TMA Issues Call-for-Participation for Newly proposed ANSI Standard - Monitoring Center Notification of Active Threat Detection (TMA-ATN-01)

This standard will develop an efficient means for monitoring centers to provide responding authorities with information that assists with an efficient and safe response to active threat incidents.

February 2, 2023, McLean, VA – The Monitoring Association (TMA) seeks professionals from the security industry; public safety; emergency communications; schools; systems manufacturers; and others from large public/private management to participate in the development of its newly proposed ANSI standard – Monitoring Center Notification of Active Threat Detection (TMA-ATN-01). As monitoring centers are increasingly monitoring shot detection, weapons detection, and manual lockdown notification systems, as well as other innovative threat technologies today, a standardized workflow is needed to assure timely and accurate notification various entities. This standard will develop an efficient means for the monitoring center to provide responding authorities with information that assists with an efficient and safe response.

Go to TMA’s website at https://tma.us/tma-atn-01-participation-form/ to complete an interest form. Learn more about this and other TMA standards activities at https://tma.us/standards/.
 

Take action now against active shooter threats

How one retailer's proactive face matching led to ID, arrest without violence

Active shooter attacks spiked by 52.5 percent in 2021, according to the FBI. Most happened in "commerce" areas, such as shopping malls and grocery stores. In response, retailers are quickly adopting technologies, including face matching, that offer advance warning of threats.

Not all violence is preventable, but retailers can increase their chances of stopping attacks before they start. Here's how one retailer's fast, proactive reaction to a real-life threat led to an arrest with no violence or injuries-and most importantly, before the threatened attack happened.

The retailer became aware of a potential active shooter threat on a popular social media platform. An unknown and unverified individual made a direct threat of gun violence in his post, and he suggested that customers with children avoid the retailer's store.

Minutes after the threat was posted, the retailer ran the profile photo through the FaceFirst Visitor Search Investigation tool. Had the person of interest visited any of the retailer's stores in the past 45 days? Within seconds, the search revealed two face matches at two locations, one from two weeks back and another just one day prior.

The retailer's asset protection team reviewed the matched events and security camera video, then collaborated with local law enforcement. Officers confirmed the man was a known offender, with a record of violent crimes against another retailer and a history of mental illness. Using face matching technology, the retailer formed a threat profile for the man in less than two hours.

Eight days later, the man returned to the retailer's store. As he entered, the FaceFirst system matched his face and immediately generated a match notification. The store management team confirmed the notification and followed the retailer's policy on the notification: "Do not approach-call LE." Law enforcement officers responded quickly and arrested the man nearby. The incident was resolved without violence, and a restraining order was issued soon thereafter. The man has not returned to any of the retailer's stores since his arrest.

Calculate the risks of being caught unaware when a known offender enters your store. If you knew there was a proven solution to keep your valued customers and associates safer from violent offenders, would you implement it? The real risk is answering no. FaceFirst's solution is fast, accurate, and ethical-take action today at facefirst.com.


Another Real-World Example of Violence Impacting Retailers

Brockton, MA: Suspected Gunman in Deadly Dollar Tree Shooting at Large

The gunman was reportedly a former employee of the Dollar Tree store

The man suspected of killing one person and wounding another in a double shooting at a Dollar Tree store in Brockton, Massachusetts, is still at large, authorities said. He was identified as Luis Soto, a 32-year-old former employee of the store, according to the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office.

They noted that the shooting does not appear to be random, but Soto is believed to be armed and dangerous. Authorities identified the man who died in Tuesday's shooting as East Boston resident Dongbin Pyon, 38. He died after being rushed to Good Samaritan Hospital along with the other shooting victim, who hasn't been identified; that man's condition hasn't been released.

Soto is wanted on a murder charge after fleeing the store after the shooting, prosecutors said. They've located his car but, as they search for him, are asking anyone with information on his whereabouts to call state or Brockton police. nbcboston.com  turnto10.com
 

Illinois 'Armed Security Protection Act' Seeks to Curb Theft Epidemic
The bill would require security guards in pawn shops, grocery stores, gas stations & more

Proposed Illinois Armed Security Protection Act would require security be stationed at certain types of businesses
A state mandate being considered in Illinois would require many types of businesses in cities with populations over 2 million – limiting its effect to Chicago only. HB1231 would require businesses to independently employ security guards to dispel shoplifters and other criminals.

“Creates the Armed Security Protection Act. Provides that beginning July 1, 2024, banks, pawn shops, grocery stores, and gas stations in municipalities having a population in excess of 2,000,000 inhabitants must employ and have on the premises at least one guard during the hours they conduct business with the public. Provides that the Act is inoperable after June 30, 2027,” the bill’s synopsis reads.

