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Check out today's 'Vendor Spotlight' from Auror directly beneath the 'Top News' column to learn what it takes to defeat ORC.
 

NRF's 'Fight Retail Crime Day' - October 26
Tell Congress to take action to fight the retail crime surge

2 ways Congress can fight retail crime
Organized retail crime is on the rise. According to NRF’s 2022 National Retail Security Survey, retailers reported an average 26.5% increase in ORC. Perhaps more concerning, retailers also noted an increase in violence and aggression associated with ORC. These shocking crimes not only put employees and customers at risk — they also add to total shrink, costing the industry almost $100 billion in 2021.

This rise in crime has caught the attention of policymakers in Washington and they are considering legislation to help. Here are two ways Congress can fight retail crime.

Curb the sale of stolen goods online by passing the INFORM Act

To help curb the sale of counterfeit goods and stolen merchandise, bipartisan legislation called the INFORM Consumers Act would require online marketplaces to verify the identity of high-volume third-party sellers.

Increase federal coordination to fight crime by passing the Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act

The recently introduced Combating Organized Retail Crime Act seeks to increase coordination between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies by establishing a Center to Combat Organized Retail Crime at Homeland Security Investigations.

The proposed Combating Organized Retail Crime Act will help combine expertise from state and local law enforcement agencies as well as retail industry representatives. It also creates new tools to assist in federal investigation and prosecution of organized retail crime and help recover lost goods and proceeds. This coordination is a critical step for retailers to effectively combat criminal activities.

Fight Retail Crime Day

NRF has named October 26, 2022, as Fight Retail Crime Day. On this day, NRF will recognize the nearly 100 congressional supporters of our ORC priorities as Retail Crime Fighters, encourage additional congressional support and highlight ways the retail community can make its voice heard. We need all retail advocates to contact their members of Congress and ask them to support these bipartisan solutions to fight retail crime. nrf.com

Progressive DAs Fueling ORC & Lawlessness?
Op-ed: The Real Epidemic in Our Cities: Lawlessness
America’s recent crime wave has been fostered by poor policy decisions, prosecutorial activism, and apathy for justice. At least a dozen major American cities set records for murder totals in 2021. While some are calling for enacting harsher criminal penalties, the problem in many American cities is rooted in the lack of criminal accountability and an unwillingness of prosecutors and elected officials to enforce the laws we already have.

Amidst the persistence of the “defund the police” movement, the recent collective response to rioting, looting, and lawlessness in most major cities has been flaccid. Across the country, elected officials and prosecutors entrusted to enforce the law are implementing reckless bail “reform.” Across the country, organized shoplifting and retail theft crimes have become more violent, brazen, and sophisticated.

Businesses and large box stores here are succumbing to organized retail theft at an alarming rate. And with the advent of online marketplaces, it has become easier for criminal networks to offload goods quickly and anonymously.

Employees are relatively powerless to stop this rash of theft and police agencies are stretched too thin or constrained by top-down political calculations to intervene. This epidemic is demoralizing to business owners, employees, and law-abiding customers alike, who are paying the price with higher costs and thus increasing dependency on the online capabilities of big-box stores. The next generation of customers and business owners will be harmed in ways we haven’t yet imagined because of an unwillingness to demand law and order and collectively tackle this wave of theft.

Many of the top cities affected by organized retail crimes are those under the unwatchful eyes of liberal mayors, district attorneys, and even state attorneys general. The continued spike in organized retail crimes in these jurisdictions is, in large part, a direct result of the lack of leadership from those who were elected to enforce our laws and keep their citizens safe. townhall.com

San Francisco Has Become a 'City of Chaos'
Crime running unchecked in the city’s core shopping areas.

S.F. store owner’s viral message after a year of constant retail theft: ‘Something has to change’
The CEO of a popular clothing chain announced he shuttered its store in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley shopping district on Tuesday, saying it’s beset by organized retail thefts, and that the perpetrators have apparently outwitted all his security measures.

“It’s sad, but San Francisco appears to have descended into a city of chaos,” Cotopaxi founder and CEO Davis Smith wrote in a blistering and instantly viral LinkedIn post — the latest illustration of crime running unchecked in the city’s core shopping areas.

