Security tech's role in mitigating the spread of coronavirus
Many security vendors are looking into how they can leverage their existing
solutions or are seeking out complementary technologies to help business address
risks related to COVID-19 exposure.
Developed
at the request of Chicago’s McCormick Place convention center, Genetec
recently debuted its new “Contagion/Contaminant
Proximity Report” feature for users of its Synergis access control
system. The reporting function correlates physical proximity of an infected
individual with other employees and badged visitors based on the use of the
access control system.
“With Synergis, any organization can produce a detailed report that shows
exposure metrics for employees and visitors utilizing existing access control
data,” Thibaut Louvet, Product Group Director, Access Control at Genetec,
explains. “It considers that if two people went through the same door in a short
period of time, chances are high that they had some level of interaction. This
forensic analysis can be extremely beneficial to organizations seeking to use
the technology they already have to better protect employees, visitors, and the
broader community.”
securityinfowatch.com
RLPSA
Posts New Resources for Restaurants at BackToOpen.com
RLPSA's BackToOpen.com
is a resource site providing tools for restaurants to open safely including
state regulations, technology and safety products, as well as content including:
New resources include:
● Legal aspects: 10 Steps to Secure Your Organization Post COVID-19
● Helpful scripts associates can use when encountering COVID-19 issues
● Restaurants Managing Crisis Whitepaper
Coronavirus Tracker:
May 4
US:
Over 1.2M
Cases - 69K Dead - 179K Recovered
Worldwide:
Over 3.6M Cases - 250K Dead - 1.1M Recovered
U.S. Law Enforcement Deaths |
NYPD Deaths:
37
Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 82+
Reopening America
Various Stages of Re-Openings Happening in 31 States
Some states are starting to reopen and lift
lockdowns,
even as the battle against the coronavirus rages on.
Click here to see a full rundown of what all 50 states are doing.
Study: Reopening states will cause 233,000 more people to die from coronavirus
As America reopens, most US states fall short of basic coronavirus testing
standards
NY to partner with six states to stock up for possible second coronavirus wave
Openings
Malls are reopening, with masks, social distancing and hand sanitizer-spritzing
doormen
More than a dozen states began emerging from their coronavirus lockdowns,
leaving business owners, workers and consumers to decide what normal means now.
More than half of America’s governors have relaxed restrictions put in place to
stem the spread of the coronavirus. But the reopenings are largely piecemeal and
vary in scope. In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp (R) last week opened nearly all
businesses, including tattoo parlors and hair salons. Colorado began allowing
in-person shopping on Friday, with strict social distancing protocols in place.
Ohio edged into reopening, allowing elective surgeries to resume.
The landscape is even more muddled within states, with many large cities
extending stay-at-home orders even as they are lifted in more rural areas.
Officials in Nashville, Denver, St. Louis and other cities have told residents
to stay home even as their states have moved to reopen. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott
(R) has insisted the entire state follow his plans to reopen, even though mayors
in cities such as Austin and Dallas have balked.
Public health experts, meanwhile, have warned that premature openings could
lead to a resurgence of the virus, which has killed more than 64,000
Americans.
There’s no question that at the end of this we’ll have to reopen as a society,
but right now it’s happening scattershot without any consistency,” said
Mark Cohen, director of retail studies at Columbia Business School. “Nobody
has a playbook.”
“It’s a lot harder for retailers to say, ‘We don’t want to pay rent,’ if the
malls are open,” Saunders said. “That’s the calculation.”
washingtonpost.com
Malls re-open this week in Tampa and Atlanta
Florida and Georgia will see several malls re-opening this month.
Retailers, malls reopen in Texas as state lifts some restrictions
Texas reopened its economy on May 1, and some malls and stores in the state
are following suit and reopening stores.
Simon Property opened 21 Texas Malls Friday.
Macy’s Opens 68 stores Today
Best Buy, Macy’s, J.C. Penney and Neiman Marcus are only opening some
stores.
J.C. Penney opened two stores in Texas on Friday, at Fairview, north of Dallas,
and in San Antonio. It has 10 Texas stores open for curbside service and several
more in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri and Virginia.
dallasmorningnews.com
chainstorage.com
Exclusive D&D Daily
Publicly Reported Retail Crime Data
April 2020 vs. April 2019:
COVID-19’s Impact
on Retail Crime
Most Noteworthy
Retail Violent Fatalities Up 37%
Retail Burglaries Up 132%
April 2020 Violent Retail
Fatalities: Key Findings
|
Top 5 Locations:
- C-Stores (12)
- Restaurants (3)
- Liquor (3)
- Dollar Stores (2)
- Big Box (2) |
Top Five States:
- Texas (4)
- California (4)
- Missouri (3)
- Ohio (2)
- Florida (2) |
2020 April ORC Cases: Key
Findings Show:
- "Human survival" Products Shift in Theft: Electronics, Tools, Guns,
Cigarettes & Baby Products most targeted items
- Burglaries accounted for 38% of cases.
