Are The Lifecycles Of Security Systems Getting Shorter?

Some products may become obsolete faster than others, while some may have a longer life span due to ongoing innovation and demand. Technology and security threats are continuously evolving, and older security systems may no longer be effective in protecting against the latest threats. Additionally, older systems may have outdated technology, making them more vulnerable. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: Given rapid technology development, are the lifecycles of security systems getting shorter? Explain.

Charles Pitman - Product Marketing Manager, Genetec, Inc.

The answer varies for software or hardware products. Today’s software development cycles are moving towards a continuous delivery model. New features are released frequently to meet changing market demands and new technological developments. As the pace of innovation increases, modern software products adapt at the same pace, accommodating the longer lifecycles users prefer without impacting innovation. Hardware development requires components from many suppliers. Since sourcing parts can be difficult (especially with the recent supply chain fragility), manufacturers are forced to seek alternatives where possible, and adapt lifecycles when they aren’t. Delays in obtaining a single part can have cascading impacts that make supplying and maintaining a product challenging. This can force manufacturers to rework product lifecycles which can leave customers in the lurch. Hence, it’s important to choose manufacturers who build their systems on an open architecture that can accommodate different types of hardware.

Ryan Zatolokin - Senior Technologist, North America, Axis Communications

Even with rapid technology development, the lifecycles of network security systems aren’t necessarily getting shorter. With proper lifecycle management, modern IP systems can remain operational while also bearing opportunities for enhancements and additions in the future. In looking at a system’s lifecycle, proactive maintenance is the best way to ensure a more stable, secure, and lasting operation. This is especially true in today’s ever-expanding ecosystem of connected and interdependent devices and solutions. Additionally, because of how quickly technology is evolving, modern security tech support teams are skilled not only in fixing product-related issues, but also in thoroughly understanding various product portfolios, customer challenges, typical application areas, and more. This helps organizations easily and efficiently maintain existing security systems while implementing upgrades as new solutions are introduced. securityinformed.com
 

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.
 

Robberies Up 18% From Previous Year - Highest Since 2016
Jewelry Stores Top Retail Sector

Robberies & Burglaries by Store Type
Jewelry Takes #1 Spot for First Time Ever - Overtaking C-Stores

Click here to see the full report

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The Great Debate Over Walmart's Store Closures
Lawmakers argue over whether crime is forcing stores to shut down

Texas and Portland, Oregon, politicians take to Twitter to argue over why Walmart is closing stores

The mayor of Portland, Oregon, replied to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's tweet about Walmart leaving the city.

The mayor of Portland, Oregon, hit back against an accusation from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott that Walmart is leaving the city because of crime.

On Sunday, Abbott, a Republican, tweeted a link to an article about Walmart's decision to close its last two stores in Portland. The story noted that Walmart considered various factors in making the closures, including the stores' financial performance. An accompanying video segment quoted a shopper complaining about shoplifting at the store.

Abbott commented on the article, saying, "This is what happens when cities refuse to enforce the rule of law." Mayor Ted Wheeler replied on Monday, referring to "dozens of Walmart stores that have closed in Texas in recent years."

Walmart has routinely shuttered stores over the last several years, including in 2016, when it closed 28 stores in Texas because they were too close to other Walmart locations. This year, the retailer is closing more stores, from Portland to Washington, DC.

Theft at retailers has received more attention as trade groups have reported an increase in crime in the last few years. They say that the problem isn't individual shoplifters but organized retail crime that involves multiple thieves taking large quantities of goods from stores.

One Walmart store in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is set to close this week. A Walmart spokesperson told Insider: "There is no single cause for why a store closes."  businessinsider.com


Armed Officers Deployed in Stores to Stop Theft
But it carries to risk of more retail shootings - Walmart has seen 364 since 2020

‘Shoplifting as a Sport?’ New Bills and Busts Clamp Down on Crime
The New Mexico House of Representatives last Wednesday passed by a 62 to 3 margin a bill that would enhance penalties for shoplifting based on the amount of merchandise stolen and frequency of arrests.

HB 234 now goes on to the state senate, where it is expected to pass and then be signed by top supporter Gov. Michelle Lujan. The bill, empowering prosecutors to charge perpetrators with the cumulative amount stolen in a 90-day period, puts on the books a new offense of “organized retail crime” to be treated as a second-degree felony. In addition, the legislation would redefine the term “robbery” to include any use or threatened use of violence in the commission of a theft.

