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St. Petersburg police, Walmart hope hourlong meeting improves working relationship

 
Shoppers walk into the entrance of a Walmart supercenter recently. [BOYZELL HOSEY   |   Times]
Shoppers walk into the entrance of a Walmart supercenter recently. [BOYZELL HOSEY | Times]
Published May 27, 2016

ST. PETERSBURG — Police officials said Thursday after a meeting with Walmart representatives that they were impressed with the retailer's commitment to reducing the high volume of law enforcement calls at its St. Petersburg stores.

"They clearly recognize there's an issue, and they don't deny that," said St. Petersburg Assistant Police Chief Jim Previtera. "This was not a defensive Walmart. This wasn't a justification conversation."

In particular, he said, the two sides discussed the expansion of a diversion program for some shoplifters that Walmart has piloted at several stores in Hillsborough County. Known locally as Turning Point Justice, it gives first-time shoplifters the chance to take a class on retail theft and pay restitution rather face charges in criminal court.

Eric Brewer, a Walmart spokesman who attended the meeting, said the company has already seen positive results from the program. Previtera said such an initiative could reduce police calls to local Walmarts, and that the retailer seemed to have "every intention of bringing that over" to St. Petersburg.

About eight Walmart representatives, ranging from local to national levels, attended the meeting. Brewer said they work for Walmart's security and asset protection teams.

"It was just a very productive conversation," Brewer said. "We look forward to increasing collaboration with the (St. Petersburg) department."

The meeting came two weeks after a Tampa Bay Times investigation found local police were called to 53 Walmarts in the area nearly 16,800 times in one year. Walmarts far surpassed other businesses in police demand, and 10 agencies received calls from individual Walmarts more than any other location.

READ: POLICE LOG THOUSANDS OF CALLS AT WALMART. YOU PAID THE BILL.

Many of the calls were for theft, but an even bigger chunk of the workload revolved around general disorder, from disruptive teens to aggressive panhandlers and drunk customers.

Since the article published, a Walmart spokeswoman has said that the company is in the process of scheduling meetings with several Tampa Bay law enforcement agencies.

Previtera said Walmart talked of pilot security programs it has tried nationwide that might work in Tampa Bay, but both he and Brewer declined to describe those efforts.

"It was an absolute definitive commitment to prevention," he said.

Times staff writer Eli Murray contributed to this report. Contact Laura C. Morel at lmorel@tampabay.com and Zachary T. Sampson at zsampson@tampabay.com.