Deschutes County law enforcement to host series of retailer listening sessions about organized retail theft

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Bend Police Department, in collaboration with the Redmond Police Department and the Deschutes County District Attorney's Office, will host a series of Retailer Listening Sessions as part of the Organized Retail Theft grant that Deschutes County secured in the fall of 2024.

The goal of this initiative is to stop organized retail crimes from occurring in our county by improving response to theft calls, increasing arrests, and enhancing prosecution of retail theft offenders. Achieving this goal will require a multi-tiered approach.

The Retailer Listening Sessions are an opportunity for the Deschutes County ORT team to hear directly from local retailers about the types of theft they have been experiencing, as well as to answer questions on Oregon retail theft law and share information about the Deschutes County District Attorney's Office's work to create a local chapter of the Organized Retail Crime Association of Oregon. 

More information will be shared about a Central Oregon ORCAOR chapter meeting in the coming weeks. 

Retail owners, managers, and loss prevention officers from Deschutes County are encouraged to attend one of the Retailer Listening Sessions in March.

Registration for a Retailer Listening Session is encouraged but not required. Register here: https://www.cognitoforms.com/deschutescounty2/organizedretailtheftretailerlisteningsessionregistration

Retailer Listening Sessions:

Bend

Wednesday, March 12                 
5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.                     

Bend Municipal Court, 555 NE 15th Street

Redmond          

Tuesday, March 18                        

1 p.m. to 2 p.m.                                 

Redmond City Hall Civic Room, 411 SW 9th Street

Bend                    

Monday, March 31                         

1 p.m. to 2 p.m.                                 

Downtown Bend Library Brooks Community Room, 601 NW Wall Street