There are only around 200 banks in the city and over 260 grocery stores, but gas stations are everywhere. As of 2019, there were over 1,800 gas stations in Chicago. If the bill were to pass all 1,800 gas stations would be mandated to employ a security guard during hours of operation.

The average pay for security guards in Illinois is between $16-17 per hour. If required to employ full-time guards that could easily mean over $100,000 per year in additional operating costs every year for 24-hour locations.

The bill’s introduction comes just over a year after Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot noted she was “disappointed” with Chicago retailers who rely on Chicago Police to enforce public safety instead of private guards.

Critics struck out at Lightfoot for blaming the victims of crime rather than addressing the underlying public safety issues leading to the crimes. At the time of Lightfoot’s remarks, the city was dealing with a historically high level of crime, including more homicides than in the previous 30 years. Elevated crime rates have continued. Since State's Attorney Kim Foxx wanted to exclusively charge thefts above $1,000 in 2016, there has been an epidemic of theft in Chicago. Since the shift, organized gangs have entered establishments brazenly, stolen goods and fled. privateofficerbreakingnews.blogspot.com


New Federal Report Studies America's Gun Violence Epidemic
Ghost Guns & Semiautomatic Pistols are a Growing Factor in Violent Crime

First sweeping federal gun crime report in 20 years released

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms created a statistical portrait that law enforcement agencies can use to address new threats

The most expansive federal report in over two decades on guns and crime shows a shrinking turnaround between the time a gun was purchased and when it was recovered from a crime scene, indicating firearms bought legally are more quickly being used in crimes around the country.

It also documents a spike in the use of conversion devices that make a semiautomatic gun fire like a machine gun, along with the growing seizure of so-called ghost guns, privately made firearms that are hard to trace.

The report comes as the nation grapples with a rise in violent crime, particularly from guns.

The report shows 54% of guns that police recovered in crime scenes in 2021 had been purchased within three years, a double-digit increase since 2019. The quicker turnaround can indicate illegal gun trafficking or a straw purchase — when someone who can legally purchase a gun buys one to sell it to someone who can’t legally possess guns. The increase was driven largely by guns bought less than a year before, it said.

The number of new guns overall in the U.S. grew significantly during that time as gun sales shattered records during the coronavirus pandemic.

Most guns used in crimes changed hands since their purchase, the report states. It also found what Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco called an epidemic of stolen guns: more than 1.07 million firearms were reported stolen between 2017 and 2021. Almost all of those, 96%, were from private individuals.

Meanwhile, the report also documents a more than five-fold increase in the number of devices that convert a legal semi-automatic weapon into an illegal fully automatic one.  A conversion device was used in a mass shooting that left six people dead and 12 wounded in Sacramento last April in what officers described as a shootout between rival gangs.

The document also traces the rise of “ ghost guns,” privately made firearms without serial numbers that have increasingly been turning up at crime scenes around the nation. apnews.com  nytimes.com


UK's Retail Crime Surge
Policing chief says tackling retail crime is a priority

Policing minister Chris Philp has reassured the Federation of Independent Retailers (The Fed) that tackling retail crime is a priority for the government.

“As part of our political engagement strategy and commitment to raising awareness in the government of the scale of retail crime,” national president Jason Birks wrote to Philp in December.

He invited the minister to attend a meeting of the All-Party Parliament Group on Retail Crime, of which the Fed is secretariat, to hear at first hand the true extent of such crimes and the devastating impact they have on victims.

In his letter, Birks called on Philp to consider installing a swifter, more purposeful reporting mechanism and to encourage a better response to retail crime from police forces.

He also called for victim impact statements to be made available to all if a case goes to court. “Retail crime is not a victimless crime, and all victims should be offered the opportunity to complete victim and business impact statements.”

In his reply, Philp said: “I am committed to keeping our retail environments safe by driving down crime in retail settings, including violence and abuse towards shop staff.

“Shops are the lifeblood of our communities and neighbourhoods, and retail workers have the right to feel safe at work.

“I take the issue of violence and abuse against retail workers seriously and I am clear that any assault on any worker, particularly those providing a service to the public, is unacceptable.” talkingretail.com


CA. Reacts to Mass Shootings - Retail Stores Included in Ban on Concealed Carry
Newsom, California lawmakers make another attempt to ban concealed guns in public spaces
The bill is the state’s response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year that took a wrecking ball to state laws limiting concealed carry gun laws, which Newsom called a “very bad ruling.”

