NRF PROTECT In-Person Conference Cancelled for June 2021

New Expanded Virtual Offering to be Announced

Statement issued by National Retail Federation today:

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related executive orders continue to have a profound impact on the viability of in-person events into 2021. When we went virtual for the June 2020 PROTECT Conference and Expo, we had every intention of returning to in-person for the June 2021 event.

Unfortunately, with the slow rate of vaccinations distribution throughout the country, it is proving to be impossible for us to safely move forward with the planned in-person event for June 2021. We are saddened that we are not able to come together as we had hoped but, are excited to roll out an all new expanded virtual offering for June that we know you will want to be a part of.

In the weeks ahead, NRF will be providing additional information about the summer program as well as details about the NRF PROTECT 2022 Conference and Expo.

Editor's Note: This news follows NRF's announcement earlier this week that the NRF 2021 Big Show: Chapter 2, another event planned to be in-person this June, will also be turning into a fully-digital online event. The Big Show's annual location at the Javits Center in NYC is currently being used as a venue for vaccine distribution for New York residents and will most likely be unavailable during the first week of June.
 

---

Philip John DeJulio Appointed to Metro One LPSG Advisory Board

Mr. DeJulio has more than 35 years of experience in the Loss Prevention / Life Safety industry, and for 20 of those years was the President and COO at Metro One. Phil was a key architect in building the Metro One LPSG brand and national footprint as the retail loss prevention leader, with a reputation for employee appearance, image and reliability. Under DeJulio’s leadership, Metro One increased client retention and its reputation for “getting the job done,” no matter how demanding the situation or circumstances. Today, Metro One Loss Prevention Services Group is considered a Top-20 provider in the private security industry.

Prior to his position at Metro One Loss Prevention Services Group, Mr. De Julio served as Director of Loss Prevention for Barnes & Noble from 1990 until 2000. During his time with Barnes & Noble, Philip assisted in the national expansion efforts of the superstore platform, B&N logistics and B&N.com. Additional responsibilities included leading the cultural development and purposeful approach to shrink reduction, life safety, special events and business continuity initiatives. Additionally, Phil served as Assistant Vice President of Operations Control for Barney’s New York, Barney’s America, from 1987 until 1990. Mr. DeJulio holds a Bachelor Degree in Criminal Justice from Long Island University. Read more here
 

siffron and MTI Partner to Accelerate the Retail Industry’s Digital Transformation to Smart Retail

siffron® and MTI (Mobile Tech, Inc.) announced they are leveraging their combined 100 years of retail industry experience and product portfolios to bring retail innovation and intelligent solutions to their customers. This partnership will enhance each brand’s business with integrated products and a full suite of solutions to improve the customer experience.

The siffron and MTI partnership combine intelligent security hardware with cloud-based software to create realtime visibility into merchandised product performance. These solutions empower employees to service customers while reducing product shrinkage.  Read more in today's Vendor Spotlight below
 

---

Protests & Violence

Why 2020 Was One of the Most Violent Years in Decades

Sadly, 2020 was the deadliest year in United States history, primarily due to the coronavirus pandemic. The year also included unprecedented civil unrest following the police shooting deaths of several Black Americans, massive job losses, and varying personal restrictions due to the deadly COVID-19 virus.

Another major factor that set 2020 apart was the number of homicides. As Time magazine reported, the year was one of America’s most violent in decades as shootings rose dramatically with over 19,000 people killed in firearms-related incidents.

There Were More than 600 Shootings in the U.S. in 2020
that Involved Four or More People - Up 50% from 2019

While there were no large-scale mass shootings last year, shooting incidents did increase dramatically. Time pointed out that there were more than 600 shootings in the United States in 2020 that involved four or more people shot in the same incident. That’s the most in the past five years and represents an increase of nearly 50% compared to 2019. According to the National Commission on Covid-19 and Criminal Justice, homicide rates increased 42% during the summer and 34% in the fall compared to the same seasons in 2019.

