Violent Threats Overlooked in Half of U.S. Companies
American Companies Anticipate Missing up to 50% of Harmful Threats in the Months Ahead, but a Majority Downplay Risks, new Ontic Study Finds

Threat assessment training to recognize and intercept workplace behaviors that could turn violent is very important, but it's unclear which department takes the lead

U.S. corporations are facing an increased volume of threats driven by persistent political, social and economic issues, including Roe v. Wade, gun control, diversity, equity and inclusion, the war in Ukraine, return-to-office and COVID-19. Concerned about the rise in threat data as well as keeping employees, their CEO and senior executives safe as they return to offices and work remotely, physical security, cybersecurity and IT, human resources and legal and compliance leaders feel increased pressure to identify threats to save their company money and reduce liabilities. But through year-end, about one-in-four (26%) of these executives at American companies anticipate they will miss at least 51% of threats, while another 31% anticipate they will miss 26%-50% of threats before they cause harm or damage.

Fred Burton, Executive Director of the Ontic Center for Protective Intelligence said, "As such, cross-company threat data-sharing continues to be critical and even minor lapses in communications can result in serious security concerns. All companies should heed this guidance, but especially those considering restructurings and workforce reductions, as our study found 75% of human resources, 72% of legal and compliance, 66% of physical security and 60% of cybersecurity and IT respondents said in the past year because of a failure to notify their department in advance, violence or harm occurred at their company when an employee was furloughed or fired."

Key findings from the survey include:

● 98% said threat assessment or threat management training to recognize workplace behaviors that could turn violent or cause damage is important for their team to successfully execute their job, including 71% who say it is very important;

● 66% said in 2022 their company received or investigated one or more threats weekly, including one-quarter that are on track to receive or investigate up to 260 threats annually.

● 64% agree at their company employees do not report erratic and violent behavior or other warning signs in a timely manner

● 63% agree their company downplays risk to emulate a safe environment

● 54% do not have a mechanism in place that allows employees to anonymously report issues and 43% rely on employees to take the "if you see something, say something" approach to security, whether they are working from home or on-site at a company location prnewswire.com

70% of Suspects Committed New Crime After $0 Bail Release
CA county saw 70% of criminal suspects released on $0 bail commit new crimes

Of the 595 individuals released without bail in Yolo County between 2020 and 2021, 420 were rearrested

A California district attorney has found that more than 70% of criminal suspects released on $0 bail between 2020 and 2021 in his county committed new crimes. The California Judicial Council in April 2020 implemented the statewide Emergency Bail Schedule, or $0 bail, which supporters say makes the criminal justice system more fair for those who cannot afford to get released.

"When over 70% of the people released under mandated $0 bail policies go on to commit additional crime(s), including violent offenses such as robbery and murder, there is simply no rational public safety-related basis to continue such a practice post-pandemic, especially in light of the increasing violent crime rates across California," Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig said in a Monday statement.

The California Judicial Council rescinded its $0 bail order in June 2020, but some counties kept the policy in place. Yolo Count ended its $0 bail policy in June 2021, according to a press release from Reisig's office. In June of this year, Reisig's office began tracking which suspected offenders released without bail went on to commit new crimes in Yolo County, which includes parts of west Sacramento.

Of the 595 individuals released on $0 bail between 2020 and 2021 in Yolo County, 420 — or 70.6% — were rearrested for new crimes, and 123 — or 20% — were arrested for a violent crime such as murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, robbery, carjacking or domestic violence, according to Reisig's office.

Reisig's findings come amid an ongoing discussion about the elimination of cash bail for offenders and whether such policies help criminal suspects reenter society or embolden suspects to commit new crimes. foxnews.com

S.F. Prosecutors Won't Be Asking Judge to Set Bail
S.F. D.A. Brooke Jenkins reveals her cash bail and detention policy. Here’s how it compares to Boudin’s
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins on Wednesday released a new policy guiding the detention of criminal defendants before trial, saying that prosecutors should not ask judges to set cash bail except in rare circumstances.

“It is the policy of the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office not to seek cash bail in criminal cases, except in certain misdemeanor cases where the law provides a court with no other choice to protect public safety,” the policy states.

