Welcome to ISC West 2021!
ISC West Kicks Off Today Through July 21

ISC West is back after a break last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the show welcomes the security and public safety industry to accelerate market recovery and re-define the roadmap ahead.

This year’s show is the place to access and discover the most advanced, cutting-edge technologies, along with gaining crucial knowledge that will help you do your job better.

With ISC West, you will have the opportunity to network and connect with thousands of security and public safety professionals, learn from the dynamic SIA Education@ISC program, plus explore the latest technologies in access control and visitor management, video surveillance, alarms and monitoring, emergency response and public safety, while discovering emerging solutions in IT/IoT security, smart home solutions, drones and robotics, and more!

The combination of products, networking opportunities, events, and educational programming all in one place truly makes ISC West the industry’s most comprehensive and converged event in the U.S.

Don’t forget to download the ISC West Mobile App to create your personalized show experience at www.iscwestmobile.com.   digitaledition.sdmmag.com
 

Violence, Crime & Protests

US: 34.9M Cases - 624.7K Dead - 29.3M Recovered
Worldwide: 191.3M Cases - 4.1M Dead - 174.2M Recovered

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

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 284  
Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 318
*Red indicates change in total deaths

Two more security officers die from Covid19
The deaths of private security personnel during the Covid-19 pandemic, including many who were actively working with the public. In a recent release of information from the City of Philadelphia, two more individuals, both males, one in their 40's and one in their 70's have been identified as security officers who died from the Covid-19 pandemic.

We have also located others who were classified as employees of the security industry who died from Covid19 but there was almost no other information listed. privateofficerbreakingnews.blogspot.com

Delta Variant Fueling Outbreaks - Cases Up 70%
CDC director warns of 'pandemic of the unvaccinated' as cases rise
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky warned of rising cases on Friday, stating that COVID-19 is "becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated" and that vaccinated people are protected against severe disease.

The highly transmissible delta variant is fueling expanding outbreaks, but they are centered in parts of the country with lower vaccination rates.

"This is becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated," Walensky said during a White House press briefing. "We are seeing outbreaks of cases in parts of the country that have low vaccination coverage, because unvaccinated people are at risk."

The country is averaging about 26,000 cases per day, nearly a 70 percent increase from the previous seven-day average, Walensky said. Hospitalizations are also up to about 2,790 per day, a 36 percent increase from the prior week, and deaths are up 26 percent, to 211 per day.

But almost all of the hospitalizations and deaths are among unvaccinated people. Walensky said 97 percent of people entering the hospital with COVID-19 are unvaccinated. thehill.com

Politics Hurting Vaccination Effort
Vaccine hesitancy morphs into hostility, as opposition to shots hardens
What began as “vaccine hesitancy” has morphed into outright vaccine hostility, as conservatives increasingly attack the White House’s coronavirus message, mischaracterize its vaccination campaign and, more and more, vow to skip the shots altogether.

The notion that the vaccine drive is pointless or harmful — or perhaps even a government plot — is increasingly an article of faith among supporters of former president Donald Trump, on a par with assertions that the last election was stolen and the assault on the U.S. Capitol was overblown.

In a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll, 29 percent of Americans said they were unlikely to get vaccinated, including 20 percent who said they definitely would not. That represented an increase from three months earlier, when 24 percent said they were unlikely to get a shot.

The trend is unsettling public health experts, particularly as the outbreak worsens again. Confirmed U.S. coronavirus cases have more than doubled in the past week, with deaths rising 28 percent. Medical experts say those deaths are almost entirely among unvaccinated Americans. washingtonpost.com

More OSHA COVID Changes
OSHA Changes Focus of COVID NEP
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently made substantial changes to its National Emphasis Program (NEP) for COVID-19 that the agency kicked off earlier this year, including the removal of some industries from the list of targets for intensified inspection activities.

Of course, with such major changes comes a new name for the program, which from now on will no longer be called an NEP but instead is now designated as an updated Interim Enforcement Response Plan, or IERP.

Employers should keep in mind that both the original NEP and the new IERP apply only in those states subject to federal OSHA enforcement and do not apply in states with their own occupational safety and health agencies.

Among the changes included in the IERP issued on July 7, the revised directive shrinks the number of targeted industries whose workers are identified as being most at risk for COVID-19 exposure. Those who are covered by the program still includes healthcare and some non-healthcare industry segments considered higher risk, such as meat and poultry processing, and warehousing.

