TJ Maxx Employees Will Now Wear Police-Like Body Cameras
In retail stores like TJ Maxx and Homegoods, it's not security officers wearing body cameras. It is the retail employees themselves equipped with the body cams.
CNN reports that TJX, the parent company of TJ Maxx, Homegoods, and Marshalls said that it is equipping some store employees with body cameras in an effort to cut down on shoplifting and keep employees and customers safe. One company official called it a de-escalation tactic. People are less likely to do something illegal if they know they are being videotaped.
TJ Maxx stores aren't alone. CNN reports that in a survey by the National Retail Federation, 35%of U.S. retailers said they were researching body cameras for employees. Companies that manufacture these cameras are now said to be designing models specifically for the retail world.
TJX is one of the only national retailers speaking out about the use of body cameras, according to CNN. The company has rolled out the body cameras in select stores over the past year. Employees who wear the vests and cameras undergo training on how to use the cameras effectively, according to CNN. The company will only share video footage when requested by law enforcement.
TJ Maxx has Eastern Iowa locations in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and Waterloo. Marshalls has a store in Coralville. Homegoods has stores located in Cedar Rapids, Coralville, and Cedar Falls. It is unknown if the body cameras are being used in any Iowa store locations. Have you encountered an employee wearing a body camera while shopping in Eastern Iowa?
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