2019 April ORC
Cases: Key Findings Show:
- Clothing, Electronics, Tools/ Hardware, Perfume/Cosmetics, Jewelry most
targeted items
- Burglaries accounted for 9% of cases
April 1st Deadliest Day
of Month with 5 Deaths -
click to see incidents
See the most notable ORC cases of April 2020 in the
ORC column below
April is Over - One for the
History Books
Where are we now & Where is it going?
Retail Casualties Begin - 26 More Looming?
1st Big Retail COVID-19 Casualty
J Crew Files Bankruptcy
It
was struggling before the coronavirus pandemic, but J. Crew is unlikely to be
the last retailer to fall.
It is the first major retailer to fall during the coronavirus pandemic, though
other big industry names including Neiman Marcus and J.C. Penney are also
struggling with the toll of mass shutdowns.
nytimes.com
Editor's Note: Will Penney's and Neiman be next or will we have a
surprise this week? Yes, this week we'll hear of a more such casualties in
our opinion.
With Simon opening 49 Malls, just the beginning of their 200 properties, and
strip-centers starting to open the retail 'C' teams will be facing tough
questions and answers in the month of May.
As this month will be even more historic then April was, as it relates to
the retail casualty list. Banks, VC's, hedge funds, and outside financial
lenders will be tightening their portfolios and cutting dead weight at a speed
we've never seen before. With the number 1 circle on the target being
Mall-based specialty retailers. As it may end up resembling a DMZ Zone.
Where it has been bombed so much that virtually no one even goes there.
If consumers were scared for their safety before the pandemic, they'll
certainly be scared now, as a number of very recent studies reported here in
the Daily have shown.
COVID-19 Tsunami:
These 27 retailers could file for bankruptcy
It's Not a Question - Is a Wave Coming
It's a Question of When Will It Hit & How Big's the Tsunami
An
unprecedented crisis has created a whole new set of challenges for struggling
retailers, likely setting the stage for a large wave of consolidation.
In this environment, retailers that were already struggling with heavy debt,
tight liquidity and/or negative profits face a potential financial crisis.
Others that might have had downward trending numbers but some room to breathe
could be forced to the edge faster than nearly anyone thought possible.
Observers expect
bankruptcies in retail to rise; it’s just a question of how much, when the
wave(s) will hit and what will become of the companies that file.
L Brands, Children’s Place and Caleres, which owns Famous Footwear, had the
largest drops in their FRISK scores since March 1.
retaildive.com
Retailers with an elevated risk of bankruptcy - Companies with a FRISK
Score of 1 or 2
Walmart Hires 200,000 Associates and Pays $180 Million in Early Associate
Bonuses
Recognizing the hard work ahead of our associates as COVID-19 spreads and to
help provide more cash in hand for them sooner, we shared plans to accelerate
the payout for our quarterly incentive, which store, club and supply chain
associates received today. With this we paid nearly $180 million in cash
bonuses to hourly associates, with more to come next month on our originally
scheduled quarterly bonus payout date. This is in addition to the special cash
bonus for all U.S. hourly associates earlier this month, which was $300 for
full-time hourly and $150 for part-time hourly, a total of more than $365
million paid to our associates.
In addition, we’ve fulfilled our commitment to hire 200,000 associates in our
stores, clubs, distribution centers and fulfillment centers, since March 19.
walmart.com
Security Guard Shot & Killed Over Face Mask
Flint, MI.: 3 charged with murder of Family Dollar security guard
over face mask dispute
Genesee
County Prosecutor David Leyton said Sharmel Teague and her daughter went in the
Family Dollar at 877 E. Fifth St. in Flint around 2 p.m. Friday. While
inside, security guard Calvin Munerlyn confronted Teague's daughter about not
wearing a face mask.
All three suspects are facing a charge of first-degree premeditated murder.
Larry Teague and Bishop also are facing several weapons charges, along with
violations of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's order to wear face coverings in
enclosed public spaces.
Surveillance video showed them inside the store and Teague leaving in a red GMC
Envoy, entering the nearby River Village Apartments complex. Minutes later,
Teague made a phone call to Larry Teague.
