In anticipation of GSX, we sat down with presenters of upcoming sessions in order to get a better understanding of the topics at hand. This week we are featuring, “Partnerships That Work: Retail & Law Enforcement Become Allies in the War Against ORC” presented by Joseph Courtesis, Inspector at Jcour-Consulting LLC (3SI Securities), and Michelle Anderson-Silva, Senior Manager, Investigative Systems & Tools, at Gap, Inc. Read on for what they had to say and don’t forget to register for GSX 2023!
Q: How did you become interested in your topic?
JC: As a member of the NYC police department ORC was a major issue. However, apprehending the perpetrators and prosecuting them to the full extent of the law is difficult. In fact, it is impossible if retail and law enforcement do not work together. The suspects often times run into the establishment (sometimes masked) and take large quantities of merchandise. They typically load it into a vehicle a flee the scene quickly. By the time law enforcement responds to the location the suspects are long gone. In addition, the lack of a detailed description of the suspects and an accurate description of the property stolen make it even more difficult to apprehend the suspects.
Q: Tell us about your presentation and why should security professionals have this topic on their radar?
JC: Our presentation will discuss some of the technology law enforcement is using in cooperation with retail establishments. I will discuss shared success stories that include apprehensions and the recovery of stolen merchandise.
Q: What advice you would give security professionals interested in this topic?
MA: Remain curious, find ways to be engaged and be the partner you want on the other end. We know that battling ORC will not be successful if done in a silo; therefore, it takes everyone doing their part and rolling up their sleeves to support one another. If the bad actors are on the same team, we have to be too.
Q: How do you see this issue evolving in the next 2-5 years?
MA: Time will tell, but I believe how legislation evolves will have an influence.