The policy also appears to broaden circumstances in which prosecutors can ask a judge to hold a felony defendant in jail, with no bail, before trial. Judges ultimately decide whether a defendant stays in custody.

She has painted herself as tougher on violent crime and repeat offenders than Boudin, while pledging to keep popular criminal justice reforms. sfchronical.com

Feds Warn of Buffalo Supermarket Shooting Copycat Attacks
FBI, DHS issue bulletin warning of potential for racially motivated copycat attacks
The U.S. government on Tuesday urged law enforcement partners nationwide to "remain vigilant" and watch for indicators of potential copycat attacks following the widespread dissemination of over 700 pages written by the 19-year-old suspect who allegedly opened fire and killed 10 people in a supermarket located in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo, New York, in May.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), FBI and the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) assessed that a 180-page manifesto and 672-page online diary written by the alleged gunman and "intended to serve as a manual for future attackers" will "likely enhance the capabilities of potential mass casualty shooters who may be inspired by this attack."

Investigators say the Buffalo suspect had invited several individuals to view his private online diary minutes prior to the attack "to assist in the dissemination of his materials" that outline "pre-attack training with gear, modification of weapons, and extensive target selection research," the memo stated.

Prosecutors have asserted that the alleged gunman, who they say espoused white supremacist beliefs, "committed the offense after substantial planning and premeditation to commit an act of terrorism." A federal grand jury has indicted him on 27 charges, including 14 alleged federal hate crimes and 13 weapons charges. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison or the death penalty. Eleven of the 13 individuals shot at the store on May 14, 2022 were Black.

According to the bulletin, obtained by CBS News, detailed descriptions of the alleged gunman's tactics, techniques and procedures will "contribute to the volume of violent extremist content readily available online." cbsnews.com

Number of U.S. Mass Killing Victims Higher Than Average
Mass killings database reveals trends & details in every US event since 2006

High profile public shootings in the US are only a portion of the country's mass killings AP, USA TODAY and Northeastern University analysis shows.

The number of mass killings in 2022 is about average compared with previous years despite recent shootings that captured public attention. The number of victims is somewhat higher than average but still below previous highs. usatoday.com

Number of mass killing victims killed by year

Teens Driving Violent Crime Surge
Community leaders want teen curfews enforced amid recent crimes in Memphis
Following a string of violent crimes across Memphis involving children, community leaders are organizing to turn things around. “Why are these children out?” said Rhonda Logan of the Memphis City Council.

“When we look at the stats, a lot of violent crime, major crime are happening overnight, and we already have a curfew in place,” said Logan.

City ordinance states that children 16 and under may not be in a public place after 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Friday through Sunday, that curfew is extended until 11 p.m. A 17-year-old’s curfew Monday through Thursday is an hour later each night, 11 p.m. during the week, and midnight on weekends.

“The curfew is already on the books. It’s an ordinance within Memphis and Shelby County. It just needs to be enforced,” said Rep. Antonio Parkinson, (D) Memphis. fox13memphis.com

Traveling Organized Theft Rings Targeting LA
Organized theft rings target visitors to LA's Griffith Park
Organized theft rings from Northern California are targeting the vehicles of tourists and other visitors at Los Angeles’ Griffith Park, the sprawling urban wilderness that is home to some of the city’s most famous attractions.

Thieves break into vehicles, particularly rental cars, in the most popular areas of the park and take off with valuables in seconds, Los Angeles police officials told a press conference Tuesday in front of the iconic triple-domed Griffith Observatory. registercitizen.com

Wawa Ends 24-Hour Operations at Select C-stores in Philly's Center City

US Hate Crimes Rise During First Half of 2022

California Targets Rising Hate Crimes

US: 95.7M Cases - 1M Dead - 91.1M Recovered
Worldwide: 603.6M Cases - 6.4M Dead - 578.5M Recovered

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 362  
Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 794
*Red indicates change in total deaths

COVID & Monkeypox in the Workplace
Updated CDC Guidance, Monkeypox Outbreak, and EEO-1 Pay Data – Employment Law This Week
This week, we discuss updates on COVID-19 quarantine guidelines, what employers should know about monkeypox, and EEO-1 pay data reporting.

