets any worse. Retail leaders also attended the press conference and spoke firsthand about what they've experienced. ktar.com

(DOJ) Harrisburg, PA: New Jersey Men Sentenced In Mail Fraud And Aggravated Identity Theft Scheme
The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Patrick Barkers-Woode, age 30, of Pine Hill, New Jersey, was sentenced on July 13, 2022, by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to 111 months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release. On November 22, 2019, both Barkers-Woode and co-defendant Nana Mensah were convicted on 15 counts of mail fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft. Mensah is awaiting sentencing.

Judge Wilson also sentenced co-defendant Jason Moskovitz to 39 months' imprisonment to be followed by three years' supervised release. On November 14, 2019, Moskovitz pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Barkers-Woode and Moskovitz were both ordered to pay restitution to Sprint, Inc. in the amount of $357,565.92 and Moskovitz was ordered to forfeit $576,929 and 107 electronic devices.  justice.gov

Beverly Grove, CA: Caught on camera: Burglars use vehicle to smash into Chanel store in Beverly Grove
The Los Angeles Police Department continues to investigate after a group of suspected burglars used a van to crash into a Chanel store in Beverly Grove during a smash-and-grab burglary. It happened at the high-end store located on Robertson between Beverly and 3rd Street early Wednesday morning. The Los Angeles Police Department continues to investigate after a group of suspected burglars used a van to crash into a Chanel store in Beverly Grove during a smash-and-grab burglary. It happened at the high-end store located on Robertson between Beverly and 3rd Street early Wednesday morning. foxla.com

Newport Beach, CA: 4 detained, more sought in Fashion Island purse theft
Four people have been arrested after they stole designer handbags from a Neiman Marcus store at Fashion Island Shopping Center in Newport Beach on Wednesday, but several thieves remain on the loose, police said. The theft was reported at about 4:15 p.m., when store employees called the Newport Beach Police Department to report seven men stealing purses off of the Chanel display, according to Sgt. Vincelet. As the thieves were trying to leave the store, they came to a locked glass door, which they smashed on their way out, police said. Police took all four people, three males and a female, into custody, and while their identities have not yet been released, police say they recovered several purses that were discarded during the chase. ktla.com

Daly City, CA: 4 juveniles arrested for $2,000 'grab and run' at Dick's Sporting Goods
The Daly City Police Department announced in a press release that it arrested four juveniles for shoplifting at a Dick's Sporting Goods on Wednesday. DCPD said a store employee recognized the suspects and their vehicle as the same group that committed the same crime two days earlier. The suspects committed the shoplifting, which police described as a "grab and run," at 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday. They were wearing ski masks and fled the scene in a stolen vehicle, police said. DCPD officers found the suspect vehicle going eastbound on Interstate-80 near 7th Street. After a brief pursuit, police said the vehicle became disabled and the suspects tried to flee on foot. Three suspects were arrested immediately and the fourth was found in a nearby parking garage. Police recovered nearly $2,000 in merchandise. newsbreak.com

Hartford, CT: 3 suspects arrested in theft ring
Three people are facing charges in connection to a retail theft ring in the greater Hartford area, police said. State police said detectives saw a man driving a vehicle suspected in the thefts. The man removed all decals from the overdue U-Haul rental van and tinted all the windows, police said. "The suspect and vehicle are wanted in connection with numerous organized retail thefts throughout Connecticut and at least one armed robbery," said state police. "The following agencies hold active hard copy arrest warrants for both parties: police departments in West Hartford, Enfield, Avon, Glastonbury, Bloomfield, and Vernon," said state police. wfsb.com

San Francisco, CA: Serial Shoplifter Still Ransacking SF Stores - $15,000 in Goods Stolen
A suspect in more than a dozen San Francisco retail store burglaries was arrested over the weekend as he attempted to steal items from a store two days after taking $1,500 in clothing, cosmetics and over-the-counter medications from the same location, police said. Police say Lugo-Romero is also suspected of a similar burglary two days earlier, when officers responded to reports of someone stealing dozens of items using a plastic trash bag and fleeing the scene on a bicycle. Officers searched the area, but were unable to locate the suspect. Police said the San Francisco Burglary Unit has over a dozen open investigations related to similar thefts at the same store, which officials did not identify, with the estimated loss totaling more than $15,000. Lugo-Romero is the primary suspect in those crimes as well. breitbart.com

Bristol Township, PA: Two subjects stole $6,700 of over-the-counter medications and health care items from a store along Route 13