Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Macy's Agrees to Enforce Policy Against Racial Profiling in Shoplifting
AP ^ | 1/14/2005 | Michael Gormley

Posted on 01/14/2005 5:48:12 PM PST by NJ Neocon

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-32 last
To: libs_kma

Don't know NY Law but personally I would not agree to be detained, questioned and certainly not handcuffed by a mall security guard. I would resist, forcefully should they try this on me. I would certianly do more than file a complaint after the fact. (It goes without saying I am not a shoplifter). If asked I'd probably give a smart answer. If detained forcibly I would certainly file both a civil lawsuit and ask the DA to prosecute them for illegal detainment or kidnapping or whatever.

Now if the people that Macy's were detaining were actual shoplifters, this is assinine. However if all they had was a suspicion, which then proved unfouded and they were detaining, searching and arresting innocents then they were wrong and Elliot (who I'm no fan of) did good.

Not enough info in the story to tell.


21 posted on 01/14/2005 7:02:49 PM PST by Jack Black
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: NJ Neocon

Employee theft is worse than retail theft...on the other hand if their accountants are Arthur Anderson.....


22 posted on 01/14/2005 8:20:51 PM PST by joesnuffy (Moderate Islam Is For Dilettantes)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NJ Neocon

Attention shoppers! It's be nice to shoplifters week!


23 posted on 01/14/2005 8:58:01 PM PST by Waco
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: libs_kma; NJ Neocon

<< "The payment is designed to defray the state's costs of examining complaints from [Thieves] who said they were more often detained and questioned, searched and handcuffed than .... customers." >>

Where's the beef?


24 posted on 01/14/2005 10:15:42 PM PST by Brian Allen (Who is Bob Wallace?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: 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.

The answer is obvious: classical music lovers are not the type to steal CDs or records. GASP! I'm guilty of profiling!

25 posted on 01/14/2005 10:32:53 PM PST by Siamese Princess
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: 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.

Exactly. In today's society, though, we must pretend that there are no racial differences in the propensity for criminal behavior. To do otherwise is to be considered a "racist," even if telling the truth.

26 posted on 01/14/2005 10:37:37 PM PST by Siamese Princess
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: NJ Neocon

Racial profiling is perfectly acceptable when it's done by minorities, like the TV ads that run telling certain races they should be tested for sickle cell anemia.


27 posted on 01/14/2005 10:49:10 PM PST by jwpjr
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Congressman Billybob

This legislation is designed not to "redress the imbalance"
of what they're incorrectly calling "profiling", but instead to inaugurate a hands-off policy toward black and latino customers. Unless a store security guy SEES an actual theft, I would guess he would hang back and not even approach the minority customers. They will instead go out of their way to question caucasians,(and Asians, probably) all out of proportion to the minorities in question, much in the same way they are still going overboard in questioning and examining 80 year old grannies with artificial hips in airports. The people behind this kind of legislation wind up being the FRIENDS and ENABLERS of criminals, whether it's another potential terrorist boarding a jet, or a necktie thief at Macy's. This does not bode well for the integrity of Eliot SPitzer, who is showing himself to belong to that John Edwards fraternity of ambulance-chasing trial lawyers. They are determind to see to it that they never run out of litigation opportunities. Still and all, the most lamentable, head-shaking detail is that Macy's coughed up all that dough for the purpose of "defraying costs of the investigation". It's as though we're in a British Court of Law, and it was Macy's that brought the frivolous and unprovable charge against the minority community. I AM SO GLAD I AM IN THE BUILDING TRADES, AND NOT PART OF THIS SICK WORLD OF LAWYERS.


28 posted on 01/15/2005 12:17:41 AM PST by willyboyishere
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: NJ Neocon

Its a moot point. I know a security manager at one of the May stores. Her frustration is that the perps are rarely given time in jail and usually out on the street before she wraps up the paperwork on the theft. She has a casefile of *repeat* offenders to be on the look out for (and yes, 90% are of one race, whatever that means). I've seen the book & photos - the majority of these *repeat* offenders have multiple arrests around the city (crime ring vs malls). The worst that happens to them is being "banned" from ever entering the store again.

Of course, you and I get to pay extra money to offset the losses...


29 posted on 01/15/2005 3:35:20 AM PST by Fenris6 (3 Purple Hearts in 4 months w/o missing a day of work? He's either John Rambo or a Fraud)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Myrddin

Maybe you've hit on the REAL problem...relying on statistics rather than the more arduous task of digging for the truth.


30 posted on 01/15/2005 5:15:20 AM PST by yer gonna put yer eye out (Gettin' a PhD (Prettyhard on Democrats) at FR)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

I wonder if they're still allowed to profile based on age. Evrey store I know of will allow a 40 year old woman to carry a large purse into the store. But if her teenage children want to stop by the store on their way home from school, a lot of stores will make them leave all bags outside.


31 posted on 01/15/2005 7:33:17 AM PST by KfromMich
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NJ Neocon
I know where to go shopping for Kwanzaa next year. Just paint myself darker and enjoy the savings five finger discounts offer. [Extreme SAR off]
32 posted on 01/15/2005 7:36:40 AM PST by rollo tomasi (Working hard to pay for deadbeats and corrupt politicians)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-32 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson