LPF - Experts & Thought Leaders

As retail crime continues to evolve in scope and sophistication, an increasing number of retailers are focused on protecting their staff by deploying advanced technologies and augmenting their teams with expert security monitoring. According to the latest NRF survey, a substantial 46% of retailers have responded to increased security needs by ramping up their reliance on third-party security solutions.  Security Operations Centre To help retail and restaurant chains discover how they can leverage innovative technologies, Interface Systems, a managed service provider of business security, actionable insights, and purpose-built networks for multi-location businesses, will offer a rare insider’s look at the inner workings of a TMA five-diamond UL-certified Security Operations Centre. Organised by the Loss Prevention Foundation (LPF) and sponsored by Cradlepoint, the online event will be held on May 14, 2024, at 1:00 PM (EST). It will be led by asset protection experts who will discuss how retail and restaurant chains can leverage innovative technologies to safeguard against crime, loitering, and vagrancy. Why attend the webinar Learn Proven Strategies: Discover best practices and real-world use cases tailored to the unique security challenges faced by retail and restaurant chains. Explore Cost-Effective Solutions: Understand how Virtual Security Guard services can bolster security while minimising costs compared to traditional methods. Get a Sneak Peek at the Future: Learn about the next generation of Intelligent Voice Down solution that leverages AI-enabled cameras to detect and prevent crime before it occurs.

ShotSpotter, Inc, a pioneer in precision policing technology solutions that enable law enforcement to more effectively respond to, investigate and deter crime, launches its ShotSpotter SiteSecure™ for Retail program to provide outdoor gunfire detection for retail chains and malls. ShotSpotter SiteSecure is a gunfire detection solution that alerts retail security personnel within seconds of a shooting incident around their stores and parking lots, protecting retail shoppers and associates by enabling faster response by security, law enforcement and medical personnel. Highest retail violence Fatalities and violent incidents in retail spiked to an all-time high in 2020, increasing 40 percent since 2016, according to the latest D&D Daily retail crime report. The findings revealed that 88% of the fatalities were from gunfire and that parking lots experienced the highest retail violence, followed closely by stores and malls. ShotSpotter’s own gunfire data also showed a significant increase in retail area shootings ShotSpotter’s own gunfire data also showed a significant increase in retail area shootings, rising 42 percent from 2019 to 2020 in areas with ShotSpotter coverage. The increase includes 5,141 confirmed gunfire incidents within a quarter mile of retail establishments in 2019, to 7,299 in 2020. The retail establishments represented a mix of grocers, discount/dollar stores, big box retailers, home improvement/DIY, and supply chain/distribution centres that fell within U.S. coverage areas for ShotSpotter. Dedicated security experts SiteSecure for retail is a new program that provides US-based retailers with dedicated security experts, custom-tailored solutions for enhanced perimeter security, simplified pricing bundles, and seamless integration into existing video surveillance, access controls, and other security technologies. It complements similar programs for corporate facilities, government buildings, and college campuses. SiteSecure’s core technology uses acoustic sensors to listen for loud, impulsive sounds that could be gunshots. Using a combination of machine learning and human review, incidents are quickly verified and alerts are sent to law enforcement and security teams including a precise location of the incident, a number of rounds fired, and tactical information. Public safety personnel The alerts provide a critical time advantage that enable security officials to quickly mobilise The alerts provide a critical time advantage that enables security officials to quickly mobilise and safely mitigate the threat. SiteSecure’s technology is already used in over 100 cities across the U.S. to provide public safety personnel with a critical time advantage needed to act quickly and confidently in a crisis situation. “Improving safety around stores requires a range of solutions including sharing best practices and greater cooperation between retailers and law enforcement,” said Terry Sullivan, President of the Loss Prevention Foundation. “With a proven tool like ShotSpotter SiteSecure, retailers are assured that police and their own leadership teams will be quickly alerted to gunfire at a specific location and will respond swiftly to help keep customers and employees safe.” Ensuring public safety “Going with your family to the mall or department store should be a safe and secure everyday event, but sadly we have seen the threats of gun violence escalate to levels that have retailers seeking new solutions to ensure public safety in and around their establishments,” said Ralph A. Clark, President and CEO of ShotSpotter. “With SiteSecure for Retail, we can help retail locations provide a 24 x 7 outdoor ‘dome of protection’ for the people who work, shop and congregate in these locations and ensure first responders are notified quickly in a shooting event.” As part of the program, ShotSpotter has partnered with the Loss Prevention Foundation (LPF) to provide valuable resources and expertise to Loss Prevention and Security pioneers in retail. LPF and ShotSpotter will co-host a webinar featuring former NYPD Commissioner William Bratton on the following topic: Managing the New Normal - Perspectives on the State of Public Safety and the Impact on Retail Security. The session is open to the public and will be held on April 15th, 10 am PT/1 pm ET.

Theft, fraud, and losses cost the retail industry $61.7 billion in 2019, according to the annual National Retail Security Survey conducted by the National Retail Federation, security executives reported a steep increase in incidences of shoplifting, organised retail crime, and employee theft over the year prior. The Loss Prevention Foundation (LPF), a pioneer in educating and certifying retail loss prevention and asset protection professionals, and ASIS International, the membership organisation for security management professionals, have joined forces in developing the new Essentials of Retail Asset Protection Certificate. Retail security professionals “The LPF and ASIS joined forces to develop this new course with the intent being to better equip security professionals with the skills they need to curb losses in the retail environment,” stated Terry Sullivan, LPC, president, Loss Prevention Foundation. The LPF and ASIS joined forces to develop this new course with the intent being to better equip security professionals" “Providing leading-edge content that is both accessible and affordable was a key driver in the development of this certificate course.” The entirely virtual certificate course was designed so that retail security professionals can work through the learning modules at their own pace, demonstrating their knowledge on the proficiency test at the end. Addressing this ongoing challenge Individuals who successfully complete the course will be issued a digital credential through Credly for display in emails, resumes, and websites as verifiable proof of their achievement. “This CPE-eligible course equips those working in security roles in today’s retail environment with the skills and knowledge they need to address this ongoing challenge,” added Peter J. O'Neil, FASAE, CAE, chief executive officer, ASIS International. “From early-career professionals to more seasoned mid-level managers wanting to update their skill set, the certificate was designed to meet the needs of a broad range of professionals tasked with preventing loss in their organisations.”

