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Georgia retailers describe organized retail crime network, urge expanded enforcement and outreach
Summary
Representatives from Georgia Retailers and the Georgia Retailers Organized Crime Alliance told the Small Business Development Committee that organized retail crime (ORC) affects big and small businesses, emphasized intelligence‑sharing with law enforcement, and praised a new ORC prosecution unit in the attorney general’s office.
Ben Cowart, vice president of government affairs for Georgia Retailers, and Chad McManus, chair of the Georgia Retailers Organized Crime Alliance (GROC), briefed the Small Business Development Committee on organized retail crime and GROC’s statewide work.
Cowart described Georgia as “one of the most retail friendly states” and credited legislative and prosecutorial steps that have strengthened retail crime enforcement. He thanked the legislature for recent funding for the Attorney General’s organized retail crime and cybercrime prosecution unit and noted a pending bill, HB 447, targeting gift card fraud.
Chad McManus, a senior manager of asset protection and GROC chair, described the alliance’s operating model: monthly intelligence‑sharing meetings, law‑enforcement partnerships and coordinated operations. He said the alliance has roughly 750–800 members and “over 90” law‑enforcement agencies connected to the platform. McManus said that during intel meetings retailers often combine images and leads and “we can kind of all combine, and share that information to get the bad guys off the street.”
Rory Stallard, director of ORC for Ulta Beauty and a GROC council member, described recent investigations and interjurisdictional work. He said GROC cooperates with county‑level agencies and the Attorney General’s office on RICO and other complex prosecutions. Stallard said violent smash‑and‑grab incidents and coordinated burglary rings can be traumatic for store employees and disruptive to customers and local small businesses.
Committee members asked about public awareness, prevention measures and local outreach. McManus described training events, law‑enforcement conferences and a recent outreach meeting with retailers at the Battery Atlanta. He gave the committee the alliance’s conference date (August 13) and a website, Georgiarock.org, for more information.
Presenters stressed partnerships with prosecutors and local law enforcement and called for continued funding and collaboration. No formal committee action or vote was taken on enforcement or budget items during the meeting.