Smith went on to describe how thieves repeatedly smashed the windows of the store he opened a year ago. After gaining entry, these flash-mob-style theft crews grabbed thousands of dollars of merchandise and fled, only to return days later, he said.

Although Smith said he tried covering the window with plywood, installed a metal security gate, and even began locking the door during store hours and only opening it for customers, nothing seemed to work.

He went on to criticize San Francisco leaders for reducing police patrols downtown, saying the city had let down taxpaying businesses. Smith then listed various quality-of-life issues — including car break-ins and open air drug use — that keep welling up on San Francisco retail corridors, fueling social media memes about lawlessness and a fraying city.

“Something has to change in San Francisco,” Smith concluded. sfchronicle.com

Crime & Prop 47 Top Issues in Calif. AG Race
California's Attorney General race: Bonta vs Hochman

Here’s where Rob Bonta and Nathan Hochman stand on the big questions about California crime, justice and law.

Do you support making significant changes to or outright repealing Proposition 47?

Hochman: Yes, though did not specify what specific changes he would like to see. Though he was particularly critical of the provision in the law that reclassified theft of property under $950 from a felony to a misdemeanor, he stressed that “as long as Prop 47's on the books, I'm enforcing Prop 47.”

Bonta: He said he is “open to any discussion on how we might be able to strengthen our state’s criminal justice system,” but stressed that current law has already allowed the state Department of Justice to break up multiple major retail theft rings.

What two initiatives would you pursue first to address the growing public concern about crime?

Hochman: He said he would “create a spiral of lawfulness” so that “crimes actually do have measured consequences.” He also said he would make addressing fentanyl overdoses a top priority by holding regular press conferences, aggressively prosecuting dealers and launching “a very robust educational effort” aimed at kids.

Bonta: “Public safety is job number one, two and three.” He emphasized programs to reduce gun violence by prosecuting street gangs, investing in violence intervention programs and enforcing the state’s strict gun laws. He also pledged to continue focusing on violent crime and putting more resources toward prosecution and victim services. abc10.com

Armed Police Robots in Oakland, CA
Oakland, Calif., Is Weighing Lethal Capability for Police Robot

Police officials in the Bay Area city are asking to use robots fitted with military-grade percussion-activated non-electric disruptors — used to disable bombs. But the devices could also fire lethal shotgun ammunition.

The Oakland Police Department is considering deploying potentially lethal robots armed with shotgun rounds.

According to a report by the Intercept published Monday, an Oakland police spokesperson said that despite objections from a civilian oversight board, the department still has its sights on using said robots. The police department needs permission from a "governing body," per California law, to use military-grade percussion-activated non-electric (or PAN) disruptors, which could be outfitted with live rounds.

Typically, PAN disruptors are used to disable bombs from up to 10 meters away using blank shells. At a September Oakland Police Commission subcommittee meeting, Oakland Police Lt. Omar Daza-Quiroz explained to subcommittee member Jennifer Tu how the robots could be armed with lethal force.

"Yeah, physically, a live round can go in, absolutely, and you'd be getting a shotgun round," Daza-Quiroz said. He went on to say, "I mean, is it possible we have an active shooter in a place we can't get to? And he's fortified inside a house?"

While the technology has been billed as a way for police to intervene in crisis situations with reduced risk, critics caution that the deployment of robots in this context could, in fact, make police more likely to cause harm. govtech.com

Can Online Reforms and a Homicide Video Ban Really Thwart Mass Shooters?

Woman fined $200 for accidentally stealing less than $7 at Walmart self-checkout

US: 98.9M Cases - 1M Dead - 96.3M Recovered
Worldwide: 631.6M Cases - 6.5M Dead - 610.5M Recovered

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 362   Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 813

Amazon COVID Workplace Safety Lawsuit
NYC Amazon workers win partial revival of COVID-19 safety lawsuit
Amazon.com Inc must face a claim that it failed to protect New York City warehouse workers and their families from COVID-19, a U.S. appeals court ruled on Tuesday while dismissing the bulk of the workers' 2020 lawsuit.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York reversed a federal judge's ruling that said only the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) had the power to review complaints about Amazon's workplace safety practices.

