As we enter into the holiday season, I would like to give thanks to an industry that is constantly energized and vigilant. I am eager as we view the forecast for 2010. RILA has been monitoring the pulse of the industry and is happy that the economy shows signs of an upswing. While our domestic markets have been holding steady, it has been a time for international expansion for some of the nation’s leading retailers. International development always presents some interesting challenges, including operational and cultural, and RILA applauds these retailers for their success in these areas.
RILA has not just witnessed international success as of late but also valuable success on Capitol Hill. In October, RILA was happy to host loss prevention executives from around the country and all segments of retail for an Organized Retail Crime (ORC) Fly-in. Loss prevention executives had the opportunity to speak to key decision makers and members of Congress on Capitol Hill to directly support three federal bills that combat ORC. RILA’s gratitude goes to ADT/Sensormatic who showed their support in the fight against ORC by sponsoring events during the fly-in.Since the fly-in, RILA, who chairs the Coalition Against Organized Retail Crime (CAORC), commended the introduction of a fourth federal bill, which also addresses the problem of ORC. Our recognition and applause extends to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security for holding a hearing on the matter. For more information regarding ORC and the legislation surrounding this subject, please ensure that you are subscribed to the CAORC’s ORC Report.
Even with legislation making significant movement on Capitol Hill, retailers continue to stay attentive to operations, especially with the holiday season quickly approaching. To better understand the current crime trends that are happening in the loss prevention field and understand their change from earlier in the year, RILA will be conducting our Crime Trends Survey. This survey, conducted every six months and in its third iteration, will be released to potential participants in the early part of December. The study will examine retailers’ observations, actions and reactions in the last 6 months with respect to crime in the context of the economic impact. If you would like to learn more about participating in this survey, please contact us immediately.
Lastly, we hope that before you rush into the busiest season of the year for retail you take a moment to plan your trip to theRILA Loss Prevention, Auditing & Safety conference, May 2-5, 2010, in Dallas, TX. With many of the industry’s most well-respected and seasoned loss prevention professionals planning and leading the conference, you can be sure that 2010’s event will be full of invaluable education and content. So, give your team Christmas early and let them know that you are planning on bringing them to the can’t-miss event of the year.
We are always honored and proud to represent you and your needs in such exciting and ever-changing times. If there are ways that RILA may support you and your company’s top-of-mind issues, please feel free to contact me . I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you, and have a wonderful holiday season!
Kind regards,