The revised NEP also removes an appendix to the agency’s March directive that contained a list of secondary target industries, which apparently will no longer be subject to the enforcement initiative. ehstoday.com

Mask Mandates Make a Comeback in LA
Returning to mask mandates unpopular in Los Angeles
The rapid spread of the delta variant across the U.S. in the past month has prompted fresh questions over whether reimposing indoor mask mandates will be necessary.

Los Angeles County health officials on Thursday responded to an uptick in cases by reimposing an indoor mask mandate on everyone, regardless of vaccination status.

The move by the nation's most populous county marked an escalation, as it came just two weeks after officials recommended masks as a precautionary measure. The county had lifted its previous mask requirement only about a month ago.

Public health experts largely agreed that L.A.'s decision to reimpose an indoor mask mandate was a wise decision but said it wouldn't make much difference without wider implementation. thehill.com

COVID & Hybrid Work is Driving 'Meeting Burnout'
The Pain of the Never-Ending Work Check-In

Meeting burnout got worse in the pandemic; hybrid schedules could make things even messier

We were already on the road to meeting burnout before the pandemic. A shift from hierarchical organizations to de-layered, matrixed ones means more bosses and teams to coordinate with. Increasingly global business means invites for times when we’d normally be in bed.

Working from home and living through a crisis seems to have made it worse. In an April survey from meeting scheduling tool Doodle, 69% of 1,000 full-time remote workers said their meetings had increased since the pandemic started, with 56% reporting that their swamped calendars were hurting their job performance.

Constant check-ins have become some bosses’ version of micromanaging, a way to keep tabs on workers they don’t trust. Coordination that used to happen by swiveling your chair or walking across the hall now requires extra formality and time for everyone still spread out across home offices. Plus, there’s the sense that empathetic leaders should stay in touch during moments of transition, whether that’s as the world was shutting down last year or as we head back to headquarters now. wsj.com

UK's 'Freedom Day'
England lifts Covid-19 restrictions on daily life even as variant cases spike
The British government on Monday lifted pandemic restrictions on daily life in England, scrapping all social distancing in a step slammed by scientists and opposition parties as a dangerous leap into the unknown.

From midnight (2300 GMT Sunday), nightclubs were able to reopen and other indoor venues allowed to run at full capacity, while legal mandates covering the wearing of masks and working from home were scrapped.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson—who is self-isolating after his health minister was infected—urged the public to remain prudent and for any laggards to join the two-thirds of UK adults who are now fully vaccinated.

He defended the reopening—dubbed “freedom day” by some media—despite scientists’ grave misgivings after daily infection rates in Britain topped 50,000, behind only Indonesia and Brazil. france24.com

L.A. County coronavirus spike hits alarming levels, with 10,000 infected in a week, as Delta variant spreads

When and how will we know if we need Covid-19 booster shots?

Canada surpasses the U.S. vaccination rate, after lagging for months

In France, angry protests, rising infections and record vaccinations

Surprise - Your Face is Already Being Scanned
From Macy’s to Ace Hardware, facial recognition is already everywhere

Facial recognition is popping up at our favorite stores, but customers are largely unaware.

Some of the US’s most popular stores — including Macy’s and Ace Hardware — are using facial recognition on their customers, largely without their knowledge.

Now the digital rights nonprofit Fight for the Future has helped launch a nationwide campaign to document which of the country’s biggest retailers are deploying facial recognition. Launched on Wednesday, the campaign, which has the support of more than 35 human rights groups, aims to draw attention to retail stores using facial-scanning algorithms to boost their profits, intensify security systems, and even track their employees.

The campaign comes as a clear reminder that the reach of facial recognition goes far beyond law enforcement and into the private, commercial storefronts we regularly visit. Experts warn that facial recognition in these spaces is particularly concerning because the technology is largely unregulated and undisclosed, meaning both customers and employees may be unaware this software is surveilling and collecting data about them.

While you may not have heard of it before, stores using facial recognition isn’t a new practice. Last year, Reuters reported that the drug chain Rite Aid had deployed facial recognition in at least 200 stores over nearly a decade (before the company suddenly committed to ditching the software). In fact, facial recognition is just one of several technologies store chains are deploying to enhance their security systems, or to otherwise surveil customers. Some retailers, for instance, have used apps and in-store wifi to track users while they move around physical stores and later target them with online ads.

Several popular stores, including Lowe’s, the grocery chain Albertsons, and Macy’s, are already using facial recognition, according to Fight for the Future’s database. How exactly these retailers are using facial recognition can be unclear, since companies typically aren’t upfront about it.