OSHA may have expertise in worker safety, but the legal issues posed in Amazon's case "are within the conventional experience of judges," Circuit Judge William Nardini wrote for the court.

The 2nd Circuit, however, upheld the dismissal of other claims, including that Amazon created a "public nuisance" by failing to stop the spread of COVID-19 and did not properly provide payments for sick leave.

The case involves workers at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island that employs about 5,000 people and had become the company's first unionized facility earlier this year. The union campaign was spurred by concerns over worker safety amid the pandemic.

Amazon did not respond to a request for comment. The company has denied wrongdoing and said it took various steps to protect warehouse workers.

The lawsuit, which was filed in Brooklyn federal court, said Amazon had made the Staten Island warehouse a “place of danger” by forcing employees to work at "dizzying speeds." That prevented them from socially distancing, washing their hands and sanitizing their work spaces, the workers said. reuters.com

Big Cities 'Decimated' by COVID & Remote Work
Downtown San Francisco Can’t Shake Working From Home
The Covid-19 pandemic decimated activity in large North American central business districts, none more so than downtown San Francisco, which has struggled mightily to rebound.

These statistics, from a recent report by the University of California at Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies that uses mobile-phone location data, are from last spring (a report with updated numbers should be out next month). Timelier Google location data for the whole city indicate that while retail and recreation mobility has continued to rise, activity at workplaces — which are concentrated downtown — has been about the same in September and October as in the spring.

The much-watched back-to-work statistics from Kastle Systems, which measure how many people come into the buildings that use the company’s security systems, do show an increase for the San Francisco metropolitan area, to 42% of pre-pandemic normal last week from about 35% in the spring — bumping it up to second-to-last place among the 10 metro areas tracked, ahead of Philadelphia. But it’s not clear how much of that is in downtown San Francisco and how much is in other areas like the large complex of biotech labs and offices along the bay just south of the city, where the parking lots were full when I passed by on a workday late last month. washingtonpost.com

New Variant Could be a Global 'Nightmare'
Is there really a COVID ‘nightmare variant’ spreading? Here’s what experts say
While the United States contends with the newly detected COVID omicron BQ.1 subvariants, another highly mutated strain of the coronavirus called XBB is tearing across Southeast Asia, where in some countries, it has caused the number of cases to double in a day.

Some more sensationalist reports have called XBB a “ nightmare variant ” due to its apparent ability to evade immunity and dampen some therapies. But infectious disease experts say it is too soon to jump to such broad conclusions.

The good news is the updated bivalent boosters — which contain half the recipe that targeted the original coronavirus strain and half protection against the dominant BA.4 and BA.5 omicron versions — are designed to broaden immune defenses against newer strains. Experts just don’t know how much. sfchronicle.com

Airlines are cashing in on remote work
United Airlines reported better-than-expected quarterly profit of $942M. What’s interesting is that the carrier is attributing at least part of its financial success to the growing trend of remote work.

States ending COVID-related pandemic emergency measures

FDA authorizes booster shot for Novavax’s Covid-19 vaccine

Workplace Safety Investments are Critical as Violence Rises
Realizing A Return on Investment On Workplace Safety

There's no greater ROI than protecting customers & employees - for both the bottom line and brand reputation

Why is it that when the FBI tells us acts of violence are on the rise across the nation, we choose to disregard this well-informed data? Why is it acceptable that research shows workplaces are lagging on safety procedures for critical incidents like workplace violence (43%), system outages or cyberattacks (43%), active shooters (42%) and hazardous materials incidents (41%)?

The National Safety Council (NSC) tells us that workplace violence is on the rise and nearly half of U.S. employers are unprepared to prevent or respond to incidents. Why isn’t corporate America listening?

Duty Of Care

As leaders, we have a duty of care—a responsibility to safeguard our employees and visitors.

Leaders listen to numbers. So, why is the business world so reluctant to invest in safety when the metrics speak for themselves? Researchers for Liberty Mutual and National Safety Council reported that the top causes of on-the-job injuries cost U.S. employers more than $1 billion per week and work-related injuries and death cost U.S. employers and individuals a whopping $171 billion in 2019, respectively.

