Monday, August 24, 2009

Target v. Doe

Background:

This is the 4th year this site has been up and running. The site exists to showcase the Target AP Directives and they are here in full later in the blog.

The original source of these 'Directives' is Mr. Scott Hundt, a former asset protection specialist at a Target store in Wisconsin. He kept a copy of the Directives when he was 'terminated' in June 2006 and subsequently posted them on the internet and forwarded me a copy in July 2006 and I also posted them on my blog.

Shortly after this, it came to the attention of Tarbutt, that their AP Directives were online and they leaned on Hundt who caved in immediately and removed them from the site he had posted them on. My blog has kept them posted since I first received them.

I also placed information of the availability of the Directives on various 'message boards', sometimes with the below summary.

Tarbutt sent threatening letters and emails to these sites demanding the information be deleted. I found that the sites universally caved in to the demands and removed the information and in most cases both deleted my screen name and banned me from their sites. I had at one time a blog titled: TargetSucks and that blog host was also contacted and deleted the blog. see letter at:
http://www.retail-worker.com/documents/20060727.target_cease_and_desist.pdf


This blog site has been here for 4 years and was the subject of 23 months of litigation wherein Tarbutt whinned about it and insisted damages be paid and the information removed, but on July 16, 2008 the case was tossed out by Judge Cooper in Atlanta Federal Court. So for the moment anyway, the 1st Ammendment remains in effect.

I estimate that the total cost to Tarbutt was 250k and to me it was $0. Although I don't like Tarbutt, I would really suggest that they find better legal representation than Faegre & Benson (http://www.faegre.com/) for their outsourced legal work, they really did a crappy job.

Just FYI here is a brief glimpse of what is contained in those 39 or so pages, which you will find in full, later in this blog:


From: Target AP Directives

C. Five Steps for Apprehension


Certified AP team members must observe all five steps prior to making a shoplifter apprehension.

NOTE: If local law enforcement takes independent action and makes an apprehension before all five steps are met, the details must be documented in the CIRS report.

1. Initiation of Observation - The subject must enter the store/area without possession of Target merchandise.

2. Selection - The subject must be observed selecting Target merchandise from the display location.

3. Concealment - The subject must be observed concealing the merchandise, or the AP team member must have NO reasonable doubt based on observations that the merchandise has been concealed by the subject.

NOTE: If the merchandise is not actually concealed, it must be exposed as the subject exits or attempts to exit the store.

4. Maintain Observation - The AP team member must maintain sufficient surveillance of the subject in order to know the location of the merchandise and ensure the subject does not discard the merchandise.

NOTE: A Productive Merchandise Recovery (PMR) shall be attempted if surveillance is broken for any reason, or the AP team member can not maintain sufficient surveillance. (See PMR Directive)

5. Failure to Pay for Merchandise/Exiting the Store -AP team member(s) must observe the subject attempt to exit the store without paying for the merchandise.


NOTE: Some jurisdictions allow variances from the exiting requirement to allow apprehensions of concealed merchandise before an individual reaches the building’s exit. In these cases, the requirements must be documented and approved by the Director or Vice President of Assets Protection using the “Variance from Exiting Form” (found on the AP Zone).

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D. Restroom / Fitting Room


Apprehensions AP team members are not allowed to conduct surveillance or make apprehensions in restroom and/or fitting rooms.

1. AP team members are not allowed to follow subject’s into a restroom or fitting room to conduct surveillance.

2. AP team members shall not ask another team member to enter a fitting room or restroom to conduct surveillance.

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B. Searches of Private Residence or Motor Vehicles

1. AP team members will NOT participate in a search of a private residence or motor vehicle.

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1. Fleeing Shoplifter

a. If a shoplifter attempts to flee after being confronted, do not give chase in any manner (running, driving, etc.).

b. Store based AP team members shall not use any vehicle to follow or pursue a subject for any reason.

c. AP team members shall not encourage, condone, suggest or ask another Target team member or anyone else to chase a fleeing shoplifter.

2. AP shall refer for prosecution all individuals apprehended for retail theft when the value of the merchandise is $20.00 or greater and the case meets local prosecution requirements.


NOTE: If a case meets/exceeds the $20.00 referral guideline, but is NOT referred, the reason for non-referral must be included in the CIRS narrative. (Example: Local jurisdiction limits require merchandise in excess of $75.00 in order for prosecution.)


3. A team member witness, of the same gender of the suspected shoplifter , must be present in the room at all times during the detention.

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A. Photographing Shoplifters

1. Adult shoplifters - AP shall photograph all adult shoplifters unless prohibited by local statutes or ordinances.

2. Team Member Shoplifters - AP will not photograph any team member apprehended for shoplifting during working or non-working hours.