About 20 minutes after Sharmel and her daughter left the store, Leyton said
Larry Teague and Bishop drove the same GMC Envoy to the store. Leyton said
surveillance video shows Larry Teague and Bishop enter the store and start an
argument with Munerlyn. Witnesses reported hearing the suspects ask Munerlyn who
disrespected his wife.
During the altercation, Leyton said Bishop pulled out a handgun and shot
43-year-old Munerlyn in the head. He was rushed to Hurley Medical Center, where
he died later Friday.
abc12.com
NYC Theft's Increasing - Financial Problems & No Fear of
Getting a Ticket
NYC Private Interview & Interrogation Services Spikes amid Mandated Shutdowns
According to Sondae Esposito, Vice President of USPA International Security,
calls for internal theft investigations have nearly doubled in recent months.
She attributes the uptick in internal theft to a combination of misguided
bail reform laws and desperation. “Our
internal theft interviewers are getting admissions from our clients’
employees that they are worried about their family’s financial future as well as
not afraid of an appearance ticket if they are caught.”
Just last month, nearly 20% of the NYPD’s uniform officers were out sick at
the same time. On April 1, there were 6,000 NYPD officer out sick, causing
mandated overtime, with mounting calls for aided cases in the 5 boroughs. Law
enforcement is dealing with the COVID-19 crisis and doing their best to combat
crime in NY, but their hands are tied when it comes to a court system
which frees the arrestee, immediately after he is charged.
According to Esposito, “With a strained police force, an economic downturn and a
criminal justice system easy on petty crime (bail reform), we are seeing the
use of loss prevention personnel as well as internal theft investigations
increase in the city.”
knnit.com
Crowd Control in New York
New Rochelle, NY: Costco calls cops to help control chaotic crowds
Cops were called to a
Costco Wholesale warehouse in New Rochelle Saturday when a
crowd of impatient shoppers got out of control.
Hundreds of shoppers who lined up outside the Costco wanted the doors open so
they could begin shopping at 8 a.m. — but it took workers an extra half hour to
open.
Furious shoppers began chanting and erupted into “total chaos,” as one shopper
described it.
“I thought I was going to get trampled by shoppers, and it seemed like they were
giving food away the way the customers acted, until cops and workers brought it
under control,” said a resident named Jose.
Workers used wooden pallets to create lines and order — letting only a certain
number of the restless shoppers in at a time, as required by orders from Gov.
Andrew Cuomo.
nypost.com
More Hero Pay For Essential Workers
Call It Hero Pay or Hazard Pay, Essential Workers Want More of It
Some companies are ending coronavirus crisis bonus pay
Businesses
are starting to reassess the bonus pay for hourly employees who have been
going into work through the
coronavirus pandemic.
Employers paying coronavirus-related bonuses remain relatively few. One in
four companies that require employees on-site are offering hazard pay,
according to an April survey by WorldatWork. Retail workers were more likely
to get extra pay, with 46% of grocers and other essential retailers
offering hazard wages, compared with 29% of health-related employers.
Democrats in the U.S. Congress, along with Republican Sen. Mitt Romney,
are pushing for money for essential workers, potentially in the form of a
“heroes fund” for hospital and grocery workers as part of the next coronavirus
relief package, or hourly bonuses paid jointly by the federal government and
employers.
The
New York City Council introduced a Covid-19 relief package in April that
would require companies with more than 100 workers, including grocery stores, to
pay nonsalaried staff an extra $30 for shifts of up to four hours, $60
for shifts up to eight hours and $75 for shifts longer than eight hours.
“Providing additional wage increases will jeopardize our ability to preserve
current jobs and impact our ability to bring back furloughed employees,” the
CEO of HMSHost said last week.
wsj.com
Temporarily waiving background checks?
Employment-Screening Options During the COVID-19 Pandemic
"COVID-19 has caused courts and other public-records repositories and
drug-testing laboratories to either close or be difficult to access," said
Pamela Devata, an employment attorney and partner in the Chicago office of
Seyfarth Shaw. "Criminal and civil records reviews and previous employment and
education verifications are not as readily available due to closures and remote
working. Some applicants may also be reluctant to visit drug-testing labs,
and labs may have suspended in-person services."
Court Records: Not all courts are closed, and some are reporting that
they are currently open for fulfilling public-record search requests, according
to state courthouse websites, so an employment screen's success or failure
depends on the county in question.
Work and Education Verifications: Work history and education credential
verifications are likely a challenge right now as well.
Drug Tests: Most labs are still conducting drug tests as part of
employment screens but may not be available for in-person visits, and some
candidates may express reluctance to visit a lab due to fears of exposure to
COVID-19.