While the state legislature in New Mexico is stepping up in novel ways to aid prosecutors, law enforcement across the country in Yonkers, N.Y. is going undercover to curb shoplifting in the city of more than 200,000, just north of Manhattan.

The initiative focuses on putting plain-clothes officers in retail centers, particularly big-box stores to assist loss prevention in stopping thieves. A pattern crimes unit will be deployed to patrol parking lots, a communications division will prioritize shoplifting calls for response and field intelligence officers will follow up on outstanding cases.

As promising as efforts like those promised in Yonkers sound, stronger police presence at retail stores also means more firearms on the premises and greater potential for escalation when confronting suspects.

Saturday morning at a Walmart in Phoenix, a would-be shoplifter was approached by loss prevention staff when a uniformed, off-duty police officer came to assist just outside the entryway. According to reports, the man then pointed a gun at the Walmart employee and the officer, prompting the officer to fire at the suspect. The bullet missed, however. He was later apprehended and no damage to persons or property was reported as a result of the officer’s misfire.

This incident increases the tally of gun-related incidents at Walmart to more than 364 since 2020, by far the most of any retailer, according to a Guns Down America study published last fall.  sourcingjournal.com


More & More Retail Theft Goes Unreported
Shameless theft video highlights bigger problem, thefts go unreported
Retail theft is a problem all over the country. It's no secret, it also happens in and around Baton Rouge. What you might not know is a lot of it goes unreported.

If you look around the parking lot and the building itself at the Walgreens on South Acadian Thruway and Government Street, you'll notice no visible surveillance cameras. Brian McGowen lives next to the Mid City Walgreens and has taken it upon himself to post surveillance cameras.

"You're sending a signal to the public that you just don't care what's going on in your parking lot. It's bad for business," McGowen said.

Police admit that thefts are happening, but they are not being called in. It's something that's happening all over the country.

In San Francisco, CNN reported that theft at Walgreens stores was running rampant. "Some of those businesses have policies in which they don't really call for police assistance, they let those persons leave that business with that merchandise and write it off as a loss," McKneely said.

Brittany Weiss asked Walgreens corporate about why theft is going unreported in Baton Rouge. A spokesperson didn't answer the question, but did say the company takes measures like installing anti-theft devices and using security personnel to deter theft. Baton Rouge police have an idea why they aren't receiving calls about thefts.

"They don't want that type of image on their business," McKneely said.

Inside several Baton Rouge Walgreens stores, customers might notice the amount of stock behind plexiglass. It includes detergent, fabric freshener, deodorant, body wash and several other items. Petty theft is a criminal enterprise and everyone plays a part—from the seller, to the retailer, the criminal, the consumer and the unaware online shopper. wbrz.com


More ORC Stings & Jail Time Coming?
Update: Retail theft stings may lead to more jail time with new Oregon Senate bill

Senate Bill 340 would target criminals involved in organized retail theft

A series of retail theft stings are now underway by Salem law enforcement as they try to stop a growing problem that’s causing some businesses to close their doors.

In a hearing on Senate Bill 340 in the Judiciary Committee Wednesday, law enforcement officers, grocery store representatives and retail lobbyists testified in support of increasing jail time for criminals involved in organized retail theft.

Retail theft rings involve multiple people who engage in frequent theft, and who often resell the stolen property online.

Washington County District Attorney Kevin Barton said creating tougher penalties for these rings is only one piece of the solution.

“What it is we need to have is law enforcement whose able to respond, prosecutors who are willing to prosecute. We need courts that are able to convict, and we need jails and prisons that are able to incarcerate. And all of those things need to be present. Sadly, they’re not all present everywhere in Oregon,” Barton said.

There’s a second bill that pulls $5 million in tax money into a fund that cities, counties and the state can all use to help pay for law officers who work overtime to run these sting missions.

The next step for these bills is a senate floor vote. Those wanting to voice an opinion about the bill can contact their state lawmaker. koin.com


Another State Hopes to Tackle the ORC Surge
Lawmakers urged to allow e-commerce alcohol sales, reduce retail theft
A spokesperson for grocers in Wisconsin is urging lawmakers to take action this session to allow e-commerce alcohol sales and reduce retail theft.

