Protests All Across America This Weekend
Around the nation, demonstrators show support for abortion rights
Abortion-rights demonstrators have converged in cities across the U.S. since Friday’s decision. Demonstrations took place from Los Angeles to Philadelphia on Saturday, following protests Friday from Washington Square Park in New York City to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Albuquerque, N.M.

Hours after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade on Friday, thousands gathered in New York City to voice their fears and anger over the historic decision to eliminate the constitutional right to an abortion.

In Alabama, hundreds gathered on Saturday in Birmingham, reciting poems, dancing and spreading hugs, all in support of reproductive rights. The Birmingham crowd was one of at least five rallies in Alabama over the weekend.

In Philadelphia, Democratic attorney general and candidate for governor Josh Shapiro held a rally near the Liberty Bell, putting November's election in focus. With a GOP majority in both chambers, the Keystone State could restrict abortion if a Republican wins the gubernatorial race.

In Washington, D.C., protesters in favor of abortion rights continued gathering in front of the Supreme Court building, NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben reports.

Hundreds took to the streets in the sweltering heat of New Orleans, La., on Friday and called on city officials to make New Orleans a sanctuary city for abortions, according to WWNO's Carly Berlin.

While most rallies were entirely peaceful, deputies with the Arizona Department of Public Safety fired tear gas at demonstrators outside of the capitol building in Phoenix on Friday. It briefly disrupted the legislative session, according to KJZZ's Ben Giles.

And in Seattle on Friday night, KNKX's Bellamy Pailthorp reports protesters risked an arrest to stage a sit-in on Second Avenue near the Jackson Federal Building, with another sit-in taking place at Pike Place Market, a popular tourist destination. npr.org  nytimes.com  nbcnews.com wsj.com

Watch for Unrest in the Most Impacted States

Law Enforcement Bracing for Violence
Pro-choice groups call for ‘Summer of Rage’ after Roe v. Wade abortion reversal
Law enforcement agencies across the nation are bracing for an explosion of unrest from pro-choice groups Friday after the Supreme Court’s seismic decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Outraged by the decision, militant pro-abortion groups like Jane’s Revenge and others have urged sympathizers to unleash a “Summer of Rage” across the country.

“Now the leash is off,” the group said in a June 14 communique in anticipation of the court’s action. “And we will make it as hard as possible for your campaign of oppression to continue. We have demonstrated in the past month how easy and fun it is to attack.”

Police departments in major cities across the country were monitoring extremist groups as they prepared for potential violent protests Friday over the Roe v. Wade ruling.

Intelligence officers said pro-abortion extremist organizations are expected to “target abortion alternative clinics and facilities across the US” and may view Big Apple institutions as “ideologically justifiable targets.”

“Numerous acts of property destruction across the US necessitates heightened situational awareness for members of the service on protective deployments at related entities in New York City,” the memo states.

Threats, issued online and through pamphlet and flyer campaigns, drew attention from the White House this week. Asked specifically about threats from Jane’s Revenge, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre acknowledged the potential for nationwide tumult.

“Violence and destruction of property have no place in our country under any circumstances and the president denounces this action,” she told reporters. “Actions like this are completely unacceptable regardless of our politics and we continue to denounce any violence or threats.” nypost.com

The Retail Response to Abortion Ruling
Amazon, Apple, CVS, Walmart, Walgreens and others respond after Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade

Businesses have had months to grapple with the ramifications of this ruling.

The Supreme Court has struck down Roe v. Wade, effectively cutting off abortion access in many parts of the US. The seismic ruling is set to reverberate throughout the country, including in the business world.

Amazon - Amazon has publicly said it'd cover costs for employees seeking abortions in states where the procedure were made illegal.

Apple - Apple CEO Tim Cook has said the tech giant will cover employees who "travel out-of-state for medical care if it is unavailable in their home state."

CVS - "We will continue to provide colleagues, clients, and consumers with the flexibility to choose medical and pharmacy benefits to best suit their needs, including making out-of-state care accessible for our covered employees residing in states that have instituted laws that limit access in their state."

Dick's Sporting Goods - "DICK'S Sporting Goods will provide up to $4,000 in travel expense reimbursement to travel to the nearest location where that care is legally available."