Though the court found states can’t force people to demonstrate a need for a concealed weapon, it also said prohibiting guns in some sensitive public places is allowed and that states can create their own license requirements.

Senate Bill 2, by state Sen. Anthony Portantino, D-La Cañada Flintridge (Los Angeles County), would greatly expand the list of public places where guns cannot be carried, including bars or any place where alcohol is sold and consumed, childcare facilities, hospitals, public transportation, gyms, financial institutions, sports arenas, casinos, libraries, amusement parks, museums, zoos and public parks and playgrounds.

The ban on concealed weapons would also apply to any other private commercial establishment, unless the owner posts a conspicuous sign at the business entrance stating that license holders may carry guns. sfchronicle.com


Lowe’s executive VP Seemantini Godbole on new anti-theft technology: This was a ‘scrappy experiment’
Lowe's Chief Digital and Information Officer Seemantini Godbole joined ‘The Big Money Show’ to discuss Lowe’s decision to create a new system intended to combat organized retail crime.

Police: ‘High chance’ of Hollywood mass shooting prevented

Brazen store theft on the rise in Western Australia

US: 104.3M Cases - 1.1M Dead - 101.4M Recovered
Worldwide: 675.7M Cases - 6.7M Dead - 648M Recovered

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 362  
Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 830

COVID Cases, Hospitalizations & Deaths

The Tide is Changing
The Bosses Are Back in Charge

CEOs are reasserting their authority now that workers are starting to worry about job security amid rising layoffs; ‘this whole concept of working from anywhere went too far’

Many executives say that they are no longer scrambling to retain workers, after several years of doing whatever it took to keep people on staff. Pay increases are slowing. For some jobs, hiring is getting easier. Executives are seizing on this moment to streamline operations or cut projects, shedding staff that until recently they couldn’t afford to lose.

Inside many organizations, there is a shift in sentiment, executives and their advisers say. Employers who felt they had less leverage in the tight labor market of the past couple of years say they have more power in negotiations with employees. Many feel less pressure to hire quickly to avoid losing a top candidate. Others are enforcing in-office attendance mandates that previously were ignored by some staffers.

“This whole concept of working from anywhere went too far,” Mr. Ulbrich said. “I’m all into flexibility and all supportive that work and life has to find a flexible kind of partnership…but that doesn’t translate into, ‘Mondays and Fridays, I always work from home.’ ” wsj.com


Retail Pharmacies Still Reeling from the Pandemic
Longer wait times expected at retail pharmacies due to staffing shortage
Since the start of the pandemic and the COVID-19 Emergency Declaration, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are being asked to do more than just fill prescriptions. During the winter there is more sickness, especially with the “tripledemic” – COVID, flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Meaning more people are relying on pharmacies.

“When you look at all the things going on behind that pharmacy counter, if you will, they’re doing immunizations, they’re doing testing, they’re helping patients select over-the-counter products. Across the board, pharmacists and pharmacy teams have really become a significant piece with regard to healthcare,” Beckner explained.

The need is for more technicians. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2021 the national median salary for a pharmacy technician was $36,740. During the same time period, the median salary for a pharmacist was $128,570. abcnews4.com


Why companies like Disney are telling workers to return to the office

COVID state of emergency is ending — here’s what it means for Californians

COVID-19 vaccines and treatments could go to private market this summer

Wisconsin Assembly puts bail constitutional amendment on April 2023 ballot

A proposed constitutional amendment that would make it harder for violent criminals to get out of jail on bail will go to Wisconsin voters in the April election — if passed, the governor is unable to veto the change.

The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Assembly gave a final, bipartisan push on Jan. 19 to a proposed constitutional amendment that would make it harder for violent criminals to get out of jail on bail.

The measure will now go before voters to be ratified in the statewide April 4 election. Its passage in the Assembly by a 74-23 vote marks the culmination of a push by Republican lawmakers to speed the amendment before voters.

The amendment would require a judge to consider a defendant's potential risk to public safety, including his or her criminal history, when setting bail. Currently, cash bail is set only as a means to ensure the person appears in court. Democrats have argued the amendment could create further inequity in the criminal justice system by allowing wealthy defendants to more easily get out of jail. pbswisconsin.org

New Mexico chief justice urges caution with bail law reform
The New Mexico Chief Justice highlighted advances in public safety resulting from changes to the state’s pretrial detention system that started in 2017. Several bills this session propose to address the issue.

SANTA FE - New Mexico's top judicial official urged state legislators Tuesday to be cautious and remember the principle of innocence until proven guilty as they consider toughening the state's bail laws in response to violent crime.

