Protests & Violence

Trump says he could send as many as 75,000 federal agents to US cities
President Donald Trump said Thursday that he's willing to send as many as 75,000 federal agents into American cities to quell violent crime, a recent campaign theme for the President.

Speaking in a telephone interview on Fox News, Trump began by saying he was ready to dispatch "50,000, 60,000 people" into American cities. But eventually he upped the figure to 75,000 -- but said it would require local authorities asking for help.

"We have to be invited in. At some point we'll have to do something much stronger than being invited in," Trump said. "We'll go into all of the cities, any of the cities. We're ready."

Deploying 75,000 officers would mark a significant portion of all federal officers in the country. According to a 2019 report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, there were approximately 100,000 federal law enforcement officers in the entire United States in 2016, the last year for which data was available. cnn.com

What the feds can - and can't - do about soaring urban crime
Help is on the way for Chicago, now that President Trump and Mayor Lori Lightfoot have agreed on plans to send 200 federal agents to the city to help rein in out-of-control violence. Let's hope Gov. Andrew Cuomo remains right in waving off Trump's offer to do the same for New York City.

Now, thank goodness, Chicago Mayor says federal agents can come; "all resources will be investigatory in nature and coordinated through the US attorney's office."

The president has also sent agents to other cities plagued by bloodshed and turmoil as part of his Operation Legend anti-violence initiative, named for a 4-year-old fatally shot in Kansas City.

It remains to be seen how much good the feds can do, when mayors and local prosecutors (such as Chicago's Kim Foxx - retailers remember this DA) refuse to take a firm stand, even as bodies pile up. nypost.com

'Operation Legend' expanded to Cleveland, Detroit and Milwaukee
Operation Legend involves more than 200 agents from Justice Department components in Kansas City, a similar number in Chicago, and 35 in Albuquerque, and it is focused on violent crime, AG William Barr has said. It is named after 4-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed in Kansas City in late June.

Barr said the officers deployed would be added to existing federal task forces, and more cities could see deployments in the coming weeks. The White House revealed on its website Thursday that those cities include Cleveland, Detroit and Milwaukee.

"In a sense, this isn't any different than what we already were doing on a daily basis, because we already have several hundred federal agents who are stationed permanently in Kansas City," one U.S. official said Thursday. Some local leaders, though, are worried the administration is not being fully transparent about its intent. washingtonpost.com startribune.com

LAPD begins cost cutting, and units must 'show your relevance,' chief says
Following a historic $150-million budget cut, and amid a nationwide re-imagining of what policing should be, the LAPD is reviewing its operational structure from top to bottom and pushing forward with potentially far-reaching internal changes in anticipation of an even broader shake-up, officials said.

The revamped LAPD will have hundreds of fewer officers to deploy by this time next year, and Moore has asked unit commanders throughout the department to write him proposals for what their teams should look like in such a future. The Metro force, which includes the department's targeted enforcement teams, is being scrutinized closely for potential cuts, and gang units and other specialized squads are also likely to be slimmed down. latimes.com

'Defund Police' Won't Happen in Baltimore, Judge Says
Amid calls to "defund the police," the federal judge overseeing the Baltimore Police consent decree said Thursday that "such reform options may exist in other cities, but not here," the Baltimore Sun reports. U.S. District Judge James Bredar doubled down on his support for the city to continue with its years-long reforms, which require increased funding and hiring more police officers, despite the recent push to shift police funding to other areas or restructure policing to incorporate more social services. thecrimereport.org

Minneapolis City Council approves first substantial cuts $1.5M to police - Mayor to approve or veto

Portland protesters worry violence is taking away from Black Lives Matter message

Portland: 460 face charges since protests began in late May, DA says

US judge blocks federal agents from arresting Portland observers Judge in Portland bars federal officers from arresting or using force against journalists and legal observers

Federal agents on standby in Seattle ahead of planned protests

Trump's plan to deploy federal agents in Chicago met with lawsuit from community groups

'Not welcome in Wisconsin': Gov. Tony Evers writes letter to President Trump criticizing plan to send federal agents to Milwaukee

Baltimore State's Atty Mosby: Federal agents sent to Baltimore 'will face criminal charges'

Cleveland mayor and police chief clarify: No federal troops coming into city

U.S. Attorney McSwain Announces Detention of Alleged Burglar Accused of Stealing $104,000 During Recent Rioting in Philadelphia

US: Over 4.2M Cases - 147K Dead - 1.9M Recovered
Worldwide: Over 15.7M Cases - 639K Dead - 9.6M Recovered

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 154+   Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 65
*Red indicates change in total deaths

'Stay Calm': Walmart Trains Staff How to Deal With the Maskless
Although top health experts recommend wearing masks in public to prevent the spread of the virus, the issue of whether to wear one has swelled into a culture war.

Walmart Inc. has some advice for employees who have the unenviable task of reminding shoppers to wear masks: Stay calm, listen intently and show understanding. But if customers insist on walking in without one, staffers should just get out of the way.

That's the message from a short training video for Walmart's new "Health Ambassador" role. The two-minute guide, which was obtained by Bloomberg News, teaches employees how to deal with customers who are not wearing masks - an issue that has divided the nation as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread.

