RLPSA Annual Conference

RLPSA 2023 Conference Wrap-up: Day 1

By Amber Bradley, Executive Director, RLPSA

Restaurant loss prevention, safety, and risk professionals convened on the Mile High City of Denver, Colorado for the Restaurant Loss Prevention & Security Association’s (RLPSA) 43rd Annual Conference at the Sheraton Downtown Hotel, running from April 1 - 5. RLPSA hosted more restaurant companies than ever before and is enjoying a record number of attendees!

RLPSA kicked off DAY 1 to ask a very important question: Are you ready to take on the industry’s toughest challenges? The record number of restaurant companies and attendees responded in force with this year’s theme: CHALLENGE: ACCEPTED!

Day 1 was a massive success, as professionals from across the industry gathered to discuss the latest trends and insights in restaurant loss prevention, risk, and safety. Attendees were treated to a slew of engaging breakout presentations, experiences, and networking opportunities that highlighted the importance of staying ahead in this ever-evolving landscape.

The conference was kicked off by the riveting keynote speech from renowned intelligence expert, John Franchi. Franchi shared his vast knowledge and experience in the field, as a Senior CIA officer, offering valuable insights and actionable strategies for businesses to implement and stay on top of emerging threats in the restaurant space.

A standout presentation at the RLPSA conference was delivered by Kristen Ziman, Aurora, Illinois Chief of Police (ret.), whose talk on "Preparing for and Preventing the Unthinkable" captivated the audience. In this riveting and engaging talk, attendees learned what they never thought they needed to prepare for and prevent the unthinkable!

Apart from insightful presentations, the RLPSA exhibit floor was all the buzz, boasting an impressive array of cutting-edge solutions and services catered to the restaurant loss prevention, risk, and safety professional. Attendees had the opportunity to get hands-on with the newest products and tech solutions, allowing them to directly experience the advancements set to transform and streamline restaurant security.

One of the most talked-about features of the exhibit floor was undoubtedly the thrilling escape room challenge. This interactive game allowed attendees to put their problem-solving skills and teamwork to the test, with a grand prize of $1,500 up for grabs. Not only did this unique activity foster collaboration, but it also showcased how experiential learning, with our solution provider sponsors, can inspire the development of innovative strategies. CHALLENGE: ACCEPTED!

The Envysion-sponsored RLPSA Puppies and Beer exhibit was the star of the show this year! With its combination of adorable puppies from local breeders, refreshing cocktails, and powerful business intelligence, it had something for everyone. Attendees couldn't get enough of snuggling with the puppies, sipping on cold beer, and learning more about how to leverage data-driven insights. It was definitely a highlight of the event, with people leaving with a smile on their face and a renewed passion for leveraging analytics!

Day 1 of the 2023 RLPSA conference was undoubtedly an event to remember. With engaging presentations, interactive exhibits, and opportunities for meaningful connections, attendees left equipped with the knowledge and tools to tackle the ever-changing retail landscape head-on.

Stay tuned for Day 2!
 

30,000-Foot View of Organized Retail Theft
NRF Blog: 6 things to know about retail theft

A baseline for combating organized retail crime

By David Johnston - VP, Asset Protection and Retail Operations, NRF

Let’s look at some of the facts around retail theft and organized retail crime.

Retail theft is a problem

A daily review of national and local news highlights that shoplifting and retail theft are at an epidemic level. Shoplifting is no longer an invisible act of concealing merchandise — brazen scofflaws are openly stealing from national retailers and local businesses.

Stolen items are not for personal use

Shoplifting to resell stolen merchandise is part of the organized retail crime enterprise. When a shoplifter walks out with $20,000 in beauty care products or power tools, it's not for personal need. Shoplifters might be stealing for financial need or to feed an addiction, but they are selling the products for drugs or cash to a fencing operation, pawn shop or other illicit businesses.

Widespread retail theft impacts the customer experience

Shoppers expect merchandise to be in stock and readily available for purchase. When items are unavailable for purchase, or a customer must summon and wait for an associate to unlock a product that costs less than $20, frustration mounts and consumers lose confidence in their local retailers. Store closings due to theft inconvenience shoppers who must travel farther for everyday needs.

