Walmart Pilots Body Cameras Amid Rising Retail Crime

Walmart has initiated a pilot program equipping store employees with body cameras in select locations, particularly in Denton, Texas, to enhance safety amid rising retail crime. Aimed at addressing confrontations with aggressive customers, the program is currently limited to one market as the company evaluates its effectiveness before broader implementation. While the use of body cameras is commonly associated with theft prevention, Walmart emphasizes their role in ensuring employee safety, a sentiment echoed by similar initiatives from other retailers like TJX Companies. Employees are trained to activate cameras during escalating customer interactions and are instructed not to use them in private areas. This initiative reflects a broader trend in retail, where businesses lost $112.1 billion to theft in 2022, prompting increased security measures. Walmart has not disclosed the number of participating stores or detailed outcomes from the test phase.