National Police Association backs bill to combat organized retail crime

Indianapolis, IN – The National Police Association (NPA) announced its support for the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA), a bipartisan bill moving through Congress. The legislation seeks to create a new coordination center to enhance information sharing and collaboration among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, as well as private sector partners, to combat organized retail crime.

The bill, sponsored by Senators Chuck Grassley and Catherine Cortez Masto and Representatives David Joyce and Susie Lee, would establish an "Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center" within Homeland Security Investigations at the Department of Homeland Security. The primary function of this center would be to facilitate intelligence sharing and coordinate investigations across different law enforcement jurisdictions.

According to the NPA, organized retail crime not only results in financial losses and increased costs for retailers but also poses a significant public safety issue. The organization highlights that law enforcement agencies report perpetrators often use aggression, and federal cases have linked some retail crime networks to broader organized criminal enterprises.

The CORCA legislation also aims to equip federal prosecutors with enhanced tools to prosecute these offenses. The bill expands money-laundering statutes, treats certain gift cards as monetary instruments, and authorizes asset forfeitures. Additionally, it would allow prosecutors to aggregate the value of multiple smaller thefts over a 12-month period to meet the minimums required for federal charges.

The NPA urges the Senate to pass the CORCA bill, either as a standalone measure or as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The organization believes the act will provide essential resources and tools for more effective crime fighting.