The New Jersey Food Council (NJFC), in partnership with the New Jersey Retail Merchants Association, the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association and the Delaware Food Industry Council, addressed the most pressing security issues in the food industry at the 2023 Mid-Atlantic Loss Prevention Conference and Expo on November 2.

Under the theme of “Protecting Our Communities and Preventing Loss,” the annual conference focused on pertinent loss prevention issues retailers face today, including an update on evolving concealed carry laws, a firsthand account of a members’ active shooter crisis, effective de-escalation tactics and a deep dive into organized retail crime and how retailers are fighting this ongoing threat.

“With an increase in not only theft but also in violent incidents, this is a critical time to share insight and collaborate in order to protect our communities and prevent loss,” said NJFC President & CEO Linda Doherty. “We are here to help the retail loss prevention community tackle progressive security issues, share information regarding the latest security trends and network with law enforcement officials and partners.”

Ed Rohena of ACME/Albertsons MidAtlantic Division, who chaired the conference, led the annual presentation of the 2023 New Jersey Food Council Mid-Atlantic Loss Prevention Professional Awards.

The winners include:

• Mike Murphy of Retail Business Services, an Ahold Delhaize Company. Murphy is the Investigations Specialist assigned to Stop and Shop & Hannaford locations in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. He has worked in the asset protection field for more than 20 years.

  Murphy assists with the identification of suspects and partners with other retailers to identify and dismantle organized retail crime groups impacting the Ahold Delhaize brands. Murphy is an active member of the Food Council’s Loss Prevention committee as well as the newly-invigorated Organized Retail Theft Taskforce.

• Dawn Roller is a long time champion of the loss prevention world. She has more than 28 years of experience in loss prevention and management positions. As Director of Loss Prevention at Brown’s ShopRite Super Stores, she has experience in loss prevention work for the retail and food retail industries and uses her experience as a guiding light.

  Roller is chair of the PFMA Loss Prevention Committee, with notable accomplishments in reducing shrink and increasing investigation efficiency, while also working with her counterparts to make a greater influence in the loss prevention community.

• Amanda Hobert, the Regional Investigations Manager for Lowes, is a certified forensic interviewer with more than 15 years of experience in the loss prevention industry. Hobert specializes in organized retail crime and fraud.

  Hobert serves as a board member and President of Metro Organized Retail Crime Alliance (METRORCA), which serves New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Two law enforcement professionals, whose work serves as a blueprint for effective public/private partnerships and the building of relationships with the retail community, were honored with the 2023 Retail Law Enforcement Achievement Award. They include:

• Hamilton police Det. Daniel Inman is continually relied upon to assist in resolving habitual shoplifting and large-scale organized retail crime cases. He is well recognized and respected throughout Mercer County, honored with the Officer of the Year, 200 Club of Mercer County Valor Award and the Edgar J. Hoover Award.

  “My personal experience with Detective Inman has been nothing short of outstanding and productive,” said Rohena. “A particular show of his support is during the holidays when he would stop by to make sure the store closed without incident and the associates were safe.

  Inman’s experience and resources helped develop three organized crime cases totaling more than $140,000. “Identifying and linking the key players would not have been possible without Detective Inman,” Rohena said, adding the detective’s resilient approach toward helping retailers provide a safe shopping and working experience makes a difference every day.

• Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton, who has more than 33 years of experience in law enforcement, is the long-time president of the Bergen County Branch of the NAACP, has served on many community boards and has been honored by many community and civic organizations.

  Not only does Sheriff Cureton lead current law enforcement officers, he also teaches the future of law enforcement. The sheriff teaches criminal justice at Ramapo College of New Jersey in Mahwah and Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck and is a guest lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

  “Sheriff Cureton has a strong commitment to his community’s security and the safety and well-being of all of his residents,” said Andrew Kent of Glass Gardens ShopRite and NJFC board chair. “He is invested in making a difference in the safety and mental and physical health of those in Bergen County. It is for his dedication to making New Jersey safer for associates, customers, and businesses through outreach and education that I am honored to present Sheriff Cureton with this award.”