Jim Hyland, vice president of communications and public affairs for Roundy’s Supermarkets, spoke yesterday during a hearing hosted by the Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economy and Small Business Development.

he noted retail theft at grocery stores has also increased in recent years, and called on legislators to consider passing a law to address that “major problem” for the industry. He described an “organized retail crime approach” to such theft, which involves selling the stolen goods online or elsewhere.

“We’re hoping the Wisconsin Legislature will consider retail theft legislation during the current session that will give serial offenders as well as those contemplating retail theft second thoughts about their actions,” he said.

Watch a video of the hearing. wisbusiness.com


Fatal Mall Shooting Lawsuit
Parents of slain Georgia football star Elijah DeWitt sue mall where he was killed
The parents of slain Georgia high school football star Elijah DeWitt are suing the mall where he was killed, claiming its owners ignored serious safety risks to their son’s ultimate detriment. DeWitt, 18, was fatally shot on Oct. 5 outside a Dave & Buster’s in an attempted robbery outside the Sugarloaf Mills Malls in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

With full knowledge of the “dangerous and hazardous conditions,” the mall “negligently represented to its invitees that the [premises] were properly maintained and reasonably safe,” lawyers for DeWitt’s parents, Craig and Dawn, said in their suit filed in the State Court of Gwinnett County. The suit names Simon Property Group, Sugarloaf Mills Limited Partnership, Universal Protection Service, the mall’s security director Jason Choy, Dave & Buster’s of Georgia and five John Does as defendants. nypost.com


Did Crime Contribute to Grocery & C-Store Chain Closures?
Green Zebra grocery to shut down, close all Portland stores at the end of the month
Green Zebra, the chain of health-focused grocery and convenience stores, plans to shutter all three Portland locations at the end of March.

Amex follows rivals in ditching gun code
Card company Discover Financial Services said it removed a new gun merchant category code from its April network updates. That statement followed news reports today that larger rivals Visa and Mastercard weren’t implementing the code.

A violent night in D.C. as Senate votes to nix crime bill
There were five shootings in the city from Tuesday night through early Wednesday evening

Panama City Beach PD to use K-9 dogs, crime cameras in Spring Break crackdown

Biden to Visit California and Call for Tougher Gun Control Measures

Last Chance to Show Your Support for
Lawmakers Fighting Retail Crime

Sign the thank you card for retail crime-fighting legislation

This is one last request to sign the thank you card to bipartisan lawmakers who introduced the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act. This bill is critical to addressing rising retail crime and targets criminal gangs hurting retailers and threatening public safety.

Your signature will help bring awareness to the importance of Congress advancing this legislation and will demonstrate much-deserved support to these congressional leaders who are supporting the retail community in the fight against organized retail crime.

Albertsons Can't Avoid Illinois Biometric Privacy Suit
An Illinois federal judge Wednesday refused to dismiss or send to arbitration a proposed class action accusing an Albertsons subsidiary of collecting and storing employees' voiceprints without securing the informed permission required under Illinois' biometric privacy law. law360.com


Educating Readers on the Benefits of RFID and the Internet of Things
White papers are a valuable source of information for those seeking to learn more about innovative technologies. Here are several recent papers we've added to our library.

Mar 02, 2023RFID Journal has long invited members of the academic, industrial and research communities, as well as vendors and other businesses, to submit white papers relevant to the fields of radio frequency identification (RFID) and the Internet of Things (IoT). Topics discussed in our white paper archive include supply chain, manufacturing, healthcare, retailing, security, asset tracking, privacy, standards and regulations, and more. The white papers we accept for publication are also spotlighted in our email newsletters to maximize exposure to our readers.

RFID Journal's goal is to help businesses improve their decision-making when it comes to RFID and other IoT technologies. rfidjournal.com


Finalists Announced for 17th Annual RFID Journal Awards
The winners will be revealed at the RFID Journal LIVE! 2023 conference and exhibition, to be held on May 9-11, in Orlando, Fla.

"The projects nominated this year have been complex and large-scale, demonstrating how RFID and IoT solutions have become the technology of choice for mission-critical applications," says Debbie Hughes, RFID Journal's senior editorial director of events. "The finalists hail from all around the world, including Belgium, Brazil, El Salvador, Germany, Norway, Poland, the United States, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, and Turkey, and we're excited to have several of them speaking at LIVE! 2023, where they will share their experience with attendees."

End-user companies were nominated in six categories. rfidjournal.com


Retailers: 60% Say No Layoffs & 50% Are Growing Workforces
Layoffs not widespread in retail

Big layoffs have not hit the retail industry.

