The Sacramento City Attorney’s Office has reportedly threatened Target locations with public nuisance charges after the store called the police for theft.
According to the Sacramento Bee, Target stores located in Sacramento called the police 375 times for theft, robbery, and shoplifting in 2023. In 2022, the stores placed 175 calls.
An individual with knowledge of the warning told the outlet that officials issued the threat in the past year.
President of the California Police Chiefs Association Alexander Gammelgard testified during the state’s Assmebly’s first retail theft committee hearing, “I was also surprised that anyone would ever attempt to make a nuisance case out of somebody calling to report a legitimate crime.”
Criminal Justice Professor at California State University, Stanislaus Blake Randol told Sacramento Bee, “What’s problematic is that what Target is complaining about is a legitimate crime concern.”
“The city does have a responsibility to be more responsive to the public and be responsive to crime control demands from the public,” he said.
State lawmakers have since added an amendment to a retail theft bill that prohibits officials from issuing such threats toward businesses.
“The bill would clarify that local law enforcement or a local jurisdiction is prohibited from bringing a nuisance action against a business solely for the act of reporting retail crime, unless the report is knowingly false,” AB 2943 reads.