If organizations don’t take prudent and common steps to avoid horrific workplace incidents, it can affect both their bottom line and brand reputation.

Business Continuity

Investing in safety is also critical for business continuity. Today’s leaders uniquely understand how quickly business operations can be turned upside down if companies aren’t prepared for disruptions, including acts of violence, severe weather and other crisis events. When it comes to business continuity, corporate reputations and company profitability are both at risk. It’s time for the investment in workplace safety to follow suit. forbes.com

Global Surge in Aggressive & Violent Retail Customers
Aggression in the workplace: how to support your people

Employees embroiled in toxic cultures are ready and willing to quit

Hospitality managers are being urged to back employees on the receiving end of rude behavior, if they want to attract and keep good people for their businesses. This was the advice of Genius You CEO Simone-Ellen Keller, also a former bar owner, who pointed out that it’s unlikely that unfavorable working conditions are the sole reason for the skills shortage. According to Keller, low pay, demanding working conditions, and even a drop in immigration have always been present and did not deter workers from joining the industry in the past.

Keller pointed out that the growing cases of rudeness and intolerance from customers are most likely the factors driving workers away. Retail NZ previously reported that retailers continue to face "high levels of in-store violence, aggression, and anti-social behavior."

"I think the workforce that is coming through, your Generations Ys, expect to be treated better, but rude and abusive customers are now a constant occurrence," Keller said. Retail NZ has already advised the public to avoid being aggressive towards retail workers, with "Shop Nice" signs already put up to keep their behavior in check.

"Retail NZ is encouraging New Zealanders to take a moment and breathe instead of involving retailer workers in an undue aggressive or tense situation," said chief executive Greg Harford. "Kiwis will continue to see Shop Nice posters throughout retail stores, social media content and advertising, as a reminder of the impact undue actions can have on workers."  hcamag.com

Progressive Lawmakers Call on FTC to Block Kroger-Albertsons Merger
These senators are pushing back on the $25 billion Kroger-Albertsons merger
The proposed $25 billion Kroger-Albertsons grocery giant merger is already running into significant opposition from progressive lawmakers and others.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts on Wednesday called on the Federal Trade Commission to block the deal. “More mergers and less competition would mean even higher prices—and layoffs for employees,” Warren said on Twitter.

Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont has also urged the regulators to reject the deal. And the Senate Judiciary’s antitrust subcommittee announced Tuesday that it will hold a hearing next month to scrutinize the merger.

“We have serious concerns about the proposed transaction between Kroger and Albertsons,” Senators Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Mike Lee of Utah said in a joint statement. “We will hold a hearing focused on this proposed merger and the consequences consumers may face if this deal moves forward.”

Senators Klobuchar, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Cory Booker of New Jersey urged FTC chair Lina Khan Tuesday to investigate the merger, saying it “raises considerable antitrust concerns.”

The proposed merger, which the companies expect to complete in 2024, would combine two of the largest grocers in the United States. Kroger currently owns nearly two-dozen chains, including Ralphs, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, Mariano’s and QFC. Albertsons, meanwhile, owns 24, such as Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s and Acme. cnn.com

Driving Up In-Store Traffic by 57% Over 2020
Target’s Deal Days event drives an uptick in store traffic: report
Signaling the success of new retail holidays, Target’s foot traffic increased by 3.2% during the week of October 3-9, 2022, compared to October 4-10, 2021, according to a Placer.ai report.

The October Deal Days event, which ran Oct. 6-8, attracted nearly 28% more average daily visits from customers to Target locations than last year, and nearly 57% more daily visitors per store than in 2020, according to the report.

The Deal Days event generated more visits on Saturday, Oct. 8, than on the Saturday and Monday of Labor Day 2022, but the combined visits during Labor Day weekend surpassed the October 2022 deal days, the report also found.

Though Labor Day is a popular retail holiday, the uptick in foot traffic for Target signals that major retailers may benefit from creating their own shopping holidays that steer consumer behavior, Placer.ai noted in its report. The Deal Days event spread partially over the weekend suggests that consumers are open to shopping holidays that occur during an otherwise slow timeframe. retaildive.com

Target vet joins REI as VP of stores, retail operations

Children’s Place exec joins C-suite at Ollie’s Bargain Outlet