CDC Updates COVID-19 Guidance

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommends that asymptomatic individuals who suspect COVID-19 exposure wear a mask for 10 days rather than quarantine. Many states follow CDC guidance, but some have their own guidelines, so employers are checking requirements in their locations and updating policies to remain in compliance.

Employers Monitor Monkeypox Outbreak

While COVID-19 requirements seem to be easing, employers are closely watching the most recent public health emergency: monkeypox. The CDC has released information for health care professionals, but there has been no federal monkeypox guidance for the general workplace as of now. Employers have a general duty to provide a safe work environment under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and they should keep monitoring the CDC for any future guidance.

EEO-1 Pay Data Reporting to Return

A recent announcement by Commissioner Keith Sonderling of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that pay data reporting “is coming” is the latest indication that EEO-1 Component 2 data will be required in the future. This means employers would once again have to report compensation data categorized by race, sex, ethnicity, and more. workforcebulletin.com

COVID Deaths Falling Globally
WHO: COVID Deaths Down by 15%, Cases Fall Nearly Everywhere
The number of coronavirus deaths reported worldwide fell by 15% in the past week while new infections dropped by 9%, the World Health Organization said Wednesday.

In its latest weekly assessment of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.N. health agency said there were 5.3 million new cases and more than 14,000 deaths reported last week. WHO said the number of new infections declined in every world region except the Western Pacific.

Deaths jumped by more than 183% in Africa but fell by nearly a third in Europe and by 15% in the Americas. Still, WHO warned that COVID-19 numbers are likely severely underestimated as many countries have dropped their testing and surveillance protocols to monitor the virus, meaning that there are far fewer cases being detected. voanews.com

Back to office? Stay remote? Go hybrid?
Bosses shouldn’t just go with their guts, and consensus may not work. Start by deciding what really matters, business professor says.

Pharmacists lobby to administer monkeypox vaccine

McKinsey & Company:
Next Two Decades May Bring More Frequent & Worse Disasters
The history and future of US crisis management
The crisis management community has made great progress on building resilience in the past two decades, but much work remains to prepare for a future of more frequent and damaging disasters.

Since 9/11, the crisis management community has made great strides in addressing the negative impacts of disasters on American lives and livelihoods. Congressional appropriations for disaster response and recovery have increased to historic levels, with FEMA allocating $45 billion between 2017 and 2020 to disaster relief and financial aid. 2 New approaches to recovery and mitigation have emerged, including the development of the National Response Framework and the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program. Indeed, the past two decades have seen significant progress. Yet new challenges are emerging, and the crisis management community will need to work hard to overcome them over the next 20 years.

In this article, we acknowledge the significant progress made by the crisis management community since the signing of the Homeland Security Act and review the data suggesting that the next two decades may bring more frequent and worse disasters affecting more people. We then explore five questions that the community can consider to ensure the security, resilience, and prosperity of communities in the future. mckinsey.com

Question 1: How can federal and SLTT agencies coordinate and collaborate to spur successful outcomes?
Question 2: What role could the private sector play in mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery?
Question 3: How can the community encourage more individuals to assist with crisis management?
Question 4: What is the right level and mix of investments for crisis management?
Question 5: How could equitable recovery be factored into conversations about crisis management?

From Cartels Using Retail Stores in LA's Fashion District to Launder Millions To:
Brooklyn Gangsters Running the Crazy Eddie Retail Empire
The Crazy Eddie electronics chain, at its peak, numbered a respectable 43 stores from Philadelphia to Boston, but in the mid-1980s the discount retailer enjoyed an astonishing 99% name recognition among New Yorkers, higher even than the sitting president, Ronald Reagan. Anyone who resided in the region at the time knows why: the ubiquitous and incessant Crazy Eddie commercials, which featured a DJ named Jerry Carroll gesturing wildly and screaming, “His prices are insane!”

The Crazy Eddie empire was, from the start, built on lies and deception, with the fraud becoming so brazen that the company finally collapsed on itself.

