ShotSpotter: Majority of Retail Security Execs Anxious About Gunfire
A survey sponsored by ShotSpotter and the Loss Prevention Foundation shows increased attention in retail as U.S. gun violence escalates.
(Image: stock.adobe.com/Remo)
NEWARK, Calif. — ShotSpotter (Nasdaq: SSTI) announces the results of a Public Safety and Retail Security survey that revealed 55% of retail security executives are concerned or very concerned about gunfire at their store location. Almost 90% said it is very important that retailers partner with law enforcement.
The survey of 195 retail security executives, law enforcement officials and government agencies was conducted during an April 2021 conference, Public Safety and the Impact on Retail Security, jointly sponsored by the Loss Prevention Foundation and ShotSpotter.
Key findings from the survey include:
- 26% report being very concerned about gunfire in their store location, while 29% are concerned, 36% are somewhat concerned and 9% are not concerned.
- 88% say it is very important that retailers partner with law enforcement, while 12% say is it important and no respondents said it was not important.
- Only 5% feel their security personnel and associates are very prepared to respond to a violent incident on site, while 36% say they are prepared, 46% are somewhat prepared and 13% are not prepared.
- 24% rate their security team partnering with law enforcement as extremely successful, while 69% say they are somewhat successful and 6% say they are not successful.
William J. Bratton, the main speaker and former NYPD Commissioner and Executive Chairman of Risk Advisory, Teneo, said as part of his remarks at the webinar on Public Safety and the Impact on Retail Security, “In the retail industry, security cannot have all the responsibility for security and the police cannot have all the responsibility. What we need is to engage in a partnership that can focus on the various problems that have been emerging or escalating, whether it is mass shootings or violent crime.”
“With the sharp rise in gun violence across the country, it is essential for the retail industry to work more closely with local law enforcement and seek out new technologies so they can be better prepared to respond quickly if an incident arises,” said Paul Mascari, Director of Security Solutions at ShotSpotter. “Our SiteSecure solution alerts security personnel within seconds of a shooting incident around stores and parking lots, protecting shoppers and associates by enabling faster response by security, law enforcement and medical personnel.”
In 2020, gun violence killed nearly 20,000 Americans — more than any other year in at least two decades — according to data from the Gun Violence Archive. This makes the topic of public safety in retail stores and surrounding parking lot areas an important issue for both security teams and local law enforcement agencies.
SiteSecure for Retail is a new program from ShotSpotter that provides U.S.-based retailers with dedicated security experts to build custom tailored solutions for enhanced perimeter security. A key highlight of SiteSecure for Retail is seamless integration into existing video surveillance, access controls and other security technologies. It complements similar programs for corporate facilities, government buildings and college campuses.
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