The animated video explains to Health Ambassadors - who receive no additional pay for the role - that not all customers can wear a mask due to age, health conditions or religious reasons.

"If a customer tells you they can't for one of these reasons, listen and tell them you understand," says the video, which is dated July 13, just two days before Walmart decided to require that all customers wear masks regardless of local mandates. "And thank them for shopping at Walmart."

But not everyone has a valid exception. When a customer who won't wear a mask or provide a reason for not donning one tries to enter a store -- portrayed in the video as a man with narrowed eyebrows and hands angrily on his hips -- Health Ambassadors should simply allow the maskless customer inside and alert a member of management to determine the next steps, which are not detailed. bloomberg.com

Seeing is Believing
Health, safety protocols remain most important factor for returning to a store

Stores that don't adhere to responsible safety precautions are at a real risk of losing customers

Twenty-nine percent of consumers would stop shopping at a retailer altogether if they knew the brand was not implementing health and safety measures, according to new data from Ipsos' Consumer Health & Safety Index, a health and safety benchmarking study that evaluates how retailers across five industries are operating amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Health and safety protocols remain the most important factor for returning to a store, increasing in importance from 42% in May to 48% in early July.

The first wave of the Consumer Health and Safety Index was conducted in May. It revealed that brands could be doing more to keep Americans safe. For example, 82% of stores audited across 45 national brands did not have hand sanitizing options available at or near checkout.

Ipsos recommissioned the survey during the first week of July, with new data revealing that consumers are even more concerned about their safety than they were in May and are eager to see visible efforts from retailers to implement health and safety protocols.

Trust is highest among retailers that are making visible efforts in their stores to implement health and safety protocols, including clear reminders and signage, employees actively cleaning and clear investments from the brand, including company-issued employee safety equipment. chainstoreage.com

California Workers Are Scared
Workers fear returning to work. Many are resisting the call
Also anger, confusion and frustration with California's roller-coaster coronavirus economy - in which workplaces close and open and close again, rules for those that remain open can change by the day, and enforcement often seems lax.

Nonetheless, thousands of employees who have been furloughed or able to work from home since March are being called back to physical workplaces.

Many, especially those backed by powerful labor unions, are resisting. They cite the failure of employers over the last four months to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks, even in hospitals, nursing homes, fast-food outlets, grocery stores and warehouses where workers were deemed "essential" by the state.

Since March, more than 17,800 workplace complaints about COVID-19 have poured into the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health, known as Cal/OSHA, had received some 3,800 complaints as of mid-July.

Furloughed employees called back to the workplace usually lose unemployment benefits if they don't return. "It's a terrible situation," Stock said. "People have to choose between a paycheck and their health - not only their own health, but the health of their family and their community." latimes.com

Companies Start to Think Remote Work Isn't So Great After All

Projects take longer. Collaboration is harder. And training new workers is a struggle. 'This is not going to be sustainable.'

Now, as the work-from-home experiment stretches on, some cracks are starting to emerge. Projects take longer. Training is tougher. Hiring and integrating new employees, more complicated. Some employers say their workers appear less connected and bosses fear that younger professionals aren't developing at the same rate as they would in offices, sitting next to colleagues and absorbing how they do their jobs.

"There's sort of an emerging sense behind the scenes of executives saying, 'This is not going to be sustainable,'" said Laszlo Bock, chief executive of human-resources startup Humu and the former HR chief at Google.

Few companies expect remote work to go away in the near term, though the evolving thinking among many CEOs reflects a significant shift from the early days of the pandemic.

One benefit of working together in person, many executives said, is the potential for spontaneous interactions. Mary Bilbrey, global chief human resources officer at real-estate giant Jones Lang LaSalle. She noticed that she was soon having conversations with peers that wouldn't have happened in a remote set up-a discussion sparked by a passing question in the hall, for instance. "They weren't going to think about scheduling a 30 minute call to do it," she said.

It's important to have people in a room and see body language and read signals that don't come through a screen, says Mark Loehr, the CEO

More companies now envision a hybrid future, with more time spent working remote, yet with opportunities to regularly convene teams. wsj.com

COVID Impact on Conferences & Events
Will Hybrid Meetings Become the Standard Event Format?
At the start of the pandemic, that meant associations had to pivot their events to completely virtual. But now associations are looking at the hybrid model as the way to offer attendees two options: a smaller, in-person event that adheres to social-distancing requirements or a virtual experience.

The format is rapidly gaining popularity. According to a recent survey by Etc.venues, 73 percent of event professionals say they are planning to host a hybrid event before the end of the year.

While implementing a hybrid meeting structure will raise additional logistics to work through, it also comes with benefits. For example, you may be able to attract new attendees to the online component, such as working parents, those with compromised immune systems, caregivers, and international participants. In addition, hybrid meetings could provide new ways to deliver content and allow you to extend the life of your event by giving attendees the ability to watch sessions on demand.