Kroger - Employees have access to "a comprehensive benefits package that includes quality, affordable health care and travel benefits up to $4,000 to facilitate access to quality care for ... reproductive health care services, including abortion and fertility treatments."

Levi Strauss - "We stand strongly against any actions that hinder the health and well-being of our employees, which means opposing any steps to restrict access to the full range of reproductive health care, including abortion."

Nike - "No matter where our teammates are on their family planning journey — from contraception and abortion coverage ... we are here to support their decisions," Nike said in a statement.

Starbucks - Starbucks' executive vice president, Sara Kelly, previously wrote, "Regardless of what the Supreme Court ends up deciding, we will always ensure our partners have access to quality healthcare."

Walgreens - "We're prepared to adhere to new federal and state laws and regulations, and will update any protocols in certain states as a result of this Supreme Court decision," the company said.

Walmart - Walmart representatives previously declined to comment on the company's history of donating to anti-abortion politicians in states with so-called trigger laws. businessinsider.com  nytimes.com

Abortion Ruling Could Trigger 'Shock Waves' at Some Retail Companies
The country's biggest employers, including Walmart and Amazon, should 'say goodbye to attracting top female talent' in abortion 'trigger law' states

Top employers in those states including Walmart, McDonald's, and Amazon may face a crisis around recruitment, turnover, and health care

Major US companies may find themselves facing shock waves inside their organizations following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade. But most companies appear unprepared for what's to come.

Insider has identified the companies that would face the most immediate impact: those with the largest workforces in states with "trigger laws," where abortion bans would automatically take effect if the court strikes down Roe. Thousands of their employees may soon be facing unintended pregnancies without access to abortion care. Over two-thirds of Americans want to uphold Roe v. Wade, and the majority support women having access to legal abortion for any reason, per a recent Wall Street Journal poll.

Walmart, McDonald's, Amazon, the Department of Defense, and Roark Capital Group, a private-equity firm that owns Arby's, Dunkin', and the Cheesecake Factory, top the list, as they are among the largest employers in all 13 trigger-law states.

Workers at major brands including Kroger, UPS, Lowe's, Tyson Foods, Marriott, and Dollar General would also be heavily affected, as each company is a top employer in at least four states with abortions bans that would be triggered by the overturn of Roe.

The Politico leak effectively gave companies several weeks to prepare for the disruption ahead, yet few appear to have taken advantage of the warning. businessinsider.com

Employers Dealing with Workplace Disruptions Over Abortion Debate
Roe v. Wade Overturned: How to Handle Workplace Disruptions as Employees Clash Over Supreme Court Ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court in a June 24 decision upheld Mississippi’s restrictions on abortion, a ruling that may lead employers to revise their employee health care benefits. A SHRM Research Institute survey found some companies may add coverage of travel expenses to obtain medical procedures—including abortions—not available nearby or may consider changes to parental leave and caregiving benefits.

Employees Clash

It is inevitable that there will be discussion about the decision among employees, Segal said. "It is neither practical nor desirable to attempt to shut down the discussions, independent of any potential legal rights employees may have for such discussion," he said.

Some of the conversations will become contentious, which may lead to workplace disruptions, Segal noted.

"Address the disruptions by focusing on the disruption and not the point of view. Do so evenhandedly," he said. "While employers generally should avoid the content causing the disruption, there are exceptions. If employees post or make discriminatory comments, for example, about conservative Christians or Catholics, employers need to respond to them." shrm.org

Patagonia will post bail for any employees arrested at abortion protests

DC police to back demonstrations through Tuesday following Roe overturn

Pickup truck driver in Iowa rams into pro-choice protesters

Deadliest Weekend of Big City Shootings Since Memorial Day Weekend

560 Shootings - 198 killed - 578 Injured in 15 Big Cities Over Last 5 Weekends
The D&D Daily's Big City Weekend Violence Study - Memorial Day to Labor Day

The Daily's study analyzes weekend shooting data in 15 major U.S. cities from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend 2022

Starting Memorial Day Weekend, the D&D Daily began compiling and analyzing data from 15 major U.S. cities to get a snapshot of summer gun violence.

