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Georgia retailers describe Organized Retail Crime alliance and urge continued legislative tools
Summary
Georgia Retailers and the Georgia Retailers Organized Crime Alliance (GROC) briefed the committee on intel-sharing, law-enforcement partnerships and recent state policy changes; members requested data on retail loss and outreach to small retailers.
Ben Cowart, vice president of government affairs for Georgia Retailers, told the Small Business Development Committee that organized retail crime remains a major concern for retailers and local businesses and described a partnership network known as the Georgia Retailers Organized Crime Alliance. "Georgia Retailers, is a statewide business advocate organization" he said, and he credited a 2010 partnership that helped pass the Georgia Smash and Grab Act and build GROC into a national model.
Chad McManus, chair of the GROC council and senior manager of asset protection for a major retailer, told the committee the alliance links roughly "750 members strong" (he said membership was nearing 800) and more than 90 law‑enforcement agencies to share intelligence and coordinate enforcement. McManus described monthly intel-sharing meetings that let retailers and police connect investigations and cited education, legislative work and training events as core activities.
Roy Stallard, director of organized retail crime for Ulta Beauty and a GROC council member, said the group is partnering with the Georgia Attorney General's newly funded organized retail crime and cybercrime prosecution unit and with local agencies to pursue large, multi-jurisdiction investigations. He described multi-county burglary investigations resolved in Gwinnett County and the use of RICO-style approaches when criminal groups operate across jurisdictions.
Cowart told the committee GROC and allied prosecutors supported the House's recent passage of HB 447 targeting gift-card fraud and expressed appreciation for the AG office's ORC unit funded last year. Committee members asked for additional data: Representative 22 requested an estimate of the percentage of retail loss in Georgia and how theft increases costs; McManus and Stallard said they would provide figures and materials after the meeting.
McManus gave local examples of retail impacts, including small retailers at Atlanta's Battery district and stadium-area shops that face theft and inventory loss. Multiple committee members encouraged outreach; GROC said it runs training, a law-enforcement conference and a public retail-crime conference (scheduled August 13 at a Cobb County training facility) and offers a public website for resources at Georgiarock.org.
Several members noted organized retail crime's community impacts beyond large chains, citing effects on small businesses, associates' safety and costs that can translate into higher consumer prices. No formal legislative actions or votes occurred during the presentation; GROC council leaders invited follow-up and offered to coordinate local briefings and materials for the committee.