More importantly, a hybrid format will allow those who may be uncomfortable traveling to take part remotely and connect with fellow industry professionals. This shows that your association is putting its members' and attendees' comfort first-something that could translate into better retention and loyalty. associationsnow.com

Information Sharing More Critical Than Ever amid the Coronavirus
One thing that remains clear is the urgent need for close coordination and information sharing between emergency management and public safety agencies, the public and private health communities, the private sector, and across the "whole of government. govtech.com

Mask Requirements
McDonald's to Require Face Masks in U.S. Restaurants
Loves Travel Shops requires masks in all 520 locations July 29th
See the full list of chains requiring customers to wear masks

Hy-Vee to Distribute 3 Million Masks to Shoppers

3 factors for implementing contact tracing in the workplace

As COVID-19 Cases in the U.S. Spike, Few U.S. Employees Say Their Organizations Have the Culture and Resilience to Navigate a Crisis

Rite Aid Expands COVID-19 Testing To 258 Total Locations

Retired NYPD officer survives 61-day COVID-19 hospitalization: 'A true miracle'
 

Thermal Imaging Market to Reach $16B Globally by 2026
According to a recent study from market research firm Global Market Insights, the thermal imaging market has emerged as one of the most profitable niche verticals of the global electronics and media industry. The unveiling of more cost-effective products would further enhance the stance of uncooled technology segment in the thermal imaging market space, according to Global Market Insights. Thermal imaging market players have been focused on research and development activities that would likely bring down the prices of several imaging devices in the forthcoming years. sdmmag.com

How thermal imaging cameras will help facilities reopen in a COVID-19 world

By Jason Ouellette, Head of Technology Business Development,
Johnson Controls

Retailers, office complexes and educational facilities are recognizing that technology will also play a critical role to help identify individuals who may have the virus even before that person enters the premises.

This is where thermal imaging camera systems play a pivotal role, with casinos, retailers and manufacturing facilities among the first to invest in and deploy this solution to help them to proactively detect an elevated temperature in visitors or employees prior to entry. Many more businesses are expected to follow suit in the coming weeks and months, as they look for additional measures to reduce the spread of the virus and to safely reopen in a COVID-19 world. securitymagazine.com
 

Save the Date for Virtual ISC West 2020
ISC West | October 5-7, 2020 | Virtual Event
Due to the cancellation of the ISC West 2020 in-person event, Reed Exhibitions, along with premier sponsor SIA, will transform ISC West 2020 into an all-virtual event occurring on October 5-7, 2020 to serve the security and public safety community. In the coming weeks, our team will be rolling out additional information on the ISC West 2020 Virtual Event but see below and stay tuned as we announce more details and registration soon!

FEATURING
Keynotes | SIA Education@ISC Sessions | Showcased Solutions & Technologies | Vendor Solution Sessions | Customized Matchmaking | Networking Opportunities | Discussion Groups| & More!
Registration for our ISC West Virtual Event will be open in the coming weeks. Sign up here and be the first to know when registration opens. iscwest.com

Violence Spike Response - Body Worn Cameras
UK Co-op Introduces Body Worn Cameras For Safety of Front-Line Staff

UK Co-op Store Crime Up 140% - 1,350 Violent Incidents in First Six Months

Co-op will equip front-line staff with more than 1,000 Motorola Solutions VT100 body-worn cameras in around 250 stores initially, with the ability to stream video in real-time to the Security Operations Centre of Co-op security partner Mitie. The footage is used to identify criminals and provide evidence to secure prosecution.

U.K.'s Largest Consumer Co-operative Leverages Motorola Solutions' Body-worn Video to Battle In-store Crime and Keep Employees Safe

The cameras can be worn in standby mode for up to six months, preserving battery for instances when Co-op store colleagues feel threatened by aggressive or violent behaviour. The cameras are operated by a simple one-push activation, instantly recording footage to the camera itself, and streaming live video to the security operations centre, allowing for a quick response from security personnel or police.

The cameras are supported by cloud-hosted VideoManager software, which enables secure and efficient camera allocation, user administration, and incident management.

Co-op has committed a further £70m over the next three years in innovative technology to keep employees safer, such as SmartWater Fog Cannons, the latest remote monitored iCCTV, body cameras and, communication headsets for all frontline colleagues. talkingretail.com

Coresight Research
Weekly Store Tracker
5,439 2020 YTD Closures
3,285 2020 YTD Openings
 
The How And Why Of Gunshot Detection

AMC Postpones Reopening of U.S. Theaters Until August


Quarterly Results
MarineMax Q3 comp's up 37%, revenue up 30%
Tractor Supply Q2 comp's up 30.5%, sales up 35%
Canada's Loblaw Co.'s Q2 Food Retail comp's up 3%, Drug Retail comp's down 1.1%, e-commerce sales up 280%, revenue up 7.4%
Chipotle Q2 comp's down 9.8%, digital up 216.3%, revenue down 4.8%
Del Taco Restaurants Q2 system-wide comp's down 10.1%, total sales down 13.9%
Murphy USA Q2 comp's down 27.4%, total retail gallons sold down 25.7%
Sketchers Q2 domestic sales down 47.3%, e-commerce sales up 428.2%, international down 37.8%, sales down 42%