Strengthen Retail Security & Enhance Workplace Safety with
Off-Duty Law Enforcement

Discover how off-duty law enforcement enhances safety and deters crime while protecting employees and assets.

Retailers are under more pressure than ever to prevent theft, ensure employee safety and maintain business continuity across stores. Criminal activities are on the rise, and they can severely disrupt operations, leading to financial losses and a tarnished reputation. Workplace security not only safeguards assets and sensitive information but also protects employees and visitors, fostering a safe and productive environment.

Hiring off-duty law enforcement is a proven way to level up your retail security strategy. Off-duty personnel are uniquely positioned to deter criminal activities, respond swiftly in emergencies and provide an added layer of protection. By integrating off-duty law enforcement into your security strategy, you can create a safer, more secure workplace environment.

Protos Security's workplace security blog explores ways that off-duty law enforcement can benefit retailers and increase workplace safety.

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ORC Crews Love the Holidays
Why Organized Retail Theft Targets the Holidays — And It’s Not Just About Volume

By the D&D Daily staff

The holiday season has long been associated with higher retail theft risk, but organized retail theft (ORT) groups are not drawn to the holidays solely because of increased sales volume or crowded stores. Instead, the season creates a unique set of operational conditions that make retailers more vulnerable to organized, repeat theft activity.

One of the biggest drivers is distraction. During peak holiday weeks, store teams are focused on customer service, fulfillment, and keeping shelves stocked. LP teams are often stretched thin, covering more locations or supporting temporary staff who may be unfamiliar with theft indicators. ORT groups exploit this shift in priorities, knowing that detection and response thresholds are often higher during high-traffic periods.

Staffing changes also play a role. Seasonal hiring introduces a large number of temporary associates who may lack training in theft prevention or escalation protocols. While these associates are essential for managing holiday demand, they can unintentionally create gaps in situational awareness that organized crews are quick to identify and exploit.

Return policies are another key factor. Many retailers extend return windows and relax enforcement during the holidays to improve the customer experience. ORT groups closely track these policy changes, using them to facilitate return fraud or move stolen merchandise through legitimate channels after the holidays end.

Supply chain and inventory flow further complicate the picture. High inbound volume, frequent floor resets, and rapid replenishment cycles can make it harder to identify anomalies tied to organized theft. ORT crews understand that shrink tied to holiday inventory is more likely to be attributed to operational loss rather than investigated as organized activity.

Finally, ORT groups benefit from predictability. Holiday calendars, promotions, and peak shopping days are public knowledge. Organized crews plan activity weeks in advance, targeting specific locations, product categories, and time windows when intervention is least likely.

For retailers, the takeaway is clear: holiday ORT risk is less about dramatic incidents and more about sustained exploitation of seasonal pressure points. Addressing this risk requires maintaining investigative discipline, reinforcing training for temporary staff, and ensuring that ORT patterns are still actively monitored—even during the busiest time of the year.


Businesses Urge Congress to Fight Retail Crime & Gun Violence
Congress Asked to Do More to Help Founders Cope With Retail Crime, Gun Violence

Crime not only scares away customers, but can also eat away at a founder’s bottom line.

Entrepreneurs and small-business advocates want lawmakers to get tougher on crime.

The House Committee on Small Business last week held a hearing examining the hardships crime imposes on small businesses, focusing on everything from violent crimes and gun violence to retail theft and cyberattacks.

Small-business owner Hrag Kalebjian, who owns Henry’s House of Coffee in San Francisco, highlighted the challenge of dealing with repeat offenders, an instance that can hurt a shop’s reputation and dissuade patrons from coming back.

Former deputy director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention Greg Jackson also testified before the committee, emphasizing the benefits of increased access to victim services, which can help small businesses cope with the costs associated with gun violence.

Perhaps the biggest target of the hearing were state laws that establish dollar amounts before theft is treated as a felony. For example, California passed Proposition 47 in 2014, which created a $950 threshold before theft is upgraded from a misdemeanor to a felony.

Critics of the measure argue that it actually incentivizes criminals to steal because they can get away with it without more serious repercussions as long as they don’t hit the felony threshold. That’s because law enforcement is unlikely to prosecute these criminals until it becomes a felony because of the high incidence of smaller-dollar theft.

“The lack of prosecution results in repeat offenders we hear about time and time again, whether it’s Mr. Hrag being hit 35 times or big-box retailers being hit 600 times,” Tom Wickham, managing director of government affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, told the committee. “This is a message that gets out there among the criminal network.”

Wickham added that the Chamber is working “to change the laws in all the states to allow aggregation, so [criminals are] not allowed to hit these stores just below the felony limit and then do so repeatedly.” inc.com


Law Enforcement Goes High Tech to Fight Holiday Theft
Increase in holiday shoppers also brings increased retail thieves authorities say
The holiday period is an exciting and busy one for small businesses, and Action Camera in Rocklin is no different, said photographer enthusiast and community and media manager of the store, Ellie Doyen. With lots of shoppers also comes the threat of increased retail theft, said authorities. Something Doyen said they are sadly familiar with.

Rocklin sits in Placer County, and District Attorney Morgan Gire said they like to remind businesses to stay vigilant at this time, as many retail thieves know what they are doing.

“These are organized networks who use sophisticated communication methods and sophisticated mapping to try and figure out their targets,” Gire said. “Which means we have to employ intelligence and collaboration to try and disrupt those.”

He said they are doing that happily and throughout the year have been working with 30 agencies in 27 counties from all parts of California. “Ninety-five percent of them come from out of county beyond our jurisdiction, which means we are a hub,” Gire said.

Gire said criminals need to think twice as always but especially now with Prop 36 in place allowing for consolidation of thefts of individuals across counties, noting a recent 10-year prison sentence handed to a thief. He also noted that 71% of retail theft defendants had prior convictions for dangerous crimes.

“We’ve had tremendous success collaborating, sharing intelligence, identifying repeat criminals that are going from county to county, so that we can we can disrupt the entire network,” Gire said.

It’s part of the reason Gire said he feels group smash and grabs have lessened. Doyen said her business community has taken notice of the support from law enforcement because, unfortunately, retail theft is still a very real reality. spectrumnews1.com


Congressional ORC Hearing TODAY
Protecting Consumers and Businesses: Confronting Organized Retail Crime
The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance held a hearing on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. ET. The hearing, "Protecting Consumers and Businesses: Confronting Organized Retail Crime," examined the nationwide surge in Organized Retail Crime and how increasingly violent and sophisticated theft rings are harming businesses and communities.

Click here to watch


‘I don't see any evidence': DC mayor responds to crime data reports
Reports by the House Oversight Committee and the Department of Justice accuse DC police of manipulating crime data.

DC Crime Stats Controversy: Misclassification Scandal Continues

Kentucky AG taking on organized retail crime in Kentucky