Target is the only retail corporation police like security position?

Discussion in 'Miscellaneous' started by Nick086, Jul 9, 2013.

  1. Nick086

    Nick086 Captain Captain

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2007
    So is Target the only store to have security that will show an irate customer out the door if they are cussing, making threats, and causing a scene? I think they have to call the police if a customer is making death threats to an employee right in their face. I don't think most stores have security doing that except when it comes theft by the customer or the employee.
     
  2. Amaris

    Amaris Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 25, 2002
    Location:
    United States
    Re: Target is the only retail corporation police like security positio

    When I worked at Ames (I was about 17 at the time), a customer threatened to jump the counter and slit my throat because I didn't have a cell phone he wanted. It was the customers who eventually got him to leave. The Manager didn't really give a shit. :lol:
     
  3. Gryffindorian

    Gryffindorian Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2002
    Location:
    Gryffindorian
    Re: Target is the only retail corporation police like security positio

    Their internal security guards are part of the asset protection team, whose primary duty is, well, to prevent thefts or stop shoplifting.
     
  4. auntiehill

    auntiehill The Blooness Premium Member

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2006
    Location:
    on the couch
    Re: Target is the only retail corporation police like security positio

    Dillard's did and still does, but they also hire off-duty police officers, so they are doubly covered. Amazing how the sight of a police uniform will suddenly shut a person up.
     
  5. ManOnTheWave

    ManOnTheWave Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2005
    Location:
    ManOnTheWave
    Re: Target is the only retail corporation police like security positio

    Yeah, Target was initially just the discount end of Dayton Hudson, and department stores have employed store detectives for ages. It's only the last ten years or so that they have a uniformed presence, but security has always been there. Target was also the first store I remember having hidden cameras and visible fake dummy cameras everywhere.
     
  6. Tora Ziyal

    Tora Ziyal Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2010
    Re: Target is the only retail corporation police like security positio

    I once saw a Safeway pharmacy tech or cashier threaten to jump the counter and attack a customer who had just threatened her. Security surrounded the customer, a manager held the employee back, and everyone waited for the police to arrive.

    Same Safeway, a few months later: Some guy with a utility knife ran through the store, chasing someone who either was actually shopping or just ran into the store to get away from him. Blood and police all over the place.

    That was the last time I shopped there.
     
  7. M'Sharak

    M'Sharak Definitely Herbert. Maybe. Moderator

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2002
    Location:
    Terra Inlandia
    Re: Target is the only retail corporation police like security positio

    I remember the Safeway in the Duboce Triangle district in San Francisco having uniformed security when I lived there in 1992-3. It got kind of interesting during the evening hours sometimes.
     
  8. Tora Ziyal

    Tora Ziyal Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2010
    Re: Target is the only retail corporation police like security positio

    ^ I prefer my grocery stores to be less interesting. ;)
     
  9. M'Sharak

    M'Sharak Definitely Herbert. Maybe. Moderator

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2002
    Location:
    Terra Inlandia
    Re: Target is the only retail corporation police like security positio

    Me, too. There were a couple of nicer and far less interesting grocery stores which were nearer, but they closed for the evening at a fairly early hour so (unless one wanted to make a real excursion of it) there was either Weird Safeway or wait until tomorrow.
     
  10. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    May 10, 2005
    Location:
    Confederation of Earth
    Re: Target is the only retail corporation police like security positio

    We used to have uniformed cops in our store, then for awhile we switched to plainclothes security. (Especially since we're open 24/7.) Now I think we have undercover types at all times.
     
  11. cultcross

    cultcross Postponed for the snooker Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2001
    Location:
    UK
    Re: Target is the only retail corporation police like security positio

    :vulcan: Is that legal? Surely a bit of a conflict of interest?
     
  12. auntiehill

    auntiehill The Blooness Premium Member

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2006
    Location:
    on the couch
    Re: Target is the only retail corporation police like security positio

    Apparently, it is indeed legal and there's not conflict of interest for the police officer. He is an officer and a security guard. He doesn't get paid extra for making arrests, but Dillard's used to prosecute EVERY case of shoplifting--no matter a 5 dollar item or 500. A lot of the officers, however, didn't to bother arresting someone for stealing a single lipstick. They would hand out warnings or take the item back and just "escort" them from the store, which made store's head honcho a bit peeved.

    There were also many news-worthy cases where the police went a bit overboard and beat a shoplifter so badly, the man died, and a few cases of an in-store fight with thieves resulting in shots being fired. Dillard's was always being sued or investigated for something---harassment, discrimination, police abuse, etc.

    I worked there for years. Not a fun place to be employed, not by a long shot, but the off-duty officers were all great guys and I never had any problems with them. In fact, they would escort me to safe every night when I made the daily deposits.
     
  13. Sigokat

    Sigokat Commander Red Shirt

    Re: Target is the only retail corporation police like security positio

    Best Buy in Fayetteville, NC has an on-duty uniformed Fayetteville Police Officer on the premise at all times. The car is always parked right in front of the door as well.

    Gotta love ol' Fayette-nam. I cannot wait to PCS from that hellhole once I get home from the hellhole I'm currently in.