New Retail, Law Enforcement Partnership to Combat Crime

By [ Lisa LaBruno ]
Washington, DC
08/12/2024

Today the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police announced a partnership to address retail crime. Together, RILA and IACP will develop educational resources, facilitate information sharing and enhance collaboration between leading retailers and law enforcement agencies to combat organized retail crime, prolific theft and disorder, and restore vibrancy to communities across the country.

Central to the RILA-IACP partnership is addressing under-reporting of retail crime and deepening collaboration between retailers and law enforcement. RILA and IACP will work together to develop training, best practices, resources, and guidebooks for retailers and law enforcement on retail crime topics.

“Through our work with the Vibrant Communities Initiative, retailers and law enforcement have experienced firsthand the power of collaboration in addressing complex community challenges like organized retail crime. As we broaden our ecosystem of stakeholders committed to working together in the fight against retail crime, IACP represents a vital partner in this groundbreaking effort to restore vibrancy to our communities,” said RILA Senior EVP of Retail Operations Lisa LaBruno. “We’re confident that through this partnership, both retailers and police leadership will find value in our collective resources and expertise and the result will be a united and effective community front against retail crime.”

“Perpetrators of Organized Retail Crime often move from store to store, across jurisdictions, stealing anything from everyday commodities to high-end merchandise. Operating across multiple jurisdictions makes it difficult for any single law enforcement agency to recognize the extent of their operations and highlights the need for cooperation between police agencies and retailers,” said IACP President Wade Carpenter. “We look forward to working with RILA to develop new resources and training that will allow our combined memberships to successfully combat this growing challenge.”

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Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA)

RILA is the US trade association for leading retailers. We convene decision-makers, advocate for the industry, and promote operational excellence and innovation. Our aim is to elevate a dynamic industry by transforming the environment in which retailers operate.

RILA members include more than 200 retailers, product manufacturers, and service suppliers, which together account for more than $2.7 trillion in annual sales, millions of American jobs, and hundreds of thousands of stores, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centers domestically and abroad.

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)

IACP is a recognized leader in global policing, committed to advancing safer communities through thoughtful, progressive police leadership. Through research, programming, and training opportunities, IACP is preparing current and emerging police leaders—and the agencies and communities they serve—to succeed in addressing the most pressing issues, threats, and challenges of the day.