That’s according to a survey of in-house lawyers, C-suite executives and human resources professionals across industries by Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management. In the survey, 21% of retail and hospitality industry respondents said their companies have conducted, or are conducting, workforce reductions or layoffs, compared to 24% of all respondents and 60% of tech industry respondents.

But while a quarter of all respondents (24%) say they have implemented workforce reductions layoffs or are in the process of doing so, the more interesting finding may be the lack of layoffs, the report noted. Six in 10 respondents say they are not planning or even considering them — and 50% of respondents say they are either currently, planning on or considering growing their workforces. chainstoreage.com


Retail Quits Trending Up Despite Industry-Wide Pay Increases
Retail worker quits are on the rise again even as workers in other industries increasingly try to hold onto their jobs

The increase is surprising in part because major retailers are spending big money to keep workers.

Quitting — sometimes loudly, sometimes quietly — peaked as a trend a little over a year ago and has been slowly dialing down as talk of an economic downturn dialed up.

But over the past few months, the quit rate among retail workers has ticked gradually up, reaching 4.1% in January and topping the pre-pandemic highs for the industry for the first time since last April, according to the latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

What makes the rising quits in retail especially notable is the fact that the biggest employers like Walmart, Home Depot, Kroger, and more have been spending a lot of money to try to keep that from happening. Plus, they've promised to spend a lot more in the coming years.

Long known for having some of the lowest wages around, retail workers collectively have seen their pay increase more since 2019 than almost any other group. businessinsider.com


Canadian Tire Pilots First of its Kind Humanoid General-purpose Robot
The deployment of a general-purpose robot with “human-like intelligence” took place at a Mark's retail store in Langley, BC, Canada, during a week-long pilot in January. The results were spectacular.

The Canadian Tire Corporation-owned store successfully tested the general-purpose robot in a “real-life” store environment with 110 retail-related tasks completed correctly, including front and back-of-store activities such as picking and packing merchandise, cleaning, tagging, labelling, folding, and more.

Sanctuary Cognitive Systems Corporation (Sanctuary AI), announced it was the “first ever deployment of a unique system designed to deliver the world's first human-like intelligence in general-purpose robots at a customer commercial facility through its partnership with Canadian Tire Corporation (CTC).” risnews.com


Dick’s bets on House of Sport brand, shutters Field & Stream
The company is closing its last 17 hunting stores, but sees potential for 100 of the experiential sports-oriented locations over the next five years.

Rodents shut down food sales at California Walgreens

Mastercard SpendingPulse: Retail sales up 6.9% year-over-year in February

Economy adds 311,000 jobs in February, reflecting ongoing labor market strength

‘Unrivaled, unparalleled’ storm hits California; evacuations, flood fears heightened


Quarterly Results

Build-A-Bear Workshop Q4 net retail sales up 10%, Commercial & International franchise sales up 60.5%, e-commerce sales up 0.9%, net sales up 11.6%
Build-A-Bear Workshop FY net retail sales up 12.2%, Commercial & International franchise sales up 58%, e-commerce sales down 7.8%%, net sales up 13.7%
Barnes & Noble Education Q3 comp's up 5.9%, wholesale sales up 5.2%, consolidated sales up 11%

United Natural Foods (UNFI) Q2 net sales up 5.4%

Gap Q4 comp's down 5%, store sales down 3%, online sales down 10%, net sales down 6%
   Old Navy Q4 comp's down 7%, net sales down 6%
   Gap Q4 comp's down 4%, net sales down 9%
   Banana Republic Q4 comp's down 3%, net sales down 6%
   Athleta Q4 comp's down 5%, net sales down 1%

Gap FY comp's down 7%, store sales down 6%, online sales down 7%, net sales down 6%

Tilly's Q4 comp's down 13.7%, e-com sales down 13.4%, net sales down 11.8%
Tilly's FY comp's down 12.9%, e-com sales down 15%, net sales down 13.3%
 

Senior LP & AP Jobs Market

Dir. Security Operations job posted for Simon Property Group in Indianapolis, IN
This position will have regional responsibilities for the design and implementation of security programs that contribute to the protection of employees, customers, tenants and assets of the company, audit of contractual security programs, provides corporate security representation to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and coordinates the deployment and ongoing management of technical security programs. simon.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com