This past weekend, from June 24th through June 26th, there were 122 shootings recorded in these same cities, resulting in 43 deaths and 118 injuries.

The chart below shows the totals for each of the past five weekends dating back to Memorial Day weekend.

The D&D Daily will continue to track this data throughout the summer to capture the weekend violence trend in our nation's big cities as warm weather typically brings about more crime and violence.

Click here to see the list of incidents per city and follow along each week as this spreadsheet will be updated every Monday. docs.google.com

Read more coverage about America's crime and gun violence epidemic in the section below
 

 
NYC's Shoplifting Crisis
Taking on the Shoplifting Scourge in New York City

DA Alvin Bragg announces a plan to break up fencing rings, crack down on resale of stolen goods and seek “pre-trial detention” for serial offenders

“Too many people in public service believe it is a victimless crime that is ‘covered by insurance,’ but in reality, it is a dangerous and debilitating situation, that tears at the very fabric of NYC,” said Ken Giddon, whose grandfather founded Rothman’s Mens Clothing on Bleecker Street in 1926.

Giddon made this comment as part of the announcement by the new Manhattan District Attorney, Alvin Bragg, of a plan to deter shoplifting.

“We cannot accept a system where individuals who shoplift again and again cycle in and out of jail, just to shoplift again,” said Bragg. “Our society can’t function that way – it doesn’t help our shop owners, and it doesn’t help those individuals. At the Manhattan D.A.’s Office, we follow the data, and the data shows a small number of individuals are driving the retail theft crisis facing our borough.”

The prevalence of repeat offenders was illustrated by data showing that out of all those arrested, 18% committed half the offenses, Bragg reported. He said his office would work to break up fencing rings, crack down on the online resale of stolen goods and seek “pre-trial detention, where appropriate” for serial shoplifters.

Barbara Blair, President of the Garment District Alliance, one of the neighborhood business group that worked with Bragg, said, “We appreciate the response of D.A. Bragg and his office to our concerns. Repeat offenders are responsible for an outsized percentage of crimes and must be stopped. Likewise, bad, one-off decisions should have a different path.”

From Chinatown to Washington Heights, merchant groups said that small businesses were the worst hit by the surge in organized retail crimes. Duane Reade and other chains can afford to increase security and install plexiglass and locks. But smaller merchants often have no recourse but to curtail their business to reduce losses and safeguard their employees. westsidespirit.com

The Role of Police & Bystanders in Active Shootings
New York Times Analysis: Who Stops a 'Bad Guy With a Gun'?

What role should the police and bystanders play in active shooter attacks, and what interventions would best stop the violence?

Researchers who study active shooter events say it can be difficult to draw broad policy conclusions from individual episodes, but a review of data from two decades of such attacks reveals patterns in how they unfold, and how hard they are to stop once they have begun.

There were at least 433 active shooter attacks — in which one or more shooters killed or attempted to kill multiple unrelated people in a populated place — in the United States from 2000 to 2021. The country experienced an average of more than one a week in 2021 alone.

Police officers shoot or physically subdue the shooter in less than a third of attacks. Most events end before the police arrive, but police officers are usually the ones to end an attack if they get to the scene while it is ongoing.

Bystanders stop some attackers, more often with physical force than with a gun. One in four attacks ends in a shooter suicide. One in four attackers leaves the scene (though most are later caught). nytimes.com

Buffalo Still Reeling from Tops Supermarket Shooting
How The Buffalo Shooting Brought 'Supermarket Redlining' To Light

The Tops supermarket shooting has made Buffalo a food desert again, which stems from a legacy of discrimination in housing and city planning.

The shooting happened at Tops, a grocery store that residents had fought for almost 20 years just to open. The neighborhood hadn't had a supermarket like it in decades, and as the store remains closed, many in the community no longer have easy access to good foods.

Before the grocery store opened, the area was known as a "food desert," which is an area with limited access to healthy and affordable food from grocery stores, supermarkets, or supercenters. The USDA considers someone to be in a food desert when they live more than a mile away from a food store in urban areas, or more than 10 miles away in rural areas. Currently, that’s more than 18 million people in the U.S.