Communities must respond to the issue

Public leaders feel the pressure, and some states have begun to re-structure or enact new laws or create task forces to go after these criminal groups. Communities that bury their heads in the sand will eventually recognize far greater issues. It’s hard to say a problem doesn’t exist when communities hold press conferences to reassure citizens that it remains safe to shop in local stores.

Retailers understand the impact across their business | It will take a “whole community” approach to resolve

Read the full blog here


'Out of Control': Portland's Battle Against Shoplifting Continues
The city is asking retailers to bear the cost & responsibility for wrangling theft

Portland retailers try to wrangle theft as city pushes them to do more

"It’s unbelievable. The shoplifting we’re seeing is out of control. ... It has been bad, but this is worse."

Businesses big and small in the Portland area are reporting a sharp uptick in petty theft, mirroring a sentiment aired by retailers nationwide.

Nike recently sought to hire off-duty Portland Police officers to provide security at a store it had shuttered in response to repeated shoplifting, according to a letter the company sent to Mayor Ted Wheeler. The mayor’s office rebuffed the request.

Wheeler’s aides asked that the company instead commit to allowing its own security guards to detain shoplifters and then call police, promising more frequent police patrols in the area in response. His office is asking the same of the city’s other retailers.

Retailers big and small, though, are leery of taking on that liability. And in recent years, they say they’ve grown accustomed to long-delayed police responses, or no response at all.

Retail theft also has become a political lightning rod, with some retailers citing shoplifters as the impetus behind store closings. The CEO of Walmart said in December the chain would have to raise prices or shutter stores in response to thievery, and two months later the chain announced it would close two Portland stores.

The Oregon Retail Crime Association of Oregon — an industry group formed in 2019 consisting of corporate retailers, industry groups and labor unions — surveyed big-box retailers in Portland last year.

“Many said it’s a waste of time to call the police anymore,” said Jeremy Girard, a retail security manager and the group’s president. “Even if police do show up and a shoplifter does get arrested, they’re just going to get their charges dropped, or they’re just going to be let go. So I think there’s a lot of frustration there.”

The numbers show referrals for theft prosecutions by police have declined in each of the past three years, from about 3,100 in 2019 to just over 900 in 2022. Even among those cases, the percentage pursued by prosecutors fell, too, dipping 47% in 2021 before rebounding to 58% last year.

Some small retailers have started to be more aggressive in trying to stop shoplifters in the act — not in response to the mayor’s suggestion, but because they feel as though they’re on their own. oregonlive.com


Is Record-Breaking Violence Finally Starting to Decline?
Portland's homicide drop could be a glimmer of hope that record-breaking violence is slowing

Portland homicides have slowed. Here’s why experts aren’t ready to call it a trend.
After two years of record-breaking violence in Portland, the number of homicides is showing glimmers of decline. But with the year’s typically most violent months still ahead this summer, experts say it’s too soon to declare victory. And even if the downward trend persists, the number of people being killed in Portland still outpaces the annual figures from before the summer of 2020, when homicides skyrocketed to historic levels.

Portland has recorded 19 homicides so far this year as of Friday, compared with 25 by the end of March in 2021 and 2022 – 24% less than both of the previous two years.

Homicides in Portland climbed steadily between 2016 and 2019, but never topped 40 in a single year, with only one month – April 2019 – seeing as many as six killings. That gradual increase exploded in July 2020, when Portland saw a staggering 15 homicides in a single month. By the end of 2020, 57 people would die by homicide – a total that would almost double the following year.

Portland shattered its 1987 record of 70 homicides when it recorded 92 killings in 2021. The city broke its new record again the following year after recording 101 homicides. The city’s population is about 35% larger than it was in 1987, growing from 419,810 to an estimated 647,697 in 2022.

The majority of homicides the last two years were caused by gun violence. Like homicides, shootings in Portland spiked after the summer of 2020 and are starting to show signs of decline, but the numbers are still significantly higher than they previously were. oregonlive.com


Focusing on Repeat Offenders: The Key to Stopping NYC Crime?
Researchers say supporting a few thousand repeat offenders could be the key to reducing crime in NYC
Criminal justice officials and researchers analyzing arrest data have identified a small group of repeat criminal defendants who, if properly monitored and supported with social services, may present an opportunity to reduce street crime in New York City.