Stop Screening? Organizations seeking to hire during the pandemic have a
few courses of action they can take if their normal hiring process includes
pre-employment background checks and drug tests. Martinez explained that another
concern with temporarily waiving background checks is the risk of
undercutting their future validity.
Expect Delays - Organizations can also maintain the status quo and
continue to run the same checks as usual, knowing there will be delays. "Many
employers choose to hire candidates based on the information available to them
now and are reserving the right to conduct additional background checks
post-hire, once courts, schools and other sources become available."
Drug-Testing Alternatives - Employers not regulated by the DOT have more
options for testing, Current said. "Consider oral-fluid testing, where employees
can swab their own mouth and the observer can remain at a safe distance.
Oral-fluid collection is also being done via video using Skype, FaceTime or Zoom
with a trained observer before the test is sealed and shipped to a lab."
shrm.org
The Ripple Effect & Inventory Piling Up
Off-price stores like TJ Maxx and Ross are shut down
And it's making things worse for desperate clothing retailers
With massive inventory stuck in most retailers and the off-pricers NOT taking
unsold inventory some will have to make difficult decisions over next couple of
months. Especially with 'Back-To-School' right around the corner.
Typically an avenue for apparel retailers to offload unsold product it isn't
there this season. And remember TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Ross, and Burlington are
not selling anything online. Which keeps them from damaging brands when
consumers see the same merchandise deeply discounted at off-pricers.
Analysts have
predicted a massive boom for off-price retailers in the coming months as
people become more budget-conscious.
businessinsider.com
Flying after COVID-19 will never be the same
Here’s what airplane seats could look like
Transparent
guard that wraps around the sides and back of each seat
The idea of packing into a small, enclosed space with a crowd of people never
had much appeal to me. Now, it has less appeal than ever.
The Italian company Avio Interiors released two new seat concepts that are
designed to reduce the spread of germs in these notoriously tight spaces.
fastcompany.com
Virtual Security Showcase Features Latest Technology Insights
from Leading Security Providers
Security industry professionals seeking the annual trend and product news
updates they’ve always learned at trade shows now have a new option. From May
12-14, fifteen leaders in the security industry will present their latest
insights and solutions at a new online event. Called
Virtual Security
Showcase, the event is being presented free of charge. Attendees will
benefit from the open flow of information on the latest solutions for
professional security and business intelligence applications.
virtualsecurityshowcase.com
DHS Report: China Hid Virus's Severity To Hoard Supplies
American Airlines and Delta Now Require all Passengers to Wear Face Masks
Worcester, MA: Walmart store sees 81 employees test positive for coronavirus
Quarterly Results
Publix Q1 comp's up 14.4%, net sales up 10.3%
Last week's #1 article --
Nation's Biggest Mall Operator - 204 Locations
Opening Next Week!
Simon plans mall re-openings with traffic limits, shorter hours & safety
protocols
Simon Property Group plans to begin the "phased reopening" of its mall
properties soon, contingent on state and regional closure orders and
criteria issued by the federal government.
Simon plans to open five malls in Arkansas, Oklahoma and South Carolina on
May 1, with more malls to follow in the first weeks of May, per the memo.
Opening May 4th in 10 states.
As it opens malls, Simon is rolling out COVID-19 safety protocols, including
limited hours, occupancy limits, spacing configurations to promote social
distancing, employee screening for symptoms, employee training and face mask
requirements for workers, among several other steps.
As it reopens properties, Simon is limiting foot traffic to 1 person per 50
square feet for properties as a whole. To enforce that, the mall operator
will restrict how many entrances are open and create queues to enter.
cnbc.com
retaildive.com
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
Tim
Bray, a VP and distinguished engineer at Amazon Web Services (AWS), has quit his
$1m-plus a year role at the cloud giant: "I quit in dismay at Amazon firing
whistleblowers who were making noise about warehouse employees frightened of
COVID-19,"
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
Since
the coronavirus crisis intensified, shoppers have had little choice but to turn
to e-commerce, even for basic essentials. In a recent study conducted by Red
Points, the online brand-protection company that I lead, we found 60.4% of
consumers said they have increased online shopping versus shopping in-store,
and 60% of Americans are purchasing more household cleaning products online.
Amazon
Inc.’s safety measures and labor practices during the coronavirus pandemic are
being investigated by New York’s top law enforcement officer after the
company fired the leader of a Staten Island warehouse walkout.&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
.png)
The
industry values your input! The D&D Daily wants to hear your thoughts
as retail prepares to reopen following
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
&uuid=(email))
%20V2.png)
