Insights from TAL Global’s Managing Directors on the Future of Risk…
What threats are emerging, and what will shape the way individuals, organizations, and nations manage risk? TAL Global’s senior advisors share their perspective on what’s coming and what leaders must be ready for.
These are professionals who have shaped crisis responses for governments, designed risk strategies for Fortune 500 companies, and guided organizations through the most volatile moments of the last two decades.
Mike Keenan addresses the intersection of social behavior, retail theft-driven disruption, and how new tech and legislation are reshaping loss prevention security.
The Future of Loss Prevention
Mike Keenan is the quintessential seasoned professional, intimately involved in every aspect of the retail theft & loss prevention effort, from analysis and design, to the implementation of effective loss control and people safety strategies, as well as, the examination of results in the field, the evaluation of the impact of legislation and social trends, and the assessment of new technologies. He approaches loss prevention from a deeply philosophical perspective that emphasizes the human element, with a focus on essential, results-driven training and awareness using a pragmatic and common-sense approach.
Keenan sees several areas of legislative, social and technological changes that will impact the loss prevention profession in the near future. In his view, these changes mostly signal a positive direction for the loss prevention industry, and the business and social communities it supports:
New Legislation/Regulations
According to Keenan, the passage of Proposition 36 in California brings back some essential consequences into the law that were removed with Proposition 47, re-enabling retail theft tools that will signal to potential criminals, particularly shoplifters and thieves, that they will be held accountable for their crimes. Prop. 36 gives law enforcement, prosecutors and judges the ability to enforce the laws and make sure that unlawful behavior comes with negative consequences for the perpetrator(s).
“We’ve gotten to a place where breaking some laws, especially around theft, carries very little consequence,” says Keenan. “Stealing is not a victimless crime, and consequences are essential to maintain social order.” Such developments, Keenan predicts, if/when implemented in the community, will also give businesses a much-needed morale and practical boost of confidence, with the knowledge that law enforcement, and the community at large will help address the problem of theft and vandalism that plagues many areas.
Social Changes and Social Media
Society, according to Keenan, is changing rapidly, and social media is an excellent reflection of some of these changes, including social attitudes toward certain behaviors. Intelligently monitoring and analyzing social media can help loss prevention professionals assess and predict social changes that may impact their profession. “Swarming is a major problem in the retail sector,” says Keenan.
“Intelligent monitoring of social media by law enforcement may help predict and interdict upcoming swarming events.” Keenan remembers how an employee of a jewelry store, who took to stealing from his place of employment, was apprehended after law enforcement monitored his social media accounts and discovered photographs of the employee displaying some of the stolen merchandise.
The evolution of social attitudes toward drug addiction-related theft, can be a predictor of the increase or decline in shoplifting and retail theft activities in certain areas. “In the Bay Area, for example,” says Keenan, “the business and law enforcement communities were accused of “crying wolf” for a long time regarding the lax prosecutorial approach toward shoplifting and other property crimes. It turns out that there was a wolf.”
According to Keenan, there are distinct signals of social changes in these areas, and these changes, including the decline in willingness to accept such behaviors as “victimless crimes,” is likely to bring about a change – if all involved, including the loss prevention industry, law enforcement, prosecutorial and judicial communities pay heed to the changing social climate.
New Technologies and AI
According to Keenan, technology is an enabler, and new technologies enable both an increase in productivity and profitability for all types of companies. Unfortunately, criminals exploit these technologies. For example, they can use the internet marketplace as a way to sell stolen merchandise. “Technology is generally implemented ahead of security controls,” says Keenan. “Although technology is well intended, criminals can take advantage of these new technologies. Criminals are great first adopters, and we need to develop methods to stay ahead of the criminals.”
The role of a smart loss prevention program is to maximize the positive impact of new technologies while minimizing their negative potential impact. Keenan predicts that AI will become a great tool in, sifting intelligently through huge volumes of collected data, assisting loss prevention professionals in detecting, analyzing and focusing on loss-related anomalies and dishonest behavior by staff and customers alike.
About Mike Keenan
Mr. Mike Keenan is a former Foreign Counter-Intelligence Specialist with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Keenan has more than 35 years of professional retail Loss Prevention (LP) experience and is a consummate and passionate loss prevention professional. Keenan uses his expertise to analyze, design, consult, advocate, educate and help create smart, effective loss prevention environments that supports a healthy business and a healthy community.
During his long career in loss prevention, Mr. Keenan has managed a wide spectrum of major retailers throughout North America, including Macy’s, Ross, Mervyn’s, Longs Drugs and GAP – each with its own unique set of challenging features.
Mr. Keenan’s expertise has brought to each of these retailers an ability to design and implement unique solutions, integrate new technologies, and contribute to substantial reductions in losses as well as to keeping employees and customers safe. He did this through tools that increased employee involvement, enhanced professionalism, stressed accountability, and fostered a culture of responsibility.
Mr. Keenan holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, is a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) with ASIS International, a Certified Forensic Interviewer (CFI) and is Loss Prevention Certified (LPC). He is a licensed Private Investigator for the State of California.
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