Midterms Could Shape CORCA's Future
CORCA's Future Hangs in the Balance as Midterm Elections Approach

By the D&D Daily staff

With the November 3 midterm elections just days away, the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA) faces a critical stretch in Congress. Despite overwhelming bipartisan support in the House, the legislation remains stalled in the Senate, raising questions about whether lawmakers can secure passage before the current congressional session ends.

Where CORCA Stands Today

The House passed CORCA on May 12 by a bipartisan 348-60 vote. The legislation would establish a federal coordination center to combat organized retail and supply chain crime, strengthen information sharing and provide additional investigative tools. However, the Senate has yet to advance the House-passed bill beyond the Judiciary Committee.

Could the Midterms Change Its Future?

The elections could reshape CORCA's legislative path heading into 2027. Changes in congressional control, committee leadership and legislative priorities could influence how the bill advances. However, its broad bipartisan backing could help sustain support regardless of the election results.

A Narrow Window for Passage

Supporters are pushing to include CORCA in the fiscal year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), potentially providing an alternative path to passage. Retail and commercial real estate organizations have urged congressional leaders to preserve the measure in the final defense package. With lawmakers facing a compressed post-election calendar, time is becoming an increasingly important factor.

What Happens If Congress Fails to Act?

If CORCA isn't enacted before the 119th Congress concludes in January 2027, the legislation would need to be reintroduced in the next Congress, restarting the legislative process despite its previous House approval.

For retail loss prevention and asset protection professionals, the coming weeks could determine whether years of advocacy produce new federal enforcement tools in 2026 or continue into another congressional session.


Using AI to Stop Shoplifting
AI-powered shoplifting detection expands in Chicago-area stores
Artificial intelligence is being used in about two dozen stores across the Chicago area to help identify suspected shoplifting as it happens, with supporters saying the technology improves theft prevention while critics raise concerns about surveillance and potential misuse.

Veesion, the company behind the software, says the technology works by adding AI software to existing security camera systems. According to the company, the system analyzes activity in real time and alerts store employees when it detects suspicious behavior.

"Up until now, retailors have leveraged camera systems in more of a passive manor. Identifying shoplifting if and when it's happening, and then trying to control the problem, right," said Hiren Mowji of Veesion. "With AI you have basically an algorithm that's watching 24/7, right. It's more consistent, it's more efficient, it doesn't get tired for example, and it's able to alert you if and when there is suspicious activity."

"Prices will go down because the store owners and manufacturers are not going to lose any money to be passed along to shoppers," said Barbara Stewart.

At International Fresh Market in Naperville, store manager Daniel Valle demonstrated how the technology works. During a review of store footage, a highlighted area on a shopper triggered an alert to employees.

"So in this situation here when this red box goes around this woman there's a push alert that goes to your employees," ABC7 Consumer Investigator Jason Knowles asked. "Right away. Right away, yes in seconds," Valle responded.

Valle said security staff then follow existing procedures to monitor the suspected shoplifter and intervene if merchandise leaves the store. "After they go outside the store, we catch them," Valle said.

According to Valle, the store now catches about two suspected shoplifters a day using the system. He said that when surveillance footage was reviewed by people, only a few suspected shoplifters were stopped each week. He also said signs notifying customers about the technology appear to discourage theft. abc7chicago.com


Fighting Retail Crime During the Holidays
Retail Crime Tops Agenda Ahead of Busy Shopping Season
The Atlantic director for the Retail Council of Canada is meeting with local business owners and the RNC to talk about crime ahead of the busy holiday season.

Jim Cormier, who was in St. John’s last week, says combatting crime against retailers remains a challenge across Atlantic Canada – and Newfoundland and Labrador is no exception.

Cormier says they realize that the RNC’s budget is stretched thin and that they are “doing what they can” but he is coming to the table with some initiatives that they do nationally.

He has invited the RNC to participate in their national task force, which includes police forces from across the country. He says they share ideas about how to address the issues, and “that seems to be making a difference.” vocm.com


Tougher ORC Penalties Take Effect
Pair of laws aimed at enhancing punishments for certain crimes set to go into effect
Two laws aimed at enhancing punishments for certain crimes are set to go into effect next week in Oklahoma.

House Bill 3244 strengthens punishments on organized retail theft and organized crime and it closes loopholes used to exploit vulnerable populations.

Meanwhile, House Bill 2941 will require first responders to notify law enforcement when they treat a drug overdose and establishes overdoses as the presumed cause of death in cases involving fentanyl.

Both bills go into effect on Nov. 1. kswo.com


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Keeping Retail Employees Safe During Peak Season
Customer Aggression: How to protect your employees during the peak-season rush
Nearly 60% of frontline workers experienced customer abuse or know a colleague who had during a typical four-week period in 2026, according to research from Halos earlier this year that polled 2,500 frontline workers across the U.S. and U.K.

That's especially concerning for retailers as we get further into peak season, bringing with it heavier foot traffic, demanding customer expectations, longer operating hours and increased pressure on frontline employees.

This time of year can also bring a spike in security challenges, from a higher frequency of shoplifting and confrontations over merchandise to disputes at checkout. These issues tend to peak in November and December, coinciding with increased in-store shopping. Protecting employees must be a priority.

The Halos research also underscores another issue: Two-thirds of respondents had considered quitting their jobs as a result of customer aggression, and 86% reported increased stress or anxiety due to customer abuse. Rising customer aggression — if unchecked — goes beyond security and becomes a workforce issue that can undermine employee morale, contribute to turnover and make it harder to retain talent.

Here are five things retailers can do to reduce risk and ensure workers know they are supported.

1. Make employee safety an operational priority
2. Have de-escalation protocols in place
3. Use technology to your advantage.
4. Encourage incident reporting
5. Close the feedback loop.

Employee safety is no longer just a security concern. It's a workforce stability issue. Retailers invest heavily in recruiting and training seasonal employees this time of year. Protecting those employees needs to be just as much a priority. chainstoreage.com


Human-Centered Safety Framework
A New Model for Safety Technology Implementation

The new framework aims to help companies overcome the inconsistent use or outright rejection of safety tech by their employees.

Sometimes the acronym just fits. In the National Safety Council’s Zero to Injury research, it offers a new framework to help companies successfully integrate safety technology.

The model is called T.R.U.S.T. and it’s a human-centered framework, according to a white paper from the NSC.

The need for the framework arose as companies find that while they invest money and time into acquiring safety technologies, they are often encounter “delayed or inconsistent use, workarounds or outright rejection by those they were intended to support,” the paper noted.

To address these challenges, NSC came up with T.R.U.S.T. which means:

• Transparency: Do workers know what the technology is, how it works, why it’s being implemented and how it will be used?

• Relevance: Can workers clearly connect the technology back to their work, safety or experience?

• Usability: Can workers use the technology easily and effectively under actual working conditions?

• Support: Do workers know what to do when they need help, encounter a problem or the technology fails?

• Transformation: Has the technology become part of how work is done? Is it creating meaningful value for workers? ehstoday.com