"With the elimination of money-bail, judges now have the ability to assess dangerousness, something they could not do before," Bacon said. In Albuquerque and "Bernalillo County, this has resulted in the detention of over 3,000 defendants pending trial. Something that could not happen before."

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and some legislators from both political parties have voiced support for changes that would make it easier to keep certain criminal defendants in jail while awaiting trial. Currently, people charged with a felony can be held without bond only if prosecutors can persuade a judge that no conditions of release would protect the public, or that a defendant is unlikely to appear in court. lcsun-news.com

Illinois Supreme Court sets March timeline for oral arguments in cash bail appeal
The Illinois Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments in March to determine the constitutionality of provisions of the SAFE-T Act that eliminated financial conditions of release in the state.

An appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court regarding the constitutionality of a state law that would end cash bail appears to be at least two months away from resolution under a new timeline approved by the court Thursday.

The matter came to the Supreme Court in a Dec. 30 appeal by Raoul’s office, following Kankakee County Judge Thomas Cunnington’s decision that lawmakers overreached their constitutional authority in passing a measure to abolish cash bail in Illinois.

He also wrote that ending cash bail is an improper overreach by lawmakers, who have no constitutional authority to govern the administrative functions of Illinois courts due to the separation of powers. Bail, Cunnington wrote, has been held by the Supreme Court to be “administrative” in nature.

The ruling initially left the impending cash bail reform in limbo in at least 64 of Illinois’ 102 counties that had joined the consolidated lawsuit. sj-r.com
 

AI-Based Management Software Monitoring Employees Stands Up In CA. Court
Can US Employers Recover Damages from Former Employees for ‘Time Theft’?
The case of a Canadian company that recovered damages in court from a former employee accused of "time theft" raises the question of whether U.S. employers can similarly use electronic monitoring to persuade courts to award them damages. Several legal experts say that's usually not possible, but one attorney says U.S. employers can do so.

A former accountant at accounting firm Reach CPA on Vancouver Island in British Columbia was ordered to repay her former employer for time theft after tracking software indicated she had performed personal tasks while working, according to CBS News. The firm countersued her for time theft after she sued claiming she was wrongfully dismissed and that the employer owed her unpaid wages and severance pay.

Reach CPA added that TimeCamp is an artificial intelligence-based management software that tracks how a computer is used. "This software is not required for our remote workers and only a handful of employees use it," the firm said.

"Only after we noticed a number of red flags in the reporting of her time spent on projects did we investigate further," Reach CPA added. "We do not spy on [employees'] computers to make sure what they say is truthful. Over the course of the one month that the former employee had TimeCamp installed, she falsely reported over 50 hours she hadn't worked, the firm said.

U.S. Employers' Options for Time Theft

This type of counterclaim by an employer "would not get very far in the U.S.," said Zachary Busey, an attorney with Baker Donelson in Memphis, Tenn.

Employment laws across the U.S. usually defer to the employee when it comes to work time and payroll disputes, he said. "Wasting company time is often a very defensible ground for an adverse employment action, including termination, but it is rarely a basis for recovering wages or payments from an employee."

Giving Notice to Employees

Employers that electronically monitor workers should provide reasonable notice to employees that they have no expectation of privacy while using company hardware, software or network systems, Barron said.

Three states—Connecticut, Delaware and New York—regulate electronic monitoring by employers.

Moreover, National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo announced Oct. 31 that she will urge the NLRB to protect employees from intrusive electronic monitoring that interferes with their rights under the National Labor Relations Act.   shrm.org


CFOs to boost compensation by at least 3%
CFOs are planning to increase their compensation spend in 2023, with 86% of finance chiefs noting they plan to raise it by at least 3% year-over-year, according to a recent survey by Gartner.

CFOs are still facing a tight labor market in 2023. As CFOs weigh increased turnover and a more remote workforce, “they’re thinking through, how do they use compensation as a lever to engage and retain talent across their workforce,” said Alexander Bant, chief of research in the Gartner finance practice.

Only 5% of the 279 CFOs surveyed stated they planned to reduce their compensation spend in 2023, according to Gartner. cfodive.com


Hiring managers say ‘time to fill’ has slowed from 7 to 11 weeks
Hiring managers say it takes an average of 11 weeks to fill a vacant role, according to the Jan. 30 results of a Robert Half survey conducted in Q4 2022. That’s up from seven weeks in 2021.

Employers are “scrambling” to staff up despite market volatility, the consulting firm said. More than half of the hiring managers responding to the survey said their employers anticipate adding new roles during the first half of the year; nearly 40% expect to hire for vacated positions.

