Exclusive Video Recap of GROC's 12th Annual Retail Crime Conference

Record-Breaking Attendance, 400+ Turn Out for Value-Packed GROC Retail Crime Conference

August 18th was an epic day as the GROC 12th Annual Retail Crime Conference exceeded all expectations and previous attendance numbers

After two years in the virtual world, this was the largest in-person conference to date with a crowd of over 400. Attendees represented 87 retail brands, 44 law enforcement agencies, and 21 solutions partners.

It was a full day of experts and well received valuable content, with topics throughout the day like – supporting LE, partnering with prosecutors, understanding the current gang culture, prosecuting with RICO, ramping up your interview skills, and stories about Saddam Hussein from George Piro, the FBI agent in charge of the interrogation. 

Our Solution Providers didn’t disappoint, as they brought their wares and solutions to Cobb Galleria in full force. There was plenty of interaction during breaks and lunch in the trade show area!

GROC was also honored to partner again with Community Teen Coalition - an organization focused on empowering at-risk youth through mentorship, entrepreneurial education, and resources. Over $2,000 was raised for the CTC/GROC Scholarship program!

Thanks to all who attended and thanks to ALL of our Sponsors for supporting the event!

Special thanks to Chad McManus, Chair of GRLPC and GROC for providing this recap
 

Auror Retail Crime Platform Rolled Out in New Mexico
New Mexico businesses launch retail crime criminal intel database
Aiming to crack down on shoplifting at retail stores that's thought to be fueling other crimes, New Mexico law enforcement officials are inviting businesses to participate in a new criminal intelligence technology platform Wednesday. Alongside the New Mexico Attorney General's Office, the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce is starting the "New Mexico Organized Retail Crime Association" with a new criminal intelligence database that hopes to help track and prosecute suspects.

According to the New Mexico Attorney General's Office, the technology at the center of the partnership is software created by Auror.co. The software is described as "an online interface used by retailers and law enforcement to track criminal activity and gather data in real time."

So far, several big boxes stores have signed up to participate in the new database, including Home Depot, Koh's Albertsons Safeway, Target and Walmart. The New Mexico Chamber of Commerce says it now wants small businesses to sign up.

The CEO and president of the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce, Rob Black, announced New Mexico will become the 20th state to be a part of the online platform which will let the business community and law enforcement track and upload crime data in real-time. "Think about things like security footage. Cell phone picture of a suspect. A car license plate. That information can be uploaded by that retail partner into this platform and law enforcement will have immediate access to that information," Black says.

The platform is one facet of the newly-created New Mexico Organized Retail Crime Association. In addition to tracking crime data, it uses artificial intelligence to predict when and where crimes will happen and list potential accomplices. It can even do so across state lines. However, leaders say they need the business community and law enforcement to step up and sign up statewide to make the program work.

APD Chief Median also brought up Kellie Shugart, a repeat burglar we reported on last week who racked up 70 burglary charges, as an example of how broken the criminal justice system is here. They hope this new taskforce will lead to more arrests and prosecutions. The attorney general says they will be asking the legislature to permanently fund units to be able to pursue these criminals throughout the state.

Businesses interested in joining the platform and the effort can register on the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce's website. krqe.com

More on New Mexico's Effort to Battle ORC

New Mexico state and local leaders focusing on retail crime solutions

NM Chamber Of Commerce Leading Effort To Combat ORC

Albuquerque business owners spending big to prevent it


Progressive DA's Impact in Philly - Prosecutions Down 70% - While Retail Theft Surges 37%

Stores battle shoplifting amid thefts by organized rings

Retail theft is on the rise in Philadelphia, but police and the DA's Office are pursuing fewer cases.

The heightened security and added inconvenience reflects a constant battle with shoplifters waged by retail stores across the city and the region. At the 19th Street CVS, salesclerk Jaden Mitchell says the theft is constant — and frustrating.

Late last year, a retail trade group sought to put a price tag on retail theft across the United States. Its report found that Pennsylvania trailed only California in the dollar amount of thievery. It also determined that as a share of all sales, Pennsylvania’s annual $5.6 billion loss last year was the highest in the nation.

The problem has been exacerbated nationwide by what some major retailers and anti-theft experts says is a proliferation of organized rings that market their stolen goods on the Internet — the “new fence,” one law-enforcement official called it.

