Bipartisan Retail Crime Task Force
GOP, Dems propose retail crime task force, slam spike in smash & grab looting

Democratic co-sponsor Susie Lee said crime syndicates cannot 'continue to threaten American livelihoods'

A bipartisan group of House lawmakers led by Colorado Republican Ken Buck will introduce legislation this week that would form a new task force aimed at combating the nationwide surge in mob retail theft.

Buck told Fox News his bill, which he will introduce Friday, is a companion to Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley's Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, and characterized it as a strong, bipartisan response to the nationwide crime wave.

"The explosion of organized, smash-and-grab looting of retail stores is a symptom of the underlying collapse of law and order in America under the Biden administration," Buck told Fox News, disputing Biden's 2021 claim that crime is "down."

Buck said the bipartisan and bicameral legislation will help police and federal law enforcement stop future "attacks" on businesses by improving bureaucratic coordination and ensuring proper punishment for culprits.

The task force bill will cite figures stating that for every $1 billion in 2019 U.S. retail sales, $720,000 of that consists of embezzled or purloined goods. Buck suggested that statistic has only increased since then, given the recent spate of high-profile retail thefts.

The legislation creates a new Organized Retail Crime Coordination Center that would fall under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security, and directs the center to "establish relationships with" state, local and tribal law enforcement and corporate loss prevention agencies to share information and "leverage" existing data to get a handle on the current crisis.

The center's director would be appointed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and would require qualifications as an "experienced law enforcement officer."  foxnews.com

U.S. House ORC Version Picking Up Bipartisan Support

U.S. House ORC H.R. Bill 7499: Improving Federal Investigations of Organized Retail Crime Act of 2022
House Committee on the Judiciary

Three U.S. House Representatives become Co-Sponsors in October. Bringing number of Co-Sponsors to nine.

With Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux (D-GA), and Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA) signing on to support its passage.

Obviously these three Representatives come from states and areas that have been impacted by the increased ORC activity and are supporting their local constituencies.

With the other six Co-Sponsors from New York, two from California, Florida, Hawaii, and New Jersey. Which also reflects the ORC crime wave.

Originally introduced on 4/14/2022, by Rep. Young Kim (R-CA-39) with four co-sponsors from New York, two from California and Florida. Two Republicans and two Democrats. It appears to be a bipartisan effort. Which is great to see.

However, since the initial introduction the only action has been the five additional co-sponsors signing on and offering their support.

Meanwhile over in the House Energy & Commerce Committee H.R. Bill.

Read more on H.R. Bill 7499 here

America's ORC Crisis Makes More Global Headlines
Shoplifting rise puts US retailers on the back foot
Retail theft increased when stores reopened following lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. The newly released 2022 Retail Security Survey by National Retail Federation shows that 74 percent of survey respondents reported that store theft — not including organized retail crime — has increased compared with five years ago.

Retailers also lose a lot of money to organized retail crime, which has increased. The survey shows that 52.9 percent of respondents reported increased incidents of such crime while none reported decreases in organized retail crime.

Multiple measures

Some governments also have increased the threshold or value of goods stolen to constitute a felony. In California, Proposition 47 in 2014 reduced theft of goods valued at less than $950 from a felony to a misdemeanor, which some politicians have attempted to repeal.

Home Depot has been locking up more products during the past year while testing more customer-friendly, higher-tech solutions, reported The Wall Street Journal.

Scott Glenn, vice-president of asset protection at Home Depot, said that overall theft attempts at Home Depot continue to rise compared with before the pandemic. After a high-theft item is locked up, sales gradually go up because the store stays more consistently in stock, Glenn said. He also said that in stores where Home Depot has aggressive theft deterrents, losses have been reduced.

A Best Buy store in the suburbs of Houston has replaced items such as Bose speakers, the Journal reported. Shoppers must ask store workers for help in locating the merchandise. chinadaily.com.cn

Retailers Partner with Law Enforcement to Battle ORC
JCPenney, Macy’s, Marshalls, TJ Maxx push back against thieves
After California lawmakers changed the threshold for felony theft to $950, the surge of shoplifters has become notorious. But retailers apparently have organized in Southern California in effort to survive.

At a recent court hearing it was revealed that San Diego has an Organized Retail Crime Alliance, which is part of a national task force. A witness identified as “Dee Dee” said she is an investigator for this alliance, and she researches crimes that target certain stores even across multiple counties. Dee Dee said these organized thieves resell the stolen goods at swap meets, using online platforms, and in Mexico.

Dee Dee said she studies surveillance videos from stores that have stationary and “hand-tilt systems.” Photo evidence was collected from 62 stores, including JCPenney, Macy’s, Marshalls, TJ Maxx. The area extends from South Orange County, east to Indio, and south to the border in San Ysidro. Private investigators gather evidence which are presented to law enforcement and shared with retailers.

Dee Dee said that in mid-2021 she first identified a thief who was affecting stores in Chula Vista and San Ysidro. This thief filled shopping carts with goods and then pushed the loaded cart out a back door; he was unique for always kicking open the emergency door in the back. Sometimes he worked alone and sometimes with an accomplice. Dee Dee gathered 17 videos as part of evidence against the suspect.