3. Juvenile Shoplifters - AP will not photograph any juveniles apprehended for shoplifting, unless required by local statutes or ordinances.
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Wednesday, April 29, 2009

F.Y.I.:



This blog and others was set up some years ago when it seemed that Tarbutt 'might' prevail in shutting down my major site at: http://targetfiling.blogspot.com they did have some initial victories in getting my posts about the Target AP Directives removed from several message boards and even some banned my screen name.

During that period I was busy with putting up sites like this so that in the event I lost the court case regarding that blog, that at least some sites with the info would continue.

This and other blogs are now secondary sites and not kept up to date as this
http://targetfiling.blogspot.com site, so you might want to go to the other site as it remains open for business, the civil suit was tossed out of Federal court in Atlanta July 2008.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

This is a 'mini blog' with only a few Target items FYI.

Please click on: www.targetfiling.blogspot.com to be directed to my 4 year old Target Sucks blog which has many informative articles about Target along with information on 2 Target civil suits and also the Target AP Directives, the latter is something that Target Corporation tried for 23 months to keep off the internet but their efforts were finally tossed out of Federal Court in Atlanta in July 2008.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Another site you might want to look at:

When you finish looking at this site you might want to take a look at one called Job Vent. There are reviews of many firms, written by both employees and customers.

The one for Target has 18 reviews, 16 negative and 2 positive. You might want to put in your own opinions at:
http://www.jobvent.com/companyBrowse.php?CompanyID=2081

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Target Corp loses a long running case in Oklahoma!

Therrien v. Target Corporation

On Feb 19th the case that has bounced around since approx 3/06 was resolved with a verdict against the Target Corporation for $500,000 (+15K in costs).

You might recall that last year it was dismissed after Target put on its case and before Therrien’s case could be presented. The matter was appealed on the basis that the Federal Judge James Payne had not considered the new changes to Oklahoma statutes and had thur ruled incorrectly. So the case was retired with the result that Target lost. (of course they also can appeal)

Briefly: "Plaintiff claims damages for injuries suffered as an invitee upon Defendant’s premises as the result of a criminal assault."

Translation: a good samaritan came to assist a Tarbutt screwup security weenie who was having a problem arresting a shoplifter, and had called out for help from anyone, the helpful customer (Timothy Therrien) ended up knifed and as usual this screwed up company wouldn't compensate the man for his serious injuries.


The moral of this story is: TARGET SUCKS. It was a lot of work for Therrien for a rather low award, but it is nice to finally see that he was the winner in this. You might be interested in knowing that the Target AP Directives were used against Target (I sent them a copy) and also a lot of other AP information was obtained and entered in the case.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Today in History:


Friday, March 20, 2009


Attention Ex-AP's or HQ Employees


If you are a dissatisfied Tarbutt AP secret squirrel or a laid off, or about to be laid off employee, you can always fax the new copy of the Target AP Directives or other interesting documents to Mr. Doe at 801 439-6387 and we can update this site (that should be good for another 2 years of litigation). Or you could just start a blog of your own and publish them and we can put a direct link to them here. This is a good site for new blogs: http://www.blogspot.com/

Got something to say about Tarbutt?


Post it at: http://pub44.bravenet.com/forum/3751272404

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Company Reviews for Target Corporation


In trolling the web I found a site called: Job Vent, I was interested in the Company Reviews for Target Corporation, although you can look up other firms as well.

Here is two comment from the site:

Brandon, FL:
....All LODs are both lazy and incompetent. You never see them out on the sales floor actually doing their jobs. The amount of theft is thru the roof 'cause security is rarely on duty or just too relaxed about it.
Minneapolis, MN:
I've been at headquarters as an exempt employee for 12 plus years. Whatever that means...other than its time to get out.

Things to know before you jump in....
I have the time and experience to know this company has gone down hill over the past five years from an employee perspective. As further proof, I get to see someone leave on a weekly basis in my area. Probably tired of everything I'm going to mention including the Target lingo, workload, and cult. . .

Here is the site, you can pull it up FYI:
http://www.jobvent.com/companyBrowse.php?CompanyID=2081


As to Target quality quality of employment rated by -5 to +5:
Company Summary (Averages of 11 reviews)

Pay -0.36
Work/Life Balance -1
Respect -2.55
Career Potential/Growth -1.91
Benefits -0.91
Location 1.18
Job Security -1.82
Co-worker Competence -1.82
Work Environment -1.36
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Total -10.55

Positive Reviews 2 / Negative Reviews 9

Add Your Feedback About Target Corporation at:
http://www.jobvent.com/rate.php?ID=2081