In Philadelphia, Progressive District Attorney Larry Krasner has overhauled how his office prosecutes shoplifting. He says the policy was needed to reduce pretrial jailings and unclog the courts. But his approach has left some merchants resentful and feeling abandoned.

In a February 2018 memo, he instructed his prosecutors to seek less jail time for marijuana possession, prostitution and shoplifting. Krasner decreed the office would generally treat retail theft only as a summary offense, unless the stolen item was worth more than $500 or the suspect had a history of thefts.

His agenda has had a big impact. Prosecutions for shoplifting have plummeted and those that are filed are being treated less harshly. City prosecutors brought nearly 3,600 retail theft cases in 2017, the last year before Krasner took office. In 2019, they brought about 1,150, according to statistics on the District Attorney Office’s website. That’s a fall of two-thirds.

Meanwhile, thefts are on the increase. Victims have reported about 8,300 shoplifting thefts so far this year. The count is on track to climb 37% over last year, a record one-year hike. inquirer.com

In Case You Missed It

Amazon Streams "Philly D.A."
The Progressive Who Defined the Progressive Movement

'Philly D.A.'

Follow the rise of the progressive movement in the most incarcerated city in the U.S.

Amazon's season description:

"Go inside the tumultuous first term of Philadelphia's unapologetic D.A., whose sweeping reforms on everything from bail policy to probation earned him the admiration of progressives, the ire of law enforcement, and division within his own office."

From mass incarceration, to a hidden file on 25 Cops on a Do Not Call to Testify list due to a host of issues of dishonesty and possible criminal activity.

Backed by a $1.2M George Soros donation Larry Krasner, a former 25 year civil rights attorney, intends to turn the system upside down. And quite vocal about his absolute commitment to the progressive movement.

Retail theft is a major discussion point hot button throughout the series.

This 8 60-minute episodes follows Krasner's campaign and first year in office. amazon.com

'Insane & Dangerous' Bail Reform Driving NYC's Crime Crisis
AOC challenger calls out NYC's crime crisis, puts blame on defund the police and 'woke' prosecutors
Although Big Apple murder rates were similar this year compared to last, other major crimes have surged. Police statistics and polls show that New Yorkers are fed up, Fox News Digital reported earlier this month.

Ocasio-Cortez has been one of the most vocal and high-profile lawmakers to demand the defunding of American police departments. In her own district, major crime has climbed steadily over the past two years.

According to Paul Mauro, an attorney and former NYPD inspector, key major crimes to watch are robberies and burglaries - highly invasive profit-motivated crimes that often involve repeat offenders.

In the NYPD's 43rd Precinct, covering the Southeast Bronx, robberies soared 70% between the start of the year and Aug. 7, the most recent date for which statistics are available. Burglaries were up more than 30%.

To the north in the 45th Precinct, robberies were up more than 12% this year compared to last but more than double the 2020 total. In the 49th, robberies also climbed, but burglaries were down significantly - 20% lower than 2021 and almost 30% lower than 2020.

Experts claim it is not only defunding the police that impedes the NYPD's ability to address crime. It's a combination of low morale, officers retiring early or taking jobs in smaller departments, and bail reforms that put repeat offenders back on the streets, sometimes within hours of their arrests.

Even progressive New York City Mayor Eric Adams called the state's bail reform laws "insane" and "dangerous." Adams criticized the fact that many crimes in the city are being committed by repeat offenders. Of the 2,400 shootings since last year, 716 suspects were responsible for 30% of them, he said. foxnews.com

The Debate Over America's Crime Surge
Op-Ed: Biden Misidentifies the Crime Culprit

President Biden does political damage control amid rising urban disorder.

Statewide, murders and non-negligent manslaughters increased 46% last year compared to 2019, according to Pennsylvania's Uniform Crime Reporting System. Pittsburgh recorded 53 homicides last year, a 43% increase over 2019. Nonfatal shootings there were up 25% in 2021 compared to two years prior.

Earlier this year Pew reported that only 44% of Philadelphia residents said they felt safe in their neighborhood at night, while 65% said they'd heard gunshots near their homes in the past year. Some 362 people have been slain in the City of Brotherly Love so far this year, compared to 226 in the first eight months of 2019.

Mr. Biden was at pains Tuesday to neutralize the perception that Democrats want to defund the police. "When it comes to public safety in this nation, the answer is not defund the police. It's fund the police. Fund the police." That's a welcome line, but remember that in 2020 such sentiments were heresy in the Democratic Party.