The shooting in Tops just brought this phenomenon of “supermarket redlining” into the spotlight. About 78% of residents in the zip code where the shooting took place are Black. The next major supermarket is about 40 minutes away on public transit, so it's easy to see how the store could become such an easy target for this hate crime.

This kind of physical, community-level segregation seeps into the culture, too, and the way we talk about our own cities and neighborhoods. It’s not just a contributing factor of what left neighborhoods, like in Buffalo, with just one supermarket, but it denies communities other resources as well. newsy.com

Another Progressive DA Fights to Keep His Job
Los Angeles DA George Gascon defends record on crime: 'I know how to keep communities safe'

George Gascon acknowledged that he is 'frustrated' by crime & homelessness in LA

Progressive Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon defended his record against critics who have accused him of being soft on crime as violence in the city continues to surge.

"Yeah, in some areas it is," Gascon told KTLA-TV on Saturday when asked if he believes Los Angeles is safer because of policies he has implemented. "I think it’s important to start out by saying that I was a police officer for many years before I was the district attorney. I know how to keep communities safe."

When pressed by KTLA anchor Lynette Romero on critics who say that Gascon’s policies have made crime in the city worse, Gascon pointed to the coronavirus pandemic.

"We’re coming out of the pandemic that has had a tremendous impact not only on L.A. County but throughout the nation," Gascon said. "The reality is that crime is up around the nation, in fact some of our neighboring counties per capita are having higher levels of violence than we are."

Gascon added there is "no question" the pandemic has impacted violent crime and homelessness. foxnews.com

NYC's Prosecutor Exodus
NYC prosecutors flee amid soft-on-crime policies, burdensome state reforms
Hundreds of prosecutors in New York City are quitting the district attorneys' offices amid controversial criminal justice reforms. Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's office this year has hemorrhaged 65 assistant district attorneys, which is about 12% of the staff.

Bragg released a memo on his third day in office, ordering prosecutors not to seek prison sentences for a number of crimes and to downgrade charges – including for robberies and commercial burglaries.

Manhattan's situation mirrors that of Brooklyn, where 67 prosecutors — approximately 13% — have resigned from DA Eric Gonzalez's office as of June 17, with three more leaving last Thursday alone, according to the New York Post. In 2020, 84 resigned, and 94 left office in 2021. Fifty-nine prosecutors have quit in the Bronx beginning this year through May.

The resignations come amid state criminal justice reforms that some have criticized for being too onerous. foxnews.com

WSJ Op-Ed More Legal Guns Reduced Crime in Brazil
Homicide fell 34% after Bolsonaro made firearms permits easier and cheaper.

SAPD Chief McManus talks uptick in violent gun crime, reasons and response

US: 88.7M Cases - 1M Dead - 84.5M Recovered
Worldwide: 549M Cases - 6.3M Dead - 524.1M Recovered

Former Senior Loss Prevention Executive
Know of any fallen LP exec? Let's remember & recognize.

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 360  
Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 787
*Red indicates change in total deaths

Dealing with Conflict in Retail
Former Secret Service Agent shares how to craft a resilient response

NRF PROTECT 2022: Former Secret Service agent Evy Poumpouras on verbal conflict resolution

Evy Poumpouras, a former Secret Service agent, has worked for former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush.

One thing that’s going on, she noted, is that people are under a lot of stress — from the economy, the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and a long list of other factors. That stress, she observed, is manifesting itself in people’s behavior, including a general and growing inability to socialize. Some do well with it and some do not, which creates a need for the ability to deal with people in difficult situations.

The person doing the dealing — a store detective, say, or a customer service representative — needs to clearly understand their own role in finding a solution to whatever problem has arisen.

And when they’re venting, she said, are you leading? Providing solutions? No, you’re listening. A large component of what Poumpouras was presenting is the ability to understand what aspect of their personality the other person is exhibiting, and shift to an aspect of your own personality that either counteracts or harmonizes with the particular place they’re coming from.

It’s not an easy thing to do, she acknowledged. “Know your brand,” she said in closing. “Focus on warmth and competence. Understand when a person — including you — is stuck on a thought and won’t let go of it. Be OK with having their conversation before you have yours. Remember that what you’re seeing isn’t all of them: Respond to the behavior, not the person. And put ego aside.” nrf.com

Retailers: Brace for Tough Second Half
As consumers spend more on gas and food, a shadow looms over retail

The second half of the year will be tough for retailers as shoppers hunt for lower prices, opt for experiences and shift their loyalties.