The group represents a small portion of all of those charged with crimes over the last two years, but they stand out because they’re repeatedly arrested in short periods of time while also failing at high rates to show up to their court hearings. They also appear to be responsible for a disproportionately large percentage of alleged crimes. The debate over changing bail laws, which dominates the state legislature and has delayed approval of the state budget, is now turning to what should be done about these alleged recidivists.

Researchers and some city officials say providing them with comprehensive mental health, housing, and drug rehabilitation services could stop some of them from cycling through a clogged criminal justice system, and even improve public safety. Others, like Gov. Kathy Hochul, say judges should be granted extra discretion to impose bail on that group.

“It’s time to have a new debate,” said Aubrey Fox, executive director of the nonprofit New York City Criminal Justice Agency, which oversees Supervised Release programs for people charged with crimes. “Let’s stop solely focusing on whether bail reform is good or bad, and let’s be honest about the challenges we face. The current system is working well for most, but we need better ways of addressing this small group of people who are coming through the system repeatedly.”

Of the more than 92,000 people arrested last year, it shows that 2,505 were arrested five or more times. Notably, the most serious charges that most people in that group faced were misdemeanors and non-violent felonies, which further indicates a population of people who might be helped with more robust social services rather than incarceration, researchers said.

Ironically, when looking at the group of people arrested five or more times within a single year, current bail reform measures would not have significantly affected their legal outcomes, the data show. The bail reforms of 2020 limited judges’ ability to hold people at Rikers Island jails before their court hearings if they couldn’t pay bail. It mostly affected those with misdemeanors and non-violent felonies, though, and didn’t significantly affect this highly concentrated group of repeat offenders. gothamist.com


Ex-NYPD Commissioner Says 'Insane' Bail Laws Contribute to Mass Shootings
Let’s get organized on guns and ‘deal with mass shootings beforehand,’ ex-NYPD commish

Howard Safir, NYC’s 1996 to 2000 police commissioner:

“Our system lists 350 million guns in the USA. The major cause of death for children. We need to deal with mass shootings BEFOREHAND.”

“Red flags exist. Nashville’s shooter had a history of mental issues. Yet each state has a different Red Flag Law if they have one at all. Health providers are not required to notify police when anyone exhibits violent tendencies. Nashville had no information or Red Flag Law!”

“Police need to be notified when someone exhibits such proclivity.

“Notification goes to a secure database and can be provided to gun dealers like the airlines’ No Fly list that shows in a background check. Remember: That Nashville shooter purchased her guns ‘legally.’

“Many shooters post intentions on social media beforehand. Companies already have algorithms that identify objectionable posts. Why not the same for a potential mass shooter?”

“We need background checks and a return to assertive policing. Criminals no longer fear police. Insane no bail laws put them and their guns back on the street.” nypost.com


'Disorder and Lawlessness Will Not Be Tolerated'
NYC Mayor Warns Protesters to ‘Be on Your Best Behavior’ ahead of Trump Arraignment
New York City mayor Eric Adams on Monday discouraged unruly political demonstration over the indictment of former president Trump, who is scheduled to be arraigned at the Manhattan courthouse on Tuesday.

Addressing reporters at a press briefing, Adams warned prospective protesters that disorder and lawlessness will not be tolerated by the massive NYPD deployment that will be on-scene outside the courthouse in lower Manhattan as Trump arrives to be fingerprinted and photographed Tuesday morning.

“Control yourselves. New York City is our home, not a playground for your misplaced anger. We are the safest large city in America because we respect the rule of law in New York City,” Adams said in a warning to potential protestors. “And although we have no specific threats, people like Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is known to spread misinformation and hate speech, says she’s coming to town. While you in town be on your best behavior. As always, we will not allow violence or vandalism of any kind. And if one is caught participating in any act of violence, they will be arrested and held accountable no matter who you are.” nationalreview.com

RELATED: White House 'ready' for Trump arraignment violence


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