However, along the way, for one reason or another, they found themselves bitten by the retail bug and captivated by an industry that pays more, moves faster, is a lot safer, offers more long term career advancement, and is a lot easier to get into. These individuals now represent about 85 percent of the total Loss Prevention population and that number appears to be dwindling as time goes on.

Ten years ago, this number was probably more in the range of 95 percent and twenty years earlier probably 99 percent. These numbers reflect a change that is taking place in the industry’s overall profile and can be linked to a number of reasons and is having a significant impact both positive and negative.

The core reason for this escalating downward trend is that the retail industry has grown by over 36 percent since 1980, while the US population only grew by 16 percent, therefore creating a shortfall in the number of people available to and interested in the retail industry. And these numbers will continue to deteriorate well into the future causing retailers and Loss Prevention departments alike a host of problems that won’t be solved or offset simply by technological advancements.

Couple this with the recent events of September 11th, the Department of Homeland Security's Department birth, the forever increased threat of Terrorism, and what you have is a rapidly growing Law Enforcement and Security Industry that will leave even fewer people available for the retail Loss Prevention industry in the immediate future.

To meet this challenge to date, the retail industry has done what it had to do and that is to fill the jobs with people they felt would do well regardless of their specific educational or occupational backgrounds, thereby opening the door to non-Loss Prevention professionals. Academia reinforces this by labeling it cross pollinating, which, when applied correctly, develops a more diverse, ambidextrous work force and increases the individual’s value to and appreciation for the overall business. This cross-pollination also in theory injects “new blood” and “fresh approaches” into an established function and department.

This injection of the non-Loss Prevention professional into the industry has at times been a bitter pill for some, but has raised the bar for others. And while most of this has been as a result of a decreasing workforce, some of it has been due to our industry’s inability to produce enough multi-dimensional, well educated, strong managers.

At the base of this industry, where the majority of the positions reside- Loss Prevention single-unit managers and entry-level multiunit managers- you will continue to see the vast majority of the positions populated with true Loss Prevention professionals. But as the pyramid narrows and demands become more intense, you will continue to see an increasing number of “operators” come into this industry.

It has become common place for department managers, store managers, district managers, regional managers, and even corporate operating executives to assume Loss Prevention positions. The reasons for this are varied- some under the auspices of cross pollinating; some due to personal desire, some due to a lack of quality candidates, and some by design.

In the last year alone, five of the last seven top available positions have been filled with non-LP executives. Certainly this is not as a result of a lack of candidates, but rather retail America’s perception that who was available wasn’t ready or didn’t fit their organizations. And that the operators and consultant brought more to the table then their interviewee counterparts.

This development has caused concern for some and, quite frankly opportunities for others. But with the fact that our industry has not aggressively pursued sophisticated formalized non-LP managerial training, likened to the Wicklander & Zulawski’s Interrogation training, the end result is that the industry is not focused on developing multidimensional executives. This is exactly what the senior management teams of America look for in all of their department leaders. And taking into consideration the current economic conditions and budget restraints, this focus is not likely to change in the near future.

Over the last twenty years, the retail Loss Prevention industry has developed to such an extent technologically that the pyramid head of a large Loss Prevention department need not be a technician as much as a manager of processes and people. This has also played a part in the insurgence of non-Loss Prevention executives into these traditional positions. Therefore, the need to incorporate managerial training at the lower levels that focuses on process and people management is imperative if we are to truly enable the journeymen of this industry to lead us tomorrow.

Therefore, taking into consideration the above mentioned facts- that the retail industry has grown twice as fast as the population and that the industry has not focused on developing multi-dimensional executives- what we have is more positions then we have of qualified executives in waiting. That make the insurgence of non-Loss Prevention executives into our management ranks becomes a necessity and not an invasion.

On the one hand this development could be viewed as a loss to the Loss Prevention industry. But on the other hand is the positive impact these non-Loss Prevention executives are having on our industry. Not only are they are teaching and developing traditional Loss Prevention executives, but they’re also preparing them to compete for tomorrow’s leadership roles.

At the end of the day when we take time to look at our own industry, what we see is a very diverse group comprised of different ethnic origins, cultural backgrounds, and occupational specialties. It is these differences that make us strong and will carry our industry into the future.

This industry is growing and we have had a lot of success stories within our own ranks. One need look no further then at the Assistant Security Director of Cook United in 1975, Tom Coughlin, who is now the President and CEO of Wal-Mart Stores USA, to see how far a Security executive can go.

In the end it is up to each and every one of us to guide our own ships, make our own decisions, and develop our own careers. With dedication, hard work, and perseverance you could one day reach your goal as well.