Understanding Why We Are Seeing an Increase in Violent Homicides | Continue Reading

The D&D Daily's 2020 Retail Violent Fatalities Report Validated
2020 the Deadliest Year in Retail As Well

The Daily's 2020 & Q4 Retail Violent Fatalities Report showed a record number of violent fatalities in retail | See report here

Inauguration Day Protests
'Anti-Fascist' Demonstrators Arrested in Portland, Seattle after Smashing Windows, Vandalizing Buildings
Nearly 20 people were arrested during Inauguration Day protests in the Pacific Northwest intended to pressure President Joe Biden into action on immigration and police reform.

Police in Portland arrested 15 on charges of felony criminal mischief, riot and possession of a destructive device after some in a group of 150 people smashed windows and vandalized the headquarters of the Democratic Party of Oregon. None of its staff were in the building and this is not the first time the building has been targeted

The FBI previously warned of possible armed protests around the inauguration in state capitals by supporters of former President Donald Trump, but these demonstrators were described by local media as "antifascist" and "anarchists."

Demonstrators carried banners that read, "We don't want Biden — we want revenge!'' in response to “police murders” and “imperialist wars," and "We are ungovernable."

Hours later, a similar sized group gathered at the Federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement building, some of whom were carrying pepper ball guns, devices like Tasers and fireworks, according to authorities. Portland police said federal law enforcement used crowd control munitions and made arrests, after an "unlawful assembly" was declared.

Police in Seattle said three people were arrested for property damage, burglary and an assault after a group of about 100 people marched and windows were broken at a federal courthouse.

That crowd also called for the abolition of ICE and several people set fire to an American flag outside the federal immigration court, The Seattle Times reported. usatoday.com

Antifa militants smash up original Starbucks during anti-Biden protest

 

Massive D.C. Security Operation Winds Down
Troops begin leaving DC, security eases after unprecedented inauguration lockdown; few arrests reported
Federal authorities reported just three arrests Wednesday, none of them involving violence, as an unprecedented lockdown secured the inauguration of President Joe Biden. Two people were arrested for carrying unregistered ammunition Wednesday, while a third was found in possession of a pellet gun, as ceremonies stretching from the Capitol to Arlington Cemetery played out without incident.

Despite fears that domestic extremists would attempt new attacks just two weeks after the deadly assault on the Capitol, the U.S. Secret Service reported only 13 arrests since Jan. 13, when federal authorities launched a massive defensive operation to secure the city for the inauguration.

Less than 24 hours after Biden was sworn in, some of the extreme security measures, which included the deployment of 25,000 National Guard troops, began to loosen. Workers began taking down iron fencing, concrete barricades were being removed, vehicle checkpoints were abandoned and bridges reopened as the fortress capital slowly began to shed its collective armor. At the Lincoln Memorial, the white fabric pillars lining the reflecting pool were being dismantled. And the masses of troops guarding intersections were gone.

Small groups of Guard members were checking out of their hotels and preparing to return home to their civilian duties, and the palpable sense of tension had eased dramatically as FedEx delivery drivers resumed parcel drop-offs in areas once off limits to the public. usatoday.com

DC Begins to Reopen, ‘Enhanced' Security Remains Due to Threats
Daily life in Washington, D.C., is starting to return to normal, but Mayor Muriel Bowser said she has directed officials to keep an enhanced security posture after the Capitol riot, then multiple bomb threats and arrests on Inauguration Day.

"The threat of extremism is here," Chris Rodriguez, Director of the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA), said. "You saw it on January 6, and it will continue to be a persistent and real threat to the District of Columbia, and to and to our region as well."

The official National Special Security Event (NSSE) for inauguration ended at noon Thursday, the U.S. Secret Service announced. But Bowser and Rodriguez said they have considered requesting another NSSE or similar designation for major events in the future, such as a Joint Session of Congress.

D.C. National Guard troops are expected to have a presence through the end of January, focused on crowd control and traffic management, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said.

Guard troops from other states are already leaving the city, however. nbcwashington.com

Security unlikely to return to pre-riot form in a post-inauguration Washington
 

---