Stores are embracing facial recognition tech because, they claim, it can help them prevent theft. But experts warn this technology raises alarms. Customers rarely know that this technology is in use, leaving them without the opportunity to say no or remove themselves from a store’s facial recognition-based watch list. At the same time, facial recognition algorithms can be inaccurate, and come with built-in racial and gender biases. vox.com

Safety Leadership
Seeing Your Way to Becoming a Transformational Safety Leader

Leadership requires keen observation and a willingness to act, but leaders are not confined to management job titles.

You are demonstrating situational awareness. You observed an abnormal situation, or a deviation, and became immediately aware of the danger, or the risk. You are paying attention to the environment around you.

You are being self-reflective. You’re asking questions about yourself: How can I be most effective in sharing what I am seeing? How can I engage the team for solutions to what I see? How can I set an example that others will follow in their own behaviors?

You’re being thoughtful and supportive. You’re showing that you genuinely care. By seeing a hazard and alerting others to it, you are supporting their safety.

You’re being fair. You are not placing blame or making judgments. You know no one is perfect. We’re all human, and sometimes we forget to follow a safety precaution or assume someone else will take action.

You’re slowing down. You’re taking the time to let others know about a hazard you’ve identified. Time is a precious commodity at all levels of an organization. Supervisors and frontline operators are pressed to get products out the door and to customers, but by taking the time to report safety hazards, you’re showing that safety is more important than quotas and deadlines.

You’re taking initiative. You’re taking action when you could simply remain silent and let the moment pass. Leaders are action oriented, not passive onlookers.

You’re communicating by speaking up with clarity, accuracy and precision. Effective leaders make good use of critical thinking skills to describe what you see and make informed decisions. ehstoday.com

'Self-Checkout Supercenter'
Walmart is testing an all-self-checkout Supercenter in Plano

Some Walmart shoppers said they worry that jobs are being eliminated but admit that they no longer see lines at checkout.

Walmart is testing an all-self-checkout Supercenter in Plano at one of its biggest local stores and one where growing families can easily pile high a grocery cart. It’s calling the process “hosted checkout” because employees are standing by to help if customers need it.

Kroger has been testing all-self-checkout at a small urban store on Cedar Springs in Dallas, but the sight of no cashier lanes in a store as big as Walmart’s Plano Supercenter stocked with more than 120,000 items and surrounded by suburban rooftops is daunting.

Target, Kroger and Costco stores have all adopted the evolved self-checkout process with assistance but still offer the option to go through a regular cashier-staffed, conveyor-belted line.

Some Walmart shoppers said they’re on the fence about the all self-checkout store and are worried that jobs are being eliminated. But they’ve noticed that it’s faster. dallasnews.com

Retail's New 'Roaring Twenties'
With Retail Sales Up, Analysts Point To Pent-Up Demand
Business at the Chicago Gold Coast boutique Space 519 is so good, the owner calls it the new “Roaring Twenties.” Like many retailers, the retail owner was conservative planning for the year and so were suppliers, he noted. Now that consumers are shopping, demand is way up.

Retail spending is one indication of a country-wide spending trend amongst Americans who can afford to shop. Case in point: retail sales were up .6% in June, according to the latest report released by the Census Bureau. Monthly sales totaled $621.3 billion, up 18% above June 2020. Sales from April to June tracked a 31.5% increase from the same period last year.

According to the report, top-performing categories in June included clothing and clothing accessories stores, up 47.1% from June 2020 and food services and drinking places up 40.2% from last year. In contrast, furniture and home furnishing stores dropped 3.6%, motor vehicle and auto parts declined 2% and building material and garden equipment dipped 1.6%.

Analysts point this surge in retail spending to pent-up demand. The economy may still be in transition, but analysts say the report is evidence that things are moving in a healthy direction. forbes.com

NRF: Back-to-School Spending to Hit All-Time High
2021 Brings Back-to-Class Shopping to Record Levels
Consumers plan to spend record amounts for both school and college supplies as families and students plan to return to in-person classrooms this fall, according to the annual survey released today by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics.