Dee Dee said he pillaged stores in Mission Valley, Plaza Bonita, Point Loma, Carmel Mountain, Solana Beach, Carlsbad, and Laguna Hills.

This type of coordination - collecting and sharing information between law enforcement and retailers - is just one example of how the retail industry is fighting the surge in organized retail crime. sandiegoreader.com

63% Decrease in Law Enforcement Deaths - 181 Year-to-Date
10 Deaths in Sept: 5 Gunfire - 3 Auto/Motorcycle - 1 Heart Attack, 1 Illness
In September, 10 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty. The cause breakdown (September 2022 only) is: 1 automobile crash, 1 duty related illness, 5 gunfire, 1 vehicular assault, 1 motorcycle crash, and 1 heart attack. This means that the year-to-date total for line of duty deaths is at 181, a 63% decrease from the same time last year.

The Officer Down Memorial Page extends our deepest condolences to the families, friends, and agencies who lost a loved one to a line of duty death this past month. We encourage our supporters to read the memorials of each of the officers who died in the line of duty.  odmp.org

Are Gun Retailers Partly Responsible for Mass Shootings?
Gun industry faces wave of lawsuits that could reshape how firearms are sold

If successful, these suits, stemming from this year’s mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Highland Park, Illinois, may reshape how guns are sold to Americans.

The survivors and families of victims of recent mass shootings in Texas and Illinois are taking on gun companies and stores in dozens of lawsuits, alleging the businesses bear responsibility for the massacres.

Last week, survivors of the July 4 mass shooting at a parade in Highland Park, Illinois, sued gun maker Smith & Wesson Brands, two gun retailers and others for their alleged role in the attack that left seven dead and more than 40 injured.

The gun industry, under federal law, has broad immunity from the fallout of mass shootings. Experts say plaintiffs face an uphill battle. But survivors, victims, family members and gun law advocates see an opportunity to hold manufacturers and dealers liable by calling into question their sales and marketing practices. If successful, these suits may reshape how guns are sold to Americans.

“This is a company that chooses to stay ignorant of the harm they cause communities like Uvalde so they can continue to recklessly market their products and make millions,” said Stephanie Sherman, who is representing the families, in a press release. cnbc.com

Memphis, TN: TN Governor launches $100M violent crime intervention fund to help police agencies
Law enforcement agencies across Tennessee can apply for grants to strengthen public safety in their communities. The grants are part of Governor Bill Lee’s $100 million Violent Crime Intervention Fund.

“As Americans face rising crime nationwide, Tennessee is equipping law enforcement with the tools needed to keep every community safe,” Lee said. “Unprecedented times call for unprecedented support. I invite all police departments and sheriff’s offices to engage this opportunity so the state can thoughtfully invest these dollars in proven methods that will curb violent crime and strengthen public safety. Every Tennessean deserves to feel safe in their community, and our local law enforcement agencies deserve access to the resources needed to deliver that quality of life.”

The fund was included in the state’s Fiscal Year 2022-23 budget to support local law enforcement’s work to reduce violent crime and strengthen public safety. Eligible uses of funding include evidence-based crime intervention models, hiring and training of specialized violent crime units, purchase and application of technology and equipment, and law enforcement-led partnerships with community organizations to disrupt and prevent violent crime, the governor’s release said.  fox13memphis.com

Oregon sheriff criticizes new bail reform policies

The Other Side's View: One more time — the problem isn't bail reform

US: 98.7M Cases - 1M Dead - 95.9M Recovered
Worldwide: 628.4M Cases - 6.5M Dead - 607.7M Recovered

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 362  
Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 811

Warning Sign for the U.S.?
WHO says new COVID-19 wave emerging in Europe
A new wave of COVID-19 cases appears to be spreading in Europe, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) say.

WHO’s regional data showed that only Europe recorded a rise in COVID-19 cases in the week that ended October 2, clocking an increase of 8 percent from the week before.

“Although we are not where we were one year ago, it is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic is still not over,” the WHO’s Europe director, Hans Kluge, and the ECDC’s director, Andrea Ammon, said in a joint statement on Wednesday

“We are unfortunately seeing indicators rising again in Europe, suggesting that another wave of infections has begun,” they said. foxnews.com

These Remote Tech Workers Secretly Juggle Multiple Jobs
Working from home makes it easier to take on several full-time posts. The extra cash is nice—but simultaneous Zoom meetings can be tricky.

Is pandemic finally over? We asked the experts.

New study indicates one in 20 people suffer from long-term effects of COVID

US's estimate for uptake of the new covid booster was off by more than 90%

Your Colleagues Across the Pond - Register Now
ECR Group Video: Building the Business Case for IP Networked Cameras

October 18 at 8:00 a.m. ET / 1:00 p.m. UK time

For many retailers, the biggest investment in video systems happened nearly 20 years ago, when systems were analogue, and monitoring and recording was primarily undertaken on site: a 'cloud' was just a big puffy thing in the sky. For many video capability leaders, the challenge now is about how they upgrade to new technologies, take advantage of networking, consider video analytics, mitigate against a cyber-attack and figure out the role of Cloud computing and storage.