Police are quitting in droves nationwide, and fewer cops now contend with more crime. Pennsylvania law-enforcement agencies had more than 1,200 police vacancies in March, according to the public-media organization WHYY. Cops don't want to work where they lack political support.

The problem is that Mr. Biden didn't offer any serious ideas to improve law enforcement. Instead he attacked the gun lobby, mass shooters, and Republicans for not condemning the Jan. 6 riot on Capitol Hill. But big-city residents are worried far more about the gangs on their street, and illegal guns in the hands of criminals. Mr. Biden would have done better to save his ire for progressive prosecutors like Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, who brags about how few criminals he's put behind bars. The disorder will continue until state and local governments are willing to prosecute and incarcerate lawbreakers. wsj.com

New York Rolls Out New 'Gun-Free' Zones
New York creates 'gun free zones' after Supreme Court ruling
Amid the bright lights and electronic billboards across New York's Times Square, city authorities are posting new signs proclaiming the bustling crossroads a "Gun Free Zone."

The sprawling Manhattan tourist attraction is one of scores of "sensitive" places - including parks, churches and theaters - that will be off limits for guns under a sweeping new state law going into effect Thursday. The measure, passed after a U.S. Supreme Court decision in June expanded gun rights, also sets stringent standards for issuing concealed carry permits.

New York is among a half-dozen states that had key provisions of its gun laws invalidated by the high court because of a requirement for applicants to prove they had "proper cause" for a permit. Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday that she and her fellow Democrats in the state Legislature took action the next week because the ruling "destroyed the ability for a governor to be able to protect her citizens from people who carry concealed weapons anywhere they choose."

Under the law, applicants for a concealed carry permit will have to complete 16 hours of classroom training and two hours of live-fire exercises. Ordinary citizens would be prohibited from bringing guns to schools, churches, subways, theaters and amusement parks - among other places deemed "sensitive" by authorities.

Applicants also will have to provide a list of social media accounts for the past three years as part of a "character and conduct" review. The requirement was added because shooters have sometimes dropped hints of violence online before they opened fire on people. pbs.org

Seattle Records Deadliest Month Since Tracking Began
Seattle's awful August shows the city continues to backslide on crime
Seattle has seen 11 homicides this month - making this the deadliest single month in the city as far back as the police's crime dashboard has records (to 2008). The previous high for any month was nine homicides, and for any August before this one, six.

Crime like this can ebb and flow. But currently the city is on its deadliest pace in nearly three decades. Seattle this month has also passed 500 shootings for the year - a year that is only two-thirds done.

Now there are two shootings daily - up 100% from before the pandemic. But there's no similar rallying to action. The shootings - even the killings - are becoming background noise.

As many readers point out, these twin crises of rising crime and drugs are not unique to Seattle or Washington state. Cities, towns, and rural areas across America are struggling as well. There's no simple known cause - other than the big obvious one, the pandemic. It isn't clear though exactly how the pandemic triggered, or accelerated, such a cascading series of social ills.

The pandemic was a powerful disruptive force; it stands to reason it could take an equally mighty effort to stitch things back together.

Recently a national council on crime put out a report titled "Pandemic, Social Unrest and Crime in U.S. Cities." It found 10 things cities can do, right now, to improve the situation - from taking responsibility, to setting clear crime-reduction goals, to engaging and empowering the community to help. Seattle has done maybe three of the 10. seattletimes.com

Hollywood troubled by rising crime in Los Angeles
Shocking burglaries continue in Los Angeles, raising concerns over high-profile crimes that are worrying figures in Hollywood's entertainment industry. NBC News' Steve Patterson reports.

Are Mass Shootings Contagious?
When a mass shooting happens, another often follows in close succession. That's not just a feeling ― it's a fact.

NRA blames Biden for rising crime after he promised to ban 'assault weapons'

Hundreds of Guns Seized in Phoenix Summer Crime Crackdown

US: 96.3M Cases - 1M Dead - 92M Recovered
Worldwide: 608.2M Cases - 6.4M Dead - 584.5M Recovered

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

Labor Shortages, Closures & Misconduct Put Walgreens Customers At Risk?
Walgreens pushes back on allegations that it put customers at risk during pandemic
Walgreens is defending itself against allegations that the company had threatened Vermonters’ health and safety during the Covid-19 pandemic, writing in a legal filing last week that the pharmacy giant had “provided reasonable care to its patients while grappling with contingencies that impacted pharmacists nationwide.”

