Loss Prevention Tips/Advice

[Protagonist]

Hey everyone, just got hired at Walmart for Asset Protection Associate. I know there are a lot of topics about security guards/LPs being dumb and I want to avoid that as much as possible.

Looking for advice from anyone who knows anything about it, especially current former LPs, and Officers too. I'm just going to be doing this gig until I get done with college and hopefully get into LE. I know I'll be trained but I want to be as prepared as possible beforehand.

Thank you.

[just joe]

If you are looking for LP advice, I suggest you go to the security forum listed under "Sister Sites" at the bottom of the O.com face page. There are quite a few people there who do LP for a living, so it might be a pretty good resource for you.

[Bully]

Like stated above, you should go to that other resource. Other than that, I once worked LP at Kmart. One thing I noticed above everything is that a lot of LP guys tend to be very gung ho and want to catch the bad guy. They will get into fights with thieves and get themselves either hurt or sued over a small piece of merchandise. Just remember that the items you're trying to recover are not yours. Don't get yourself hurt or sued because you use force on someone taking things that you don't own, from a company that won't back you when the stinky stuff hits the fan. Just prevent the theft from occurring before the guy gets outta the store by making it obvious he's being watched.

If he does get outta the store with the stuff, be a good witness. Most cops also won't break too much of a sweat going after someone that commits a misdemeanor theft also. Some district attorneys will just slap the guy on the wrist too. So depending on the jurisdiction, it might not be worth the huge stack of paperwork for the cop to deal with a minor shoplift.

That being said, do your job to the best of your abilities and stay safe.

[Iowa #1603]

Like Bully stated ------watch the Gung Ho stuff Your job is to observe and report. Write that down so you remember it.



There is nothing wrong with asking questions about your LP job in this forum if you don't think the Security Forum is giving you what you want -----------just be aware that this is primarily a LE forum. There are a lot of former LP personnel on here that have gone on to LE jobs and will probably pipe in as time goes on.

[westside popo]

If you use force as a Walmart LP, to defend yourself they'll apparently fire you. At least that's how the media reported it in my area.
http://www.securityinfowatch.com/Retail/1319660

[SRT936]

Observation skills are key, especially being able to recognize people no matter how they look. The best job an LP person can do is to prevent the theft in the first place. That means recognizing frequent fliers as they come in the door and either turning them around or make it clear that you're watching their every move.

Despite the issues that a small fraction of LP agents have, the majority are straight up professionals that do an outstanding job. When I got into property crimes, I joined up with the local Loss Prevention Association and those people have been a GREAT resource for me. They know all the dirtbags and can identify most of them on sight.

Having said that, as others have mentioned, don't become one of the jack wagons.

[Bully]

If something ever happened and I had to get back into LP, it would be with Target. They run an outstanding operation. They even have a crime lab. Go figure.

[crass cop]

dont ever stand in front of a car with a bad gu behind the wheel...to prevent him/her from leaving

[insomniac]

Looking for advice from anyone who knows anything about it, especially current former LPs, and Officers too. I'm just going to be doing this gig until I get done with college and hopefully get into LE. I know I'll be trained but I want to be as prepared as possible beforehand.

Be safe and smart about what you do! Don't be billy bad *** and get yourself hurt or in trouble civilly and/or criminally. Nothing in the store is worth getting hurt or fired over! Don't let anyone make you feel like you can't stand back, observe, and thoroughly report the theft to law enforcement after the fact if you get a bad feeling that the shoplifter you are watching may turn violent if you try to stop him.

[pujolsfan146]

My job on the side mainly consists of working as an investigator for a police department. I have solved many cases through working with lp at Wal Mart. A lot of burglaries and violation of the credit card act. I love it when burglars use stolen credit cards at Wal Mart. Every time I have gone there I have gotten excellent video, copies of receipts and photos.

I have a very good rapport with the lp workers and I am very grateful!

[Chiguy27]

Feel free to PM me any questions! I've done LP for a few years with a couple of different places. I love every second of it and am also looking to start a career in LE in a couple years as well.

[irishlad2nv]

Hey everyone, just got hired at Walmart for Asset Protection Associate. I know there are a lot of topics about security guards/LPs being dumb and I want to avoid that as much as possible.

Looking for advice from anyone who knows anything about it, especially current former LPs, and Officers too. I'm just going to be doing this gig until I get done with college and hopefully get into LE. I know I'll be trained but I want to be as prepared as possible beforehand.

Thank you.

Best advice would be not to work LP for Walmart. They don't care if you catch anyone. Go work at Target or elsewhere.

[Aerohead]

Like stated above, you should go to that other resource. Other than that, I once worked LP at Kmart. One thing I noticed above everything is that a lot of LP guys tend to be very gung ho and want to catch the bad guy. They will get into fights with thieves and get themselves either hurt or sued over a small piece of merchandise. Just remember that the items you're trying to recover are not yours. Don't get yourself hurt or sued because you use force on someone taking things that you don't own, from a company that won't back you when the stinky stuff hits the fan. Just prevent the theft from occurring before the guy gets outta the store by making it obvious he's being watched.

If he does get outta the store with the stuff, be a good witness. Most cops also won't break too much of a sweat going after someone that commits a misdemeanor theft also. Some district attorneys will just slap the guy on the wrist too. So depending on the jurisdiction, it might not be worth the huge stack of paperwork for the cop to deal with a minor shoplift.

That being said, do your job to the best of your abilities and stay safe.

+1

Getting hurt or sued can keep you from getting a job as a police officer later on. I worked as a LPO a few times and had a mixed bag of co-workers from wanna-bes to off-duty cops (shhh...don't tell on them!) - you can learn a lot but remember, at the end of the day, the store is insured from loss and it's not your property and it's not worth dying or killing someone over. Good luck!

[Neverwas..]

+1

Getting hurt or sued can keep you from getting a job as a police officer later on. I worked as a LPO a few times and had a mixed bag of co-workers from wanna-bes to off-duty cops (shhh...don't tell on them!) - you can learn a lot but remember, at the end of the day, the store is insured from loss and it's not your property and it's not worth dying or killing someone over. Good luck!

i worked security/LP at more than a few stores. the pay was bad, i never had Enough Arrests and if i got in a "fight" i was on my Own! what's not to like? oh.. and it was 98% Boredom!!!

[913]

Be careful about putting your hands on someone.......never forget you are nothing to Walmart. Just another chump employee. A dime a dozen. Don't get your *** kicked or hurt because you put your hands on the wrong person or get sued or charged with a crime.

And most of all, never forget Wal Mart can hear you.........http://www.southparkstudios.com/clip...t-can-hear-you