Families with children in elementary through high school plan to spend an average of $848.90 on school items, which is $59 more than last year. Total back-to-school spending is expected to reach a record $37.1 billion, up from $33.9 billion last year and an all-time high in the survey's history. College students and their families plan to spend an average of $1,200.32 on college or university items, an increase of $141 over last year. Over half ($80) of this increase is due to increased spending on electronics and dorm furnishings. Total back-to-college spending is expected to reach a record $71 billion, up from $67.7 billion in 2020. nrf.com

Target opens its second Denver small box store
 

DOJ Update: Pittsburgh Man Sentenced in Mystery Shopper Fraud Scheme
A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 4 years of probation and ordered to pay $28,461 in restitution on his conviction for fraud conspiracy, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today. United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Robert Shon Jackson, 45, of Pittsburgh, PA 15221, as the sole defendant.

Previously, in connection with Jackson’s guilty plea, the court was advised that that from around June 2013 to around October 31, 2013, Jackson participated in a Nigerian “mystery shopper” fraud scheme in which victims were falsely led to believe that they were being employed to anonymously evaluate products and services. After being recruited by the fraudsters, the victims unwittingly received counterfeit U.S. Postal Service money orders and checks, which they believed were provided to fund their evaluation purchases. The victims were told to deposit the instruments, keep a small portion of the funds for themselves, and wire the remainder to another individual who they believed was another mystery shopper, but was in actuality a co-conspirator. The counterfeit instruments were later returned to the bank, and the victims were charged for the funds they had deposited and additional fees.

The court was further advised that Jackson was mailed bulk shipments of counterfeit USPS money orders sent from overseas, approximately 1,820 money orders in total, valued at approximately $1,787,771.40, along with counterfeit checks. Jackson also received mailing labels with the names and addresses of victims to whom he was to send the counterfeit instruments. Jackson would mail counterfeit money orders and checks to the victims along with “mystery shopper” instructions directing them to check their email accounts for additional instructions. The victims would be emailed instructions to wire funds to Jackson, his wife, and other accomplices. Jackson used false return names and addresses on the mailings of counterfeit instruments. Jackson would then receive funds from the victims by wire, then himself wire a portion of the proceeds to co-conspirators in Nigeria. Jackson kept a portion of the funds as his payment. The losses associated with Jackson’s offense totaled $28,461. Assistant United States Attorney David Lew prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. justice.gov

Wayne, NJ: Repeat Offender Took $86,000 In Drugs, More In Back-To-Back Wayne Pharmacy Smash-Grabs
A career criminal who was jailed following a Clifton police car crash during a pursuit stole more than $86,000 worth of drugs, scratch-off lottery tickets and a delivery vehicle from a Wayne pharmacy, authorities said. Joseph Holman, 41, of Passaic broke into the Plains Pharmacy at the Valley Ridge Shopping Center twice in less than 24 hours in late May, Detective Capt. Dan Daly said. The first time, he took $14,200 worth of scratch-off tickets after shattering the glass front door shortly before 4:30 a.m., Daly said. The following day, Wayne Police Officer David Beltran found the front door smashed again and held open by a folding table. No one was inside, Daly said. Backups later found lottery ticket boxes strewn along a fence behind Our Lady of the Valley Church, he said. They also found a bicycle and fingerprints at the scene. A pharmacy manager told police several containers of drugs, assorted other products, cash registers, more lottery scratch-offs and the store’s delivery vehicle were taken. Total loss: $72,000 worth. Detectives zeroed in on Holman, also known as Harry L. Gray, Daly said. dailyvoice.com

Muncy, PA: Two men accused of allegedly stealing more than $5,000 of electronics items from Target
Two men have been charged with stealing more than $5,000 of electronics department merchandise from the Muncy Township Target store over a one-year period. Court records allege that Javonte T. Harris, 23, of Rochester, N.Y., and Carlos J. Marquez Rosado, 32, of Westfield, Pa., conspired to steal video game equipment, cell phones, watches, hard drives, and other electronics department items from the store in Lycoming County between Aug. 19, 2020, and July 11, 2021. Both men were apprehended at the store on July 11 when they were caught in the act of attempting to remove theft protection from several items as Harris placed them in the front of his pants, according to the arrest affidavit written by Trooper Brett Harvey of Pennsylvania State Police at Montoursville. northcentralpa.com

York County, PA: Maryland man stole nearly $9,000 in merchandise from two York County AT&T stores

Lombard, IL: Theft of $8,000 puppy caught on camera at Illinois mall

Ripley, WV : Two men accused of stealing nearly $1,800 in merchandise from Walmart

Fairview Township, PA: Woman arrested for theft of $613 in merchandise from Dollar General

DOJ Update: Remaining Defendants Sentenced to Federal Prison for Felony Lane Gang-Type Criminal Activity in Baton Rouge and Across Louisiana