What should be done to stop organised retail crime (ORC)? That’s the big question for retail businesses nationwide, as widespread concerns about ORC have sparked a multitude of strategies spanning everything from state-of-the-art surveillance technology, to advocacy for new state and federal legislation, to products locked up within theft-prevention cases — and, in some extreme cases, even the decision to outright close certain brick-and-mortar locations. Retailers are spending millions of dollars a year in their battle against organised crime rings, according to a Wall Street Journal report. But despite their willingness to invest in solutions, 70% of storefronts have nevertheless reported an increase in theft, with an estimated $95 billion in losses tied to retail shrink, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2022 Retail Security Survey. Loss-prevention techniques Of course, the consequences go far beyond lost revenue. At stores targeted by ORC, employees are less safe on the job: Nearly 40 percent of asset protection managers report that ORC offenders have used a weapon to harm an associate, according to the Retail Industry Leaders Association, and more than 80% of retailers say that ORC has become more aggressive and violent. Meanwhile, retailers also face serious brand risks by driving away shoppers as a result of their loss-prevention techniques. Locking up products may prevent theft, but it also hurts the in-store customer experience. Clearly, the fight against ORC is a complex challenge that calls for action on a multitude of levels Clearly, the fight against ORC is a complex challenge that calls for action on a multitude of levels. It’s encouraging to see both the U.S. House and Senate considering bills that would strengthen the federal response to this continuing issue. But the legislative process is slow moving — and retailers need solutions faster than the gears of Washington can turn. Establishing greater coordination That’s why it’s so promising to see local task forces emerge as an effective means to disrupt these criminal organisations on a broad scale. By establishing greater coordination between law enforcement agencies, local government, and retailers — and by deploying data analysis to identify the root causes of the issue, rather than the symptoms — these partnerships leverage the most advanced and targeted methods to detect and deter behaviour related to ORC. Across the country, states like Washington, Colorado, Illinois, Utah, and California are taking matters into their own hands by launching and expanding task forces dedicated to fighting ORC. These types of task forces are gaining popularity because they’re a mutually beneficial way to stop organised crime. Oftentimes, law enforcement cannot devote resources to cases that initially appear as low-level retail theft. Retailers, on the other hand, depend on law enforcement and prosecutors to root out criminal organisations and bring bad actors to justice. Data collection technology At their core, the ORC task force is a refinement of existing law enforcement techniques Recognising broader patterns of organised crime is not easy, which is why ORC task forces have become the preferred tool of choice for so many states and cities. By working together under the umbrella of a task force, all involved parties can share data that helps them quickly identify where ORC is happening, how it’s happening, and who’s behind it.  At their core, the ORC task force is a refinement of existing law enforcement techniques, enhanced by surveillance and data collection technology that reduces crime by helping to catch repeat offenders earlier. Typically, a retailer’s asset protection team would conduct an internal investigation by collecting video and transaction data about ORC, then deliver it to law enforcement and prosecutors for further action. Law enforcement work With a task force, retailers and law enforcement work in close cooperation, sharing resources and data in order to make the investigatory process more nimble and efficient. Especially at the state level, these partnerships unlock crucial visibility into the aggregate impact of individual ORC rings, allowing prosecutors to levy more serious felony charges against offenders. Again and again, retailers were lamenting how they weren’t equipped to share enough information A little over a year ago, our LiveView Technology team attended a town hall hosted by Loss Prevention Foundation and noticed a common thread: Again and again, retailers were lamenting how they weren’t equipped to share enough information and felt like they were operating in data silos, limiting their ability to recognise and reduce ORC. Retail parking lots To address that problem, we joined with the Loss Prevention Research Council to facilitate the kind of analytical coordination those retailers needed. Last November, we were proud to help to launch the Alliance of Companies and Communities to Enhance Safery and Security (ACCESS) task force. We partnered with the cities of Opelika, AL and Paducah, KY, along with law enforcement and major local retailers including Lowes, JCPenney, and Walmart to improve community safety and curb ORC. Here’s how it worked: LiveView deployed 65 total mobile surveillance units to retail parking lots across both cities. After the mobile units were put in place, the retailers, police, and the cities shared data with the Loss Prevention Research Council, which helped to anonymise, analyse, and track crime trends. Law enforcement resources Paducah had 33% less property crime and violent crime compared to 2021 By drawing insights from those trends, the task force was able to identify ORC faster, allocate law enforcement resources efficiently, and ultimately make their cities safer. While the holiday season is typically a period where retailers see increased theft, both cities quickly saw positive results from the ACCESS task force. On the week of Black Friday, Paducah had 33% less property crime and violent crime compared to 2021. Meanwhile, the city of Opelika saw a 39% drop in property and violent crime after just one month. Organised retail crime Organised retail crime will not be solved overnight. But as more and more places embrace the potential of ORC task forces, successes like those in Paducah and Opelika are important evidence that the path to crime reduction depends on cooperation and partnership. While we don’t know how ORC will evolve next, it’s a certainty that new methods of theft will emerge. When that happens, the task force model ensures that retailers, law enforcement, and local government will be best equipped to respond and react to make their communities safer.