Macy's Agrees to Enforce Policy Against Racial Profiling in Shoplifting

AP ^ | 1/14/2005 | Michael Gormley

[NJ Neocon]

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - A division of the retailer Macy's has agreed to pay $600,000 and make sure its security officers adhere to store policy which prohibits using racial or ethnic profiling in detaining suspected shoplifters.

The agreement between Macy's East Inc. and state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer was announced Friday and covers Macy's stores in New York State

[Swanks]

But they will enforce their racial profiling in hiring.

[Teslas Pigeon]

Can someone tell me why "racial profiling" is such a big deal but no one ever mentions sexual profiling? This would be where someone tends to single out one sex for traffic tickets, or assumes that because someone is of a particular sex, they are more prone to criminal activity.

[LasVegasMac]

But they will enforce their racial profiling in hiring.

Why do you say that? Recent court cases? What?

LVM

[Rome2000]

Eliot Spitzer

One socialist crook helping out his own.

[Moonman62]

Yet another boost for shopping over the internet.

[GeekDejure]

store policy which prohibits using racial or ethnic profiling in detaining suspected shoplifters.

======

Stew Pid As Holes !!!

[ScottFromSpokane]

In other words, they're going to start racial profiling to make sure they don't breach their quotas.

[Nitro]

On the upside, they will now follow white people and watch them not steal.

[MIgramma]

Well, now ya jus' KNOW what happens next...
Same thing that is happening 'round here..
Our lovely Prosecuting attorney will not prosecute a shoplifter over 55. Claims no jury would convict them. Even when caught on tape.
The storeowners might just as well hang a sign SENIOR CITIZENS HELP YOURSELVES.

[j_tull]

Eliot Spitzer

One socialist crook helping out his own.

And the next Governor of New York.

[NJ Neocon]

Oh my God! I never thought of it that way!

[jdm]

Any music lover notice how the classical CDs are almost NEVER locked up in used CD stores? I once found a rare, out of print, Michael Rabin (renowned, legendary violist) box set which sells for $800+ on eBay for $25 (mint condition) at a used record store. While it wasn't in the bargain bin, it was easily accessible to anyone. Meanwhile, retailers are busy putting their used $3 Britney Spears CDs behind locked glass.

[libs_kma]

"The payment is designed to defray the state's costs of examining complaints from black and Hispanic customers who said they were more often detained and questioned, searched and handcuffed than white customers."

This just doesn't make any kind of sense at all! Macy's hasn't done anything wrong, but has paid to defray the state's cost of examining complaints??? ..and from black and hispanic customers who said they were more often detained, questioned, searched and handcuffed than white customers??

How do they know they were detained, questioned, searched and handcuffed more often than white customers?

Macy's should tell the state if they need costs for idiocy to be defrayed then they better start charging an idiot tax to pay for it.

[Rome2000]

the next Governor of New York

Probably

They deserve each other.

[Congressman Billybob]

Lemme get this straight. In the off chance that blacks and hispanics commit more shoplifting offenses per thousand than caucasian and orientals, Macy's must redress the balance. Is it required to do so by letting some shoplifters go in the first category? Or, should it balance the races by arresting some none shoplifters in the second category?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Congressman Billybob

Click for latest, "Social Security, AARP and Coots"

[yer gonna put yer eye out]

The fix for this "racial profiling" nonsense is to use "behavior profiling".
It would work like this...
Store personnel see a person (any race) secreting unpaid for merchandise into their clothing or other places while furtively glancing about etc., giving store personnel the "impression" a theft is taking place...OR acting in such a manner deemed to be inconsistent with SHOPPING!
The person could then be detained and questioned.
Behavioral profiling is colorblind...No ethnic group could claim they're being singled out.

[avitot]

the most successful mafia prosecutors are italian. perhaps ethnic groups that are stereotyped as being shoplifters should change that perception at the source, and become the nations leading opponets of crime.

[Myrddin]

That's a fine idea until you put it in practice. What happens if the majority of the persons engaged the shoplifting behavior are from one or two racial groups? The apprehension statistics would support the notion that you were preferentially targeting those groups. It's a no win situation. Those groups expect a license to steal. Anyone who attempts to stop the behavior is going to be accused of racial profiling.

[SnuffaBolshevik]

Merry Winter Solstice Festival, Macys!