The dispute stems from charges, filed in June by the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation, that the company had put customers at risk with staffing shortages, unplanned closures, and dangerous and unprofessional conduct at its 32 Vermont locations. In a 40-page document of charges, state regulators alleged that Walgreens locations closed unexpectedly on more than 325 days, “leaving thousands of patients without access to prescription medications.”

In addition to unexpected store closures, the allegations include stores losing track of controlled substances and medication and vaccination errors. In October 2021, according to the charging document, a patient at the Pearl Street Walgreens in Essex Junction was given a Pfizer Covid booster instead of the flu shot they requested.

Some locations also gave customers the wrong medication or administered it incorrectly, state regulators alleged. State officials also alleged that the company did not respond appropriately to complaints about staffing shortages and unsafe conditions at stores.

The office asked the Vermont Board of Pharmacy to “revoke, suspend, reprimand, condition or otherwise discipline the licenses” of Walgreens. vtdigger.org

Helping Retailers Recover from the Pandemic
Governor Laura Kelly Urges Kansas Small Businesses to Prepare for COVID-19 Retail Storefront Property Tax Relief Program
Governor Laura Kelly announced that her administration is launching the application process for the COVID-19 Retail Storefront Property Tax Relief program in October. She urged Kansas small business owners to verify they are registered for a federal Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) ahead of the application process opening.

In June, Governor Kelly signed bipartisan House Bill 2136, investing $50 million to help small businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 Retail Storefront Property Tax Relief Program is funded through the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which requires a UEI registration to be completed for a business to be eligible to receive assistance. UEI registration ensures the accuracy of information and the security of funding being used for this program.

“The financial assistance provided through this program will give Kansas entrepreneurs resources to continue to grow and invest in their businesses,” said Governor Laura Kelly. fortscott.biz

Bracing for Impact at Pharmacy Chains
Pharmacies getting ready for government’s free at-home COVID-19 tests to end
harmacists are expecting the demand for at-home COVID tests to go up once the program ends Friday. Some households have already ordered the maximum number of 16 free kits, and pharmacies are stocking up for next week.

Even though the free tests are ending, the director of retail pharmacy at Carilion Clinic explained we’re not out of the pandemic yet.

“We may be done with this virus but the virus isn’t done with us,” Adrian Wilson said. “I think what we’re going to be seeing is an increased demand in the local pharmacies for the at-home tests.”

The Roanoke City and Alleghany Health district is up 702 new COVID-19 cases within the last week. Local pharmacies are already seeing more people going in for test kits. wdbj7.com

China locks down 21 million in Chengdu in COVID-19 outbreak

It's official: U.S. gov will stop taking orders for free COVID tests starting Friday

COVID drives U.S. life expectancy down nearly a full year

FTC-Walmart Fraud Lawsuit Update
Walmart seeks to dismiss lawsuit by FTC over fraudulent money transfers
Walmart filed a motion on Monday to dismiss a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit that accuses the nation's largest retailer of allowing its money-transfer services to be used by scam artists. The motion calls the FTC's June lawsuit an "egregious instance of agency overreach."

The FTC alleges in its lawsuit that for years, Walmart failed to properly secure the money-transfer services offered at its stores, stealing "hundreds of millions of dollars" from customers. The agency said Walmart didn't properly train its employees, failed to alert customers, and used procedures that allowed fraudsters to cash out at its stores.

The FTC had asked the court to order Walmart to return money to consumers and to impose civil penalties on the company.

In a 41-page document, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division, Walmart laid out a number of what it called legally flawed claims, including that the agency lacked "constitutionally valid authority to sue for money or injunctive relief." It said that the FTC is trying to hold Walmart liable for the criminal actions of completely unrelated third-party fraudsters, even as Walmart has embraced a number of steps to stop such scamming.

Walmart argued that the agency is trying to contort a regulation called the Telemarketing Sales Rule that was aimed to go after telemarketers and those who actively help them, of which Walmart is neither. The retailer also took issue with the FTC's claim that Walmart allegedly engaged in an "unfair" act or practice, or any ongoing or imminent misconduct under Section 5 of the FTC Act.

