WASHINGTON — Federal and local law enforcement officers around the U.S. will gain access to information on retail crime through a new partnership between retailers and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Retail Federation here has announced.
Through the FBI's Law Enforcement Online Network, law enforcement will be able to directly connect to the retail industry's Law Enforcement Retail Partnership Network (LERPnet), a secure national database where retailers track and report retail crimes. The partnership will enable law enforcement agencies to gain central, immediate access to retail crimes ranging from counterfeiting and organized retail crime to armed robberies and smash-and-grab burglary incidents.
"With direct access to the LERPnet system, millions of police officers will be better equipped to identify and track the most dangerous retail criminals, protecting both shoppers and retail employees," said Joe LaRocca, senior asset protection advisor for NRF.
"One good piece of intelligence can be the breakthrough needed to make a vital connection or solve a case," said Ron Koziol, assistant section chief, violent crime section and criminal investigation division at the FBI. "By arming the retail industry with the infrastructure necessary to share such intelligence, it is our hope that they, along with their partners in law enforcement, are better able to thwart criminal efforts and reduce subsequent losses."
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