In this session, two retailers will share how they have tackled this transformation: how they learnt from others, recruited a project team, assessed their current and future needs, put together their vision, and five-year plan, and most importantly, persuaded the business to invest.

   Click here to register

DOJ's Corporate Crime Crackdown
Companies are in for a 'rude awakening'

DOJ Encouraging Self-Disclosure as Guilty Pleas in Corporate Crimes Down 70%

Only 90 guilty pleas by corporations were submitted in 2021, dropping from 304 in 2000, per a U.S. Sentencing Commission report.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is taking steps against corporate crimes, as a recent report from the sentencing commission shows a sharp decrease in guilty pleas by corporations. U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco and company have announced on multiple fronts that these numbers aren’t being taken lightly.

Although Monaco is fairly new in the role, appointed in April of last year, Monaco has made it clear in her short tenure that organizations that have been skating the line of legality are in for a rude awakening.

“Companies cannot assume that they are entitled to a non-prosecution agreement or a deferred prosecution agreement, particularly when they are frequent flyers,” Monaco said while speaking at New York University about corporate criminal enforcement. “We will not shy away from bringing charges or requiring guilty pleas where facts and circumstances require. If any corporation still thinks criminal resolutions can be priced in as the cost of doing business, we have a message — times have changed.”

Two tactics the department is looking into combating the issue of enforcement are speedier trials and self-policing by corporations. While telling audience members at NYU “speed is of the essence” when it comes to trials, Monaco dedicated a large portion of her speech to the importance of self-policing.

The clearest path for a company to avoid a guilty plea or an indictment is voluntary self-disclosure, Monaco said. The Department is committed to providing incentives to companies that voluntarily self-disclose misconduct to the government. In many cases, voluntary self-disclosure is a sign that the company has developed a compliance program and has fostered a culture to detect misconduct and bring it forward. cfo.com

Robots, Not Guards, Patrolling Many Businesses
These 5-foot-1 security robots are patrolling workplace hallways. Here's how companies are using them to protect offices and employees.

Despite surveillance concerns, security teams rave about the robots' ability to protect employees.

For some, the phrase "robotic security guard" conjures up images of dystopian all-seeing machines or the omnipresent "Big Brother" from George Orwell's novel "1984."

While not quite as menacing, the robotics startup Cobalt makes 5-foot-1 robots meant to replace human security guards. They patrol offices and report any observed anomalies. Cobalt's human security analysts can also communicate with office workers through a screen on the robot and assess the more complicated situations the robots encounter.

Cobalt's robots are fitted with more than 60 sensors, including thermal cameras, temperature and humidity sensors, and badge readers. The robots integrate into a company's security network, allowing them to respond automatically to triggered alarms. Using their knowledge of past security incidents, the robots can determine whether a situation needs to be escalated — for example, if the robot spots a broken window versus a faulty alarm.

According to Mike LeBlanc, Cobalt's president and chief operating officer, the company's value proposition became clearer during the pandemic, since the robots could replace unwieldy security teams that were no longer necessary in empty offices. In large workplaces, robots were able to more efficiently patrol multiple floors and respond faster to alarms. In smaller offices that required only a single guard, robots could take over all security tasks, from managing visitors to escorting employees to their cars late at night.

"There's such high turnover in security guards," LeBlanc said. "So the robots are actually able to fill these posts at a lower cost. People love that they can automate this and get the same thing every time, rather than paying more for someone where they're going to have varied results."

Employee privacy concerns: businessinsider.com

Apple Retail Workers Push for Union
Oklahoma City Apple employees take steps to unionize
Meetings have been going on since last month, when a majority of the employees signed a petition to join the Communication Workers of America union. While Apple has received union-busting complaints from both the Penn Square Labor Alliance and the National Labor Relations Board, employee and union organizer Michael Forsythe said social media — in this case, Discord — allows them to share information without fear of retribution.

"Management has to do all their union busting within a 4 to 8 hour shift that every employee has every day. If we have a digital space like this, we have control of that 24/7," Forsythe said.

Forsythe said the PSLA has learned from their colleagues in Atlanta, where the first Apple Store petitioned for a union in April and Towson, Maryland, where the first Apple Store won its union election in June. Much of this momentum follows CWA’s Campaign to Organize Digital Employees and their decision to focus on Apple retail workers earlier this year. publicradiotulsa.org

Kroger-Albertsons Merger Coming?
Albertsons merger with Kroger could be announced this week
Kroger and Albertsons are reportedly in talks over a proposed merger that would swell the combined chain to a footprint of 5,000 stores.

Starbucks closes first unionized cafe location in Colorado Springs

Some Apple workers in Australia vote to strike over pay, benefits

Consumer prices rise 0.4% in September, up 8.2% from a year ago