Walmart said it has developed and implemented a host of anti-fraud measures — including customer warnings and employee trainings. Based on data available to Walmart, of nearly 200 million money-transfer transactions processed at its U.S. namesake stores between 2015 and 2020, fewer than 0.08% were reportedly the product of fraud, according to the Walmart filing. And it said that some of that reported fraud may not be fraud at all, making the actual fraud rate even smaller. usatoday.com

Read Walmart's full response to the FTC lawsuit here

Big Chains Push Back Against 'Groundbreaking' Pro-Worker Legislation
McDonald’s U.S. head says California fast-food bill unfairly targets big chains

Proponents of the legislation say it will help solve industry problems like unsafe working conditions and wage theft.

The head of McDonald’s U.S. on Wednesday publicly criticized a landmark California bill that would give the state more control over pay for fast-food workers, saying it unfairly targets big chains.

The remarks by Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald’s U.S., come after the California state Senate earlier this week passed a bill that would give a 10-person council the authority to raise the industry’s minimum wage to up to $22 an hour for chains with more than 100 locations nationally. California’s current wage floor is $15.50 an hour. The council would also have the authority to establish safety conditions.

Proponents of the bill say it will empower fast-food workers and help solve industry problems such as unsafe working conditions and wage theft, which can include not paying employees for overtime. But the FAST Act faces strong opposition from the restaurant industry, which fears the impact on California restaurants and the example it sets for other states.

Other restaurant companies have been fighting the bill as well. State records show that Chipotle Mexican Grill, Chick-fil-A, Yum Brands and Restaurant Brands International are among the chains that have been spending money to lobby California lawmakers to oppose the legislation. cnbc.com

Read the D&D Daily's initial reporting about the legislation here

Publix #1 Supermarket for Customer Service - 6 Years in a Row
Retailers Recognized in Newsweek's Best Customer Service 2023 Rankings

Publix has been recognized on Newsweek’s 2023 America’s Best Customer Service list, ranking No. 1 in the supermarket category for the sixth year in a row.

Good customer service is a big part of why we're happy to shop at some places and not at others. Being treated respectfully, cheerfully and helpfully is just as important as finding the right item at the right price. This year, Newsweek has again partnered with respected global data research firm Statista to identify the stores that consistently provide the best customer service. Whether it's an easy-to-use website, a generous returns policy or just a friendly voice, these companies put the customer first.

This year, the ranking encompasses 676 total awards for 656 unique brands (a brand can be awarded in more than one category). Those brands are in a total of 166 categories ranging from brick-and-mortar retailers like grocery stores to insurance services, banking services, restaurants, movie theaters and more. Publix, Southwest Airlines and Chick-fil-A are some of the notable brands that have been awarded in every edition since the inaugural list in 2019. This year, we found insurance brands were among those with the highest overall customer service scores.

See all the rankings & categories here: newsweek.com

Starbucks executives, directors are sued over diversity policies

Conservative think tank that believes the coffee chain's efforts to promote diversity amount to racial discrimination.

In a complaint filed on Tuesday, the National Center for Public Policy Research objected to Starbucks' setting hiring goals for Blacks and other people of color, awarding contracts to "diverse" suppliers and advertisers, and tying executive pay to diversity. In October 2020, Starbucks said it would aim for Black people, indigenous people and other people of color to hold at least 30% of U.S. corporate jobs and 40% of U.S. retail and manufacturing jobs by 2025, and tie executive pay to its diversity efforts.

Thirty-five current and former Starbucks executives and directors, including interim Chief Executive Howard Schultz, are among the defendants.

The diversity push "benefits them personally to pose as virtuous advocates of 'Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity,' even as it harms the company and its owners," the complaint said.

It seeks to void Starbucks' diversity policies, and have the defendants or their insurers pay damages to the company. reuters.com

PVH to lay off 10% of global workforce amid weak apparel demand

Starbucks executives, directors are sued over diversity policies

Bed Bath & Beyond gets $500 mln in financing, to shut 150 stores, cut 20% of corporate staff, & eliminate to C level positions

UK: John Lewis to Hire 10,000 Temporary UK Staff for Christmas


Publishing Note:
The Daily will not be publishing Sept. 2 & Sept. 5 in observance of Labor Day
Given the extra 'labor' our team has endured and invested on behalf of the industry over the past several tumultuous years, the D&D Daily will not be publishing Friday, Sept. 2 and Monday, Sept. 5. We will resume publication on Tuesday, Sept. 6.

We would also like to extend our deep gratitude to the retail and loss prevention workers for getting us through the last two years - and for continuing to serve our communities going forward.

Whether you're on the road or at home over this holiday weekend, let's keep 'em all safe out there!