Heritage Grocers Group’s Post

Austin, Texas

The role of systems in the control environment is crucial. Investing in good systems provides a higher level of assurance, much like hiring a police officer with a gun instead of a club. With good systems in place, your control environment is strengthened, ensuring better protection and risk mitigation. #Systems #ControlEnvironment #RiskManagement

Is officer workload putting safety and liability at risk? Excessive manual tasks are slowing your officers down, leaving them vulnerable in high-stress situations. When officers have to focus on activating cameras or managing evidence, it takes attention away from where it’s needed most: on the scene. This not only increases risk but opens your department to greater liability when incidents aren’t captured and documented accurately. In our upcoming webinar, you’ll learn how Automated Body Camera Systems empower officers to stay ahead of these challenges by: ✅ Automating incident recording, ensuring that crucial moments are captured without the need for manual activation, which enhances officer safety in the field. ✅ Reducing administrative workload, allowing officers to spend more time on patrol and less on paperwork, leading to improved job satisfaction and focus. ✅ Minimizing liability with reliable, automated documentation that accelerates complaint resolution and protects your department from legal risks. Join experienced leaders like Sheriff (Ret.) John Boyd, Chief Andrew McIntyre, Lt. Cameron Kovacs and Raymond Harrison, who will share how these solutions are already protecting officers and improving department efficiency. 🔗Register Now: https://bit.ly/3XU0ASU #LawEnforcement #Police #OfficerSafety #Webinar #BodyCamera

I’m really looking forward to this upcoming discussion on automated body cameras and their impact! We have a great panel of experts that can really dig and dissect this topic! #Bodycameras #Webinar

A rookie mistake from my first group ORC surveillance Back when Organized Retail Crime (ORC) was becoming a buzzword, I had my fair share of learning experiences. As a Regional Loss Prevention Manager for a major retailer in Houston, I was invited to assist in a collaborative surveillance operation with multiple retailers. I had plenty of experience conducting solo surveillances, but this was my first rodeo working alongside other retailers and coordinating as a team. Upon arrival, the team handed me a CBradio with a huge antenna. Since I'd been doing solo surveillance to date, I never needed a CB radio. Thinking nothing of it, I slapped that big, shiny antenna on my car. 📡 Almost immediately, Minia M. Chadwick  politely pointed out that having a massive antenna on your roof isn’t exactly “covert.” Discretion is critical, and that antenna was practically a neon sign saying, “Hey, look over here!” Cue the embarrassment and a quick lesson in group surveillance tactics. We promptly relocated the antenna inside the car, discreetly positioning it around the backseat headrest. Despite the rocky start, the operation was a success, and I walked away with newfound knowledge and a funny story to share. Moral of the story: No matter how experienced you are, there's always something new to learn. Anyone else have a memorable rookie mistake? Share your stories below!

How does Workplace Violence Mitigation Work? Here is an example from an actual client's experience. Client, whom we already perform pre-employment background investigations for, calls on a Monday morning at 8:00am and gets one of our staff on the phone (no VM, we answer the phone). Client had vehicle theft from their parking lot the night before, offender was cognizant of security camera locations. Client wants physical security on premises for an amount of time TBD. Done! We have resources for such a situation and they were dispatched within hours of the call. Client is also concerned about employee safety, which is now suddenly a top priority. We had previously conducted a security site survey for this client and need to discuss with them what recommendations were followed and which ones need yet to be implemented and how they may have mitigated this situation. Client also now recognizes the need for Active Shooter Response Training to better mitigate an actual workplace violence event as opposed to just a motor vehicle theft. Done! We are currently working on scheduling our Active Shooter Response Training at their location. There is no need to be only reactive in these situations! Contact us today and let us EMPOWER you to mitigate these losses proactively. https://lnkd.in/gYKwujK8

