WalMart. Thousands of police calls. You paid the bill.

Same every where you go. Wal Mart attracts a type of customer I prefer to not be around, if im being honest. So i rarely go there. The parking is so tight that I park in the far flung reaches of the parking lot just so I don't run the risk of having to choke slam some idiot in one of those "parking disputes" that seem to happen there.

Wal Marts theft policies are a part of the problem. As a taxpayer, knowing that the police will actually arrest someone for even the smallest theft is rather annoying. Maybe we could redirect narcotics forces into property protection instead?

But the discussion around allowing Wal Mart to have store security carry out police duties scares the living hell out of me. Do we want the Tampa area police to encourage the creation of a Corporate Police Force?

People need to realize that running to WalMart every time someone gets caught stealing seriously cuts into doughnut time or time spent flirting with some woman at a counter somewhere. You want them to do police work? That's dangerous.

I am not against the police responding to Wal-Mart at all. My concern, and that of the agencies, is when dozens of times a day, they have to spend anywhere from 2-4 hours or more on processing an individual whos crime was a $0.97 soda theft, which can be handled in house through alternative means that do not eat up valuable patrol time.

This city has run a very successful community patrol program that is very involved with the neighborhoods and citizens they serve which have drastically reduced vilent and drug crimes over the last two decades. These endless calls to service for petty theft are now affecting our agencies abilities to maintain these routines which have proven effective in some very troubling neighborhoods. These lapses in visibility and presence is beginning to lead to a noticeable resurgence crime in certain neighborhoods near certain Wal-Marts . I even overheard some officers once quietly discussing that a small local drug gang was starting to pay their junkies to go cause trouble at Wal-mart to keep the police there and draw them away from the normal patrols.

Are any other communities having these issues with their police agencies and Wal-Mart? I understand it is a long read, but in my city the journalists do some very diligent research and fact gathering so the article are very informative. Just take ten minutes to read it over, and the numbers alone may be shocking.

a reply to: Domo1

While I agree it depends on company and policy, in my case it is dependent on state law as well.

In Nevada you can't work as a security guard, PI, or security consultant without obtaining a PILB. While we can make a citizens arrest under very particular circumstances, no security guard has arrest powers by law.

a reply to: projectvxn

Licensed armed security in Nevada can legally detain people.

Enlist today in Wal-Force!

The new private, all-for-profit, militarized army of Walmart!

In Wal-Force you'll never get to see the world. You will, however, get to see the PEOPLE of Walmart! Armed with weaponry procured in bulk from the lowest bidder in China, you will be Walmart's last line of defense against unsavory shoplifters and unruly teenagers!

Wal-Force: Enforcing Everyday Low Prices

"I don't know what you were sold, Walmart's prices are mighty bold! Sound off!"

a reply to: MystikMushroom

Ermm blackwater security forces?

a reply to: Vector99

I'm just imagining a private Walmart army and what it would look like:

Blue body armor.

Horrible and cheaply made weapons.

Not one responsible unit commander around when needed.

"Soldier of fortune? Nah, I'm a soldier of Walmart!"

a reply to: MystikMushroom

That would be terrifying. Imagine their riot gear helmets. They will probably be those yellow smiley faces. Imagine what a scrimmage line of those would look like. Their war chant (think moari) woukd be the stupid walmart song they make all employees sing everymorning before their shift starts.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

The only time I go to walmart is to get cheap produce like watermelons and oranges on the way to the shooting range. Even then im in a mad scramble to get in and out of there as fast as possible.

a reply to: MystikMushroom

Well I would rather they have their own private police force for store issues than force our municipalities to hire more officers (raise taxes anyone), or reduce their patrols of the community to handle the nearly 17,000 calls for service across the four counties WalMart stores are generating . Every shopping mall in this area is at least 3 - 4 times the size f the biggest Walmart out here, but even all those combined do not generate even close to this volume of calls for service. The shopping malls and the individual businesses there do a decent job of handling the issues of petty theft and unruly patrons better than any Walmart apparently.

So I guess the consensus here is that, WalMart is always evil and guilty, except when the local police agencies express concern about the impact of their volume of calls for service for matters they can handle in house like many competitors and how it affects their ability to police surrounding neighborhoods. Now the police are just lazy right??

I feel that they have a legitimate concern.

a reply to: IkNOwSTuff

It's not that bad, at least in my experience. Different parts of the country are different however. While I don't often find myself at Wal-Mart, where I live...or at least in the part of town I live in you have nothing to fear at Wal-Mart...other than cheap Chinese merchandise. I would say the problem is not Wal-Mart itself but those area's likely have a high crime rate to begin with.

However if you do come to the states...don't make Wal-Mart a destination lol.

a reply to: Vector99

I can legally detain someone using citizens arrest. Provided I have probable cause to detain someone committing a felony or gross misdemeanor.

It's a fine line. While I can do it, most situations don't call for it. Casinos, government buildings and other similar places have particular licensing for certain security activities. They do Not have arrest powers. The police do. All you can do is detain them.

a reply to: AmericanRealist

With Roll-back low prices you attract Roll-back low brow customers. The other shopping centers who also pay taxes likely have a customer base which is a bit less degenerate and less criminal.

a reply to: projectvxn

Not sure in most states that you can detain a person by force unless there is a clear threat to safety, though. Sounds like a good way to end up with a George Zimmerman court case circus.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Um...that's if you are a guard in California..it varies from state to state...in SC armed security officers have the same arrest authority as a sheriffs deputy

In Alaska, security can arrest under a PPA form for small misdemeanors...

SO the rule varies, but what I said is basically correct about the companies....not the states.

a reply to: BASSPLYR

"We're here to roll back the enemy...and the enemy is high prices!"

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
Incorrect, it has nothing to do with insurance:

It varies from state to state.

Here in New York, a security guard can gain what they call "Special Patrolman" status. That gives them the right to make arrests and issue criminal summonses. Macy's in New York City has these. When they catch someone for shoplifting they place them under arrest, book them into the criminal justice system just like they would if the police came, issue them a summons to appear in court, and release them. And yes, it does come down to money. insurance wise it is very expensive to get liability insurance to employ Special Patrolmen in New York

Is it time for this crap again? Every so often someone does a report like this about Walmart. Here's something to think about. If Walmart had UNION employees, you would never hear about them. That's all this.

A security guard is merely a private person even though he wears a uniform. The security guard may arrest a person when that person has committed a felony, but only if a felony has actually been committed. If the offense is not a felony it must be committed or at least attempted in the presence of the security guard before a citizen’s arrest can be made. Whereas, the requirement is not so demanding for a police officer who can arrest a person for a felony as long as the officer has probable cause to believe the person committed the felony, whether or not the felony occurred. Source

Well then, that would be the problem with using a security guard. Most offenses at WM aren't felonies. In fact, I'd venture to guess that 90% or even more aren't felonies. I believe theft must be in the value of over $700 in many states. So stealing a couple videos and candy bars doesn't suffice as cause for arrest by a security guard.

Of course WM has the benefit of calling the police when they feel it is necessary. But having the proper personnel in place at WM would alleviate a lot of the need to call police. That's why many stores refer to it as 'Loss PREVENTION'. If people know they can get away with misdeeds, they are more apt to commit them. Having the right personnel in obvious locations, alert and watching people lets potential criminals know that the risk is greater and they may choose not to commit a crime. But WM has a problem with having enough personnel period. It takes a great deal of time to find someone for assistance at any WM I've ever been to. I'm surprised they catch criminals at all.