The Tri-Cities ALERT system recently brought local law enforcement and retailers together to accomplish the first step in organizing an ALERT group. The ALERT (Area Law Enforcement & Retailers Team) system is an association of loss prevention, asset protection, and law enforcement professionals that work together to combat ORC and ORT. This is done via the web, on a web base provided by the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, however the web base serves all states and cities in the U.S. The ALERT system allows retailers and law enforcement to communicate by email or through the database to provide other local retailers with information on a suspect or any other type of suspicious behavior. There are currently two ALERT groups in Tennessee: the Knoxville ALERT and the Tri-Cities ALERT. The Knoxville ALERT was established through the Knox County Sheriff's Office and includes participants from area law enforcement agencies and retailers such as Food City, Sears, Kohl's, Wal-Mart, CVS, Kroger, TJ Maxx, Target, and Marshals. The Knoxville ALERT meets quarterly. The Tri-Cities ALERT recently held their first meeting at Food City on Euclid Avenue. The meeting included participants from local law enforcement, as well as local retailers such as Food City, Sears, Kroger, CVS, Belk, and Wal-Mart. At the meeting it was decided that the Tri-Cities ALERT will provide networking from Greeneville, TN up to Marion, VA. The Tri-Cities ALERT will hold its next meeting in September.

The above information was provided to the Daily by Joe Fryar, Director of Security and Loss Prevention for KVAT Food Stores. Click here for more info on the ALERT system.