“Hide & Seek,” “Cops & Robbers,” and “I-Spy” were games we played as kids—and we got paid to play them as adults. That’s what drew many of us to the profession. But those who stuck around and adapted to the evolving landscape of Loss Prevention realized there’s more to it than just catching the bad guys. They’re the ones who helped secure us a seat at the table today. Early on, some saw these changes as “doing too much,” especially the old-school Loss Prevention vets who opposed the change. But those who looked beyond just shoplifting found ways to control total loss, and they made all the difference in helping to change leaders perception of Loss Prevention. With the way laws and legislation have shifted, and the softer global response to retail theft, many of us would be out of a profession we loved if we hadn’t evolved beyond the cat-and-mouse mentality. Although I believe we’re starting to turn things in the right direction in relation to the global response, a futher evolution is essential. The many Loss Prevention professionals I’ve had the privilege of working with have an incredible grasp of the broader business. They use that insight to influence change, navigate retail’s political landscape, and stay ahead of the curve. Companies that don’t give their Loss Prevention teams a seat at the table are worse off without them. Thank you Tony Sheppard, MSM, CFI, LPC for the reminder of where we came from and the hard work many of in put in to get to where we are as an industry today. As I am on the sidelines currently, I have tried to stay as active as possible. Joining webinars, attending conferences, and just talking shop with others in the industry. It is important that we all continue to be active within the industry if for nothing more than to give back to the next generation. Loss Prevention is continuing to evolve.

"No company, regardless of its size, is exempt from the risk of an active shooter—events often driven by a personal grievance related to disciplinary actions, workplace bullying, or domestic relationships. When conducting risk assessments companies should consider an active shooter as a possible event, instead of an unlikely one. Having a plan in place to address threats is an essential first step. Investing in tools, technology, and training to support an active threat plan should be considered equal to investing in a fire system and conducting fire drills." #security #activeshooter

Training, professionalism, communication, being properly equipped and dressed...all things that contribute to your safety on the job. The numbers are out for last years on the job deaths and injuries.  https://lnkd.in/gDR5QDUQ a breakdown of police deaths and includes a comparison to how many were shot but not killed.For Security deaths broken down: https://lnkd.in/gAdk8rTM that having been said, while security is dangerous it still isn't the most dangerous job. Being a sales associate is still more likely to result in your death, at 21% of all on the job homicides, than being a police or security officer (combined the total reaches 19%), and corrections is still where you are most likely to be attacked and injured (149 non fatal assaults per 1,000 workers for corrections vs 95 for security and 83 for police). https://lnkd.in/gHX7-wbF some major reasons why: https://lnkd.in/gBUPiEBY

From ‘playing cops and robbers’ to the future of LP. My 30-year journey in loss prevention. Laws, technology, and the sophistication of crime have changed in 30 years, but I have not. I’m a loss prevention professional through and through. I am passionate about where we came from and where we are now. When I started, we were playing cops and robbers. Today... ➜ LP is a profession ➜ There are LP certifications ➜ There are LP college courses ➜ LP reports to the C-suite I started as a store detective at Montgomery Ward (which shut down its retail presence in 2000!). I moved up the ranks from the store level to the regional level. Over the years, I worked with Bloomingdales, Family Dollar, and Pep Boys. I was exposed to many different retail segments. The bulk of my career was at CVS Health - 18 years. And in the last 10-15 years, I leaned heavily into organized retail crime at CVS and Ulta Beauty. In addition to my day job, I was always involved in the industry. I attended conferences and shared my stories, perspectives, and knowledge to advance the LP industry. Three years ago, I joined ThinkLP as the VP of Retail Risk Solutions. Instead of waiting for the next conference, I work day in and day out to evolve the industry into the future. I talk with prospects and customers every day. I now have the perspective of 200+ global retailers X 30 years. I now share that 360 perspective and insights back to the LP industry. It’s an exciting time in loss prevention. While the crime is more sophisticated, the technology is even more sophisticated. Never before have LP professionals had visibility across all facets of the business AND interoperability across systems. The future is already here; it’s just not distributed evenly. But I’m here to bring it forward for everyone. Who’s coming with me?  P.S. Give me a follow and ring the 🔔 in my profile to hear about the industry’s past, future, and present.