The villain at the center of the drama is Eddie Antar, born in 1947, whose grandparents came to the United States from Syria and settled in south Brooklyn. Many of the Antars were in cash-based businesses, stashing their earnings in ceilings and mattresses to avoid paying taxes.

How they kept prices low included buying inventory below cost from an illegal supplier, selling merchandise at or below cost but pocketing the sales tax, pricing stereo components cheaply while overcharging for accessories, and passing off floor models and returned equipment as new product.

With a cousin as the accountant they took the company public in 1984.

Continue Reading

Embracing Smart Labeling
Kohl’s Has an Inventory-Management Problem
A February 2022 article from Forbes explains that the inventory problems Kohl's has faced in recent years likely stem from its past decision to abandon the use of RFID-based smart labels. That decision, Forbes notes, has prevented the company from successfully undergoing a digital transformation, and the retail chain is now suffering for its lack of technological foresight (see The Curious Case Of Kohl's: Why The Retailer Has Struggled To Embrace Smart Labeling).

As writer Marshall Kay says in the Forbes article, "Unlike many of its direct competitors, Kohl's had been absent from many of the conferences at which Macy's and other peer retailers were collectively discussing their progress with RFID.

Macy's, Target, Walmart and other large retailers have achieved great success with RFID, so why hasn't Kohl's embraced the technology, despite its ability to address the chain's inventory-management dilemma? That's the real question. Instead, Kohl's pulled the plug on its RFID efforts back in 2015—and here we are, seven years later, with the retailer facing the financial consequences. Had the department store chain deployed RFID like its competitors have, this situation might have been avoided. rfidjournal.com

Starbucks has closed two more stores; union claims retaliation
Two stores in Seattle and Kansas City were shut down: the first to make way for a licensed Starbucks and the latter for safety reasons.

As for the Kansas City store, this is in line with Starbucks interim CEO Howard Schultz’s plan to address safety concerns as part of the “era of significant reinvention” he promised to bring to the company. In July, Starbucks closed 16 stores due to safety issues and drug use in bathrooms. That same week, a video leaked of Schultz saying that those closures were “only the beginning” and that “many more” closures would be coming.

The National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint of misconduct against Starbucks, alleging that the company had been “unlawfully interrogating employees about union organizing” during three separate occasions. nrn.com

Ride-hailing giant Lyft to shed more than half of its S.F. headquarters
This is happening across the country in virtually all the big cities

Publix named to Forbes’ America’s Best Employers by State 2022 list

Staples, Office Depot partner with Instacart on large item delivery

Eastern KY Flood Relief Bill Could Be $277 Million

Party City is hiring 20,000 people, expecting an epic Halloween

 
Quarterly Results

Ulta Beauty Q2 comp's up 56.3%, net sales up 60.2%

Salesforce Q2 revenue up 22%

WILLIAMS-SONOMA Q2 net sales up 11.3%
   Pottery Barn net sales up 21.5%
   West Elm net sales up 6.1%
   Williams Sonoma net sales up 0.5%
   Pottery Barn Kids and Teen net sales up 5.3%

Dollar General Q2 comp's up 4.6%, net sales up 9%

Dollar Tree Q2 Dollar Tree comp's up 7.5%, Family Dollar comp's up 2%, Enterprise up 4.9%, total net sales up 6.7%

Petco Q2 comp's up 3.8%, net sales up 3.2%

Guess Q2 Americas Retail up 2%, Wholesale up 1%, Europe up 4%, Asia up 3%, sales up 2%

Victoria's Secret Q2 comp's down 8%, net sales down 6%

Abercrombie & Fitch Q2 Hollister net sales down 15%, Abercrombie net sales up 5%, total net sales down 7%

Burlington Stores Q2 comp's down 17%, total sales down 10%
 

Senior LP & AP Jobs Market

Interesting Timing to Create Such a Position
Head of US E-commerce Risk Prevention & Investigation job posted for TikTok in Mountain View, CA
What you'll do: Responsible for leading an operation team to conduct risk prevention investigations at product listings, content or account groups, and produce root cause analysis reports and propose mitigation methods for various seller and creator risks of TikTok Shop; Act as the main contact to design resource allocation of investigators and identify process improvement opportunities. careers.tiktok.com