Neighbors in Raytown arguing Walmart is abusing police resources

[pstokely]

Source: KMBC

Last year police answered 737 calls, and made 321 arrests at Raytown's Walmart location.

That's a lot of service for a police force on a shrinking budget. And the city is asking residents to pay more money in taxes to fill in the gaps.

"For elderly on fixed incomes, and a lot of single parents, that's real hardship," said Phelan.

Neighbors say Walmart benefited from the development loan that has hurt the city's budget - and that Walmart should pay more, and request officers less.

Read more: http://www.kmbc.com/article/neighbors-in-raytown-arguing-walmart-is-abusing-police-resources/19846116

[Historic NY]

1. So why doesn't Walmart hire off duty officers.......

where I live they pay for off duty officers to cover the store and for extras during the Christmas season. Someone needs to have a talk with them,

[Sherman A1]

11. Why pay when you get service

For free?

[Historic NY]

15. Its time for the taxpayers to standup and demmand their elected officals

pressure Walmart. They can check with Walmart in Newburgh NY

[Cryptoad]

17. Its time for the taxpayers to

raise their property taxes enough to have an adequate police force.

[sdfernando]

20. You nailed Walmart's business model /NT

[left-of-center2012]

2. Isn't this more of a local story?

Not "Latest Breaking News" of national importance as required for this forum?

[Sherman A1]

7. It is a local story with National significance

This is the Wal Mart business model as mentioned in other posts on this thread. They abuse every public resource that they can do in a community be it as described in the article regarding police services, Tax increment financing to get their stores built whenever they can convince a local city council to help pay for part of the project, the food stamps that workers need because their pay and benefits are too low upon which to make ends meet.

WalMart as the Welfare Queen is their mode of operation. This story simply exemplifies it in a particular instance.

[not fooled]

3. Part of Walmart's business model

Why hire your own security when you can use local police forces? They do this all over the country--understaff their own security, then abuse local police to arrest and prosecute suspects.

Just more corporate welfare so that the walton heirs can steal more money from all of us.

[cstanleytech]

5. Its not just Walmart though Walmart is the biggest abuser but the potential exists for any

retailer to do this and if companies refuse to take action to provide their own security then they should be charged an extra fee for reporting petty thefts.

[mr_lebowski]

6. Ummm ... do we actually WANT 'Walmart Security' ... to 'arrest' and 'prosecute' ... people?

Might want to really think through ... the implications WRT the 'alternative' you're suggesting.

[not fooled]

18. Not at all

but if there was better in-store security presence, presumably fewer people would be tempted to shoplift. Also, I'm no expert on retail security but right now what is the process when WM identifies a suspected thief--do they call the cops as the person is exiting the store or do they detain the person inside and make them wait for the cops? Presumably that's the extent of their involvement.

I think the main benefit to increased security in the store would be deterrence.

[Stonepounder]

4. This is a widespread problem between towns and Walmart

https://www.insideedition.com/investigative/19667-cops-overwhelmed-by-excessive-calls-to-walmart-there-are-days-i-run-out-of-handcuffs
Cops Overwhelmed by Excessive Calls to Walmart: 'There Are Days I Run Out of Handcuffs'
INVESTIGATIVE 2:34 PM PDT, November 3, 2016 - Inside Edition

http://www.newser.com/story/224985/taxpayers-pick-up-the-tab-for-walmart-security.html
In Just One Year, 53 Walmarts Called Police 16,800 Times
Fla. stores average 2 calls an hour instead of hiring guards
By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff
Posted May 12, 2016 1:33 AM CDT

---------------------------
For much more just Google "walmart calls police"

[mr_lebowski]

9. Curious 'who is calling the cops' ... if there's no 'security' in these places?

Look I despise Walmart as much as the next guy, but I don't want their 'security' to have any 'jurisdiction' aside from 'calling the cops' ... do you?

I mean, are you expecting these 'guards' to just follow everyone around, and when they see 'em stuff crap in their pockets, what exactly would they be 'doing' ... that's not happening now? Should they walk up to 'em and politely ask them to put the products back, and let 'em go on their way? Or should they have a Courtroom and Jail in the back of every Walmart?

To me, the fact that the stores are calling the cops a lot actually means their 'security' is actually pretty good. Who ELSE is calling the cops?

This argument (some) people are making here makes no sense to me.

Saying they need to pay more taxes to support the cops is a whole other matter ... THAT I agree with ... but I DO want the cops 'handling it'. We don't need anymore of a fascist state than we already have.

[not fooled]

19. I think WM has surveillance

by employees sitting up in the upper level of the store monitoring people. Also, they videotape everything.

Security in the store would reduce the calls to police because per the article below many are for unruly behavior.

You raise good points.

[HAB911]

14. Yep

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/tampa-bay-officials-call-for-action-after-times-walmart-investigation/2277877

[Sherman A1]

8. Happily in this case the local residents

have seen the light and are hopefully pushing back on Walmart.

[bucolic_frolic]

10. Issue citations

for 10 times the value of the merchandise. No immediate arrests, and some will pay up, arrest those who skip later.

Government needs to be more innovative in cutting costs and more efficient in enforcement. Law enforcement and courts feed off these cases, which, perhaps, contributes to local governments not changing very much. All are content. Except the taxpayers.

We have more pressing problems than retail theft and going 5 mph over the speed limit. People in power fail to understand that.

[padfun]

12. I think they are misdirecting their anger

It should be at the citizens who are constantly getting arrested. Why so many? If I was them, I would be finding out who is getting arrested and fine those people more.

Walmart is just doing what it should be doing with shoplifters. Not that I go to Walmart but I would say this with any business that has a large shoplifting problem.

[HAB911]

13. They do this across the country

http://www.tampabay.com/projects/2016/public-safety/walmart-police/

[Rebl2]

16. Maybe its

time for businesses in Raytown that have over, let’s say, 200 calls a year pay a special tax for so many calls. The community is made up of a large number of older people. Not many younger people are moving here. The city wants to raise the property tax, tax internet purchases, and raise the local gas tax. Think Jefferson City won’t go along with that last one. Missouri won’t let cities in the state raise the minimum wage, so doubt they will like them raising the gas tax. Raising these taxes will hurt a lot of the elderly I’m sure. Time for Walmart to pay up! By the way they had to lay off around 20 police officers last year because they had to cut the police budget.