The Big Picture
Former Utah Commissioner of Public Safety Jess Anderson discusses the growing challenges in retail crime and law enforcement's technological gap.
By the Numbers
- Shoplifting has surged 94% since 2019
- 14% increase from 2024 to 2025 alone
Key Challenges
- Government agencies lag 3-5 steps behind criminal elements and private sector
- Legal restrictions on using advanced technology like facial recognition and AI
- Limited ability to share data between private sector and law enforcement
- Increasing violence in retail theft incidents
Solutions Proposed
- Better communication between law enforcement agencies
- Improved collaboration between private sector and law enforcement
- Updates to legislation allowing better use of modern technology
- Environmental design improvements in retail stores
Bottom Line
Success requires aggressive enforcement, better inter-agency communication, and modernized approaches to using private sector technology in law enforcement.
Retail's Most Wanted is presented by LVT and the Attorney General Alliance.
