Retailers prepare for wary crowds
Security increases after shootings as tax-free school holiday nears
Retailers used to consider crowd control and shoplifters as they prepared each year for thousands of back-to-school shoppers taking advantage of Texas’ taxfree holiday in early August.
After Saturday’s mass shooting at an El Paso Walmart that killed at least 22 shoppers, retailers must now consider how they will respond to a greater threat: active shooters.
“Retail stores are in general some of the safest environments in the country,” said Bob Moraca, vice president for loss prevention at the National Retail Federation. “Unfortunately, these things are going to happen from time to time. You have to prepare to respond, because the safety of employees and customers is paramount.”
Houston-area retailers and police sought to reassure shoppers expected to descend on local stores for the tax-free holiday, taking place Friday through Sunday. The weekend-long tax break will waive as much as 8.25 percent in state and local sales taxes on clothing, shoes, school supplies and backpacks.
The Houston Police Department said it plans to direct more patrol officers to busy shopping centers this weekend.
“We normally increase directed patrols during tax-free weekend, but we’re taking into account what happened in El Paso,”
“We normally increase directed patrols during tax-free weekend, but we’re taking into account what happened in El Paso. People will see additional visibility in more established retail centers throughout the city.” John Cannon, a Houston Police spokesman
said John Cannon, a Houston Police spokesman. “People will see additional visibility in more established retail centers throughout the city.”
Walmart said it may deploy additional “asset protection teams” on a store-by-store basis in the aftermath of the weekend shooting. The yellow-vested employees standing at Walmart entrances typically greet customers, process returns and check receipts to deter shoplifting, but are also now being trained to handle customer arguments and play a security role, said Randy Hargrove, a Walmart spokesman.
The Bentonville, Ark.based retailer employs third-party security guards or uniformed offduty police officers at some of its stores that experience more crime. Walmart did not have any armed security personnel at its store in El Paso.
“Security is a top priority for us, and we’ve invested quite a bit in safety,” Hargrove said. “But no retailer is immune to this challenge or can predict violence.”
Walmart has been training its employees how to respond to active shooters since 2015, making the training mandatory on a quarterly basis since 2017. In recent months, Walmart has added virtual reality headsets to its computerbased active-shooter training, which advises employees to be cognizant of their surroundings, run or hide from shooters and be prepared to aggressively defend themselves as a measure of last resort.
Target, in a statement, said it has several store safety procedures, including employee training and partnerships with local law enforcement.
“We consistently review our programs and security measures to help us be as prepared as possible in the event of a security situation,” a spokeswoman said in an email.
Mall owners Simon Property Group and Brookfield did not respond to questions about their security measures ahead of the tax-free weekend.
Simon owns the Galleria mall and the Houston Premium Outlets, while Brookfield owns several regional malls, including Baybrook, First Colony and The Woodlands malls.
Moraca, the loss-prevention expert with the National Retail Federation, said many retailers will be reviewing their security and active shooter protocols in the wake of the El Paso shooting.
The retail federation provides its 18,000 members with a 20-page guide on how to prepare and respond to active shooters, and encourages owners of malls, shopping centers and stores to conduct active shooter drills regularly.
“I think retailers are doing everything they can to keep customers as safe as possible,” Moraca said.
“No one wants to be the next headline.”