 The homeless crisis in San Francisco has had tremendous impact on the quality of life for many --- from residents, to tourists, to the companies that do business in the city. The bustling city center is home to many retailers. In recent years, those retailers have been hit hard by theft and security incidents, often perpetrated by homeless individuals, those with mental health issues, and those needing to feed a substance abuse habit.
Ross Dress for Less Stores was one of many companies with a retail store presence in the city that was being negatively impacted by this reality. The company engaged the services of The Hetty Group to help them partner with law enforcement and other stakeholders in the community to try to find a solution to this business challenge. Florence Chung of The Hetty Group devised a strategy to convene the security leadership of multiple retail companies facing the same issue in the city, along with the San Francisco Police Department officials and the District Attorney's Office, to discuss how to more effectively address the mutual challenge all parties faced. This resulted in the launch of the San Francisco Retail Security Council, a public/private partnership between retail security and local law enforcement. The Council meets on a regular basis to facilitate communication and collaborate on potential solutions. |