Retail sales held up pretty well in the first half of the year, even accounting for inflation’s impact on the numbers. But with consumers spending more on food, gas and experiences instead of discretionary goods, it’s not clear how retail will do in the second half.

It’s been a head-spinning shift. Late in the pandemic, consumers were “flush with cash,” thanks to the federal government’s support and lighter spending on services like dining out, according to Wells Fargo analysts led by Edward Kelly.

"However, budgets are now being pinched as food prices ... fuel, and other everyday items remain elevated while stimulus/SNAP dollars dry up,” Kelly said in a Thursday research note on grocery retail.

The deterioration was seen quite clearly last month, when the usual Memorial Day spending bump didn’t materialize, according to research from The NPD Group. Due to inflation, consumers are spending more than they were pre-pandemic but getting less: Compared to May 2019, dollar sales were up 18%, but unit demand was down 1%. Furthermore, U.S. dollar sales of discretionary general merchandise ended 2% lower than last year’s results, while unit sales were 8% lower, per NPD. retaildive.com
 
Paying Customers to Keep Unwanted Items
Just keep your returns: Stores weigh paying you not to bring back unwanted items
The chaotic mix of record fuel prices and an unending supply chain crisis have retailers considering the unthinkable: Instead of returning your unwanted items, just keep them.

In recent weeks, some of the biggest store chains, including Target, Walmart, Gap, American Eagle Outfitters and others have reported in their latest earnings calls that they have too much inventory of stuff ranging from workout clothes, spring-time jackets and hoodies to garden furniture and bulky kids' toys. It's costing them tons of money to store it.

Now add on to that glut another category of product that stores have to deal with: returns.

So instead of piling returned merchandise onto this growing inventory heap, stores are considering just handing customers their money back and letting them hang onto the stuff they don't want.

"It would be a smart strategic initiative," said Burt Flickinger, retail expert and managing director of retail consultancy Strategic Resource Group. "Retailers are stuck with excess inventory of unprecedented levels. They can't afford to take back even more of it." cnn.com

Nike Store Closures
This Popular Clothing Company Is Permanently Closing Over 100 Stores
Nike has just announced that it will be exiting the Russian market completely by permanently closing all of its brick-and-mortar stores in the country, Reuters reported on June 23. This news comes just three months after the apparel company temporarily closed all of its stores in Russia and made merchandise purchases on its website and app unavailable for the country in early March.

According to CNN, Nike has posted a note on on its official Russian website telling consumers that its website and mobile app will "no longer be available in this region" and that its stores "will not reopen." This decision is expected to impact more than 100 stores for the company, as Nike was operating about 116 locations in Russia as of March 2022, per The Wall Street Journal. bestlifeonline.com

Apple ready to bargain with its first U.S. store to unionize
Apple Inc accepts the outcome of a vote by Maryland store workers to become its first U.S. employees to join a union and is ready to bargain with them.

Cardenas Markets to deploy cryptocurrency machines

About 400,000 outdoor umbrellas sold at Costco recalled for overheating, fire risk

McDonald's is revamping its system of recruiting franchisees
 
Kroger to expand Ohio dairy facility
 

Senior LP & AP Jobs Market

Director Major Crimes Investigations job posted for Family Dollar in Chesapeake, VA
This position is responsible for identifying, quantifying, and assisting in the apprehension/prosecution of individuals responsible for committing major crimes against the company, including organized shoplifting groups. This position will be responsible for identifying tools/processes/ and best practices that will prevent this type of activity in stores. This position will manage special projects and other assignments at the discretion of the VP of Asset Protection. sjobs.brassring.com

Senior Manager of Investigations, LP and Safety job posted for Lovesac in Stamford, CT
Currently, we are seeking to hire a Senior Manager of Investigations, Loss Prevention and Safety. The Senior Manager of Investigations, Loss Prevention and Safety will report directly to the Director of Loss Prevention and Safety. This position will direct, develop and implement the company-wide Internal Investigations Program to protect company assets. paycomonline.net