Hiring managers indicated a disconnect between that urgency and the quality of their pipeline, however. Nine in 10 of the more than 2,000 respondents said it’s challenging to find skilled professionals. hrdive.com


Trader Joe’s objects to Louisville union vote - Third store to unionize
Trader Joe’s has filed an objection with the National Labor Relations Board protesting the union election last week at Louisville, Ky., store.

The retailer claims that the union and its supporters acted unlawfully to discourage voting in the election, according to the filing.

According to the filing, union representatives and supporters urged workers at the Louisville store to transfer to another location if they did not support the union, and made “unwelcome, intrusive, harassing and intimidating comments” to workers. supermarketnews.com


Store Closures - Associate Safety - Consumers Hunkering Down
Northeast Braces for Bitter Cold as Wind Chill Could Hit Minus 65 Degrees in Some Areas

Parts of Maine expected to be the worst-hit, and record-breaking lows are forecast for New York City and Boston

Most of the cold weather will be felt Friday from Thursday night storms, and the most extreme conditions are expected Friday night into Saturday morning.

Wind chill from gusty northwesterly winds will make for the coldest weather in decades, the National Weather Service said. Wind-chill warnings and advisories are in effect for the Northern Plains as well as the Northeast. Record-breaking lows are forecast for the New York City, Boston and Providence areas. wsj.com

NYC, Northeast bracing for ‘dangerous’ polar vortex, sub-zero temperatures


NRF Economist Says U.S. Recession Unlikely and Expects Slight Growth in 2023
A recession is unlikely and the economy is expected to see slight growth in 2023 as consumers continue to cope with inflation and high interest rates, National Retail Federation Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said today.

Amazon Pauses Expansion & Closing Some of Amazon Fresh Cashier-Less Convenience Stores 'Until it Finds the Right Recipe for Success'
You've got to wonder if shrink/theft is playing a role in decision

Amazon rapidly opening new 30 Whole Foods stores a year - Wants to Triple Size

McDonald’s to open 1,900 new stores in 2023; eyes big growth in China

For those Ruth’s Chris Fans - A NYC Staple Closing
Ruth’s Chris Steak House closing Midtown location after 30 years

REI lays off more than 150 employees

FTC to Host Public Forum Examining Proposed Rule to Ban Noncompete Clauses


Quarterly Results

EZCORP Q1 pawn loans up 19%, total revenue up 20%

Skechers Q4 DTC up 10.8%, wholesale up 15.7%, total sales up 13.5%
Skechers Full Year DTC up 10.2%, wholesale up 23.2%, total sales up 18%

Amazon Q4 North America ales up 13%, Inter. down 8%, AWS sales up 20%, net sales up 9%
Amazon Full Year North America ales up 13%, Inter. down 8%, AWS sales up 29%, net sales up 9%

Starbucks Q1 comp's Up 5% Globally; Up 10% in U.S.; Up Double Digits Internationally, Excluding China, Consolidated Net Revenues Up 8%

Ingles Markets Q1 net sales up 7.3%

Google Q1 revenue up 6.1%

McDonalds Q4 Global comp's up 12.6%, U.S. up 10.3%, Inter. up 12.6%, Inter Licensed up 16.5%, Consolidated sales down 1%, Systemwide sales up 5%
McDonalds Full Year Global comp's up 10.9%, U.S. up 5.9%, Inter. up 13.3%, Inter Licensed up 16%, Consolidated sales flat, Systemwide sales up 5%

COLUMBIA SPORTSWEAR Q4 DTC up 5%, Wholesale up 2%, total net sales up 4%
COLUMBIA SPORTSWEAR Full Year DTC up 9%, wholesale up 12%, total net sales up 11%

Canada Goose Q3 DTC up 1.5%, Wholesale down 17.3%, revenue down 1.6%

Sally Beauty Holdings Q1 comp's up 1.1%, e-commerce up 14%, net sales down 2.4%

Apple Q1 revenue down 5%

Regis Corp. Q2 comp's up 4.5%, total revenue down 13%
 

Senior LP & AP Jobs Market

Sr Manager, Cybersecurity & Threat Detection job posted for Levi Strauss & Co.
The Sr Manager of Cybersecurity and Threat Detection plays an integral role in the protection of the brand and works directly with the Director of Cybersecurity and Threat Detection and the broader Global Information Security (GIS) team to establish and implement the cybersecurity strategy, priorities, and directives consistent with the vision of the CISO across Levi Strauss & Company (LS&Co.) globally. levistraussandco.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com