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I get calls and emails frequently from law enforcement officers looking to make the transition from law enforcement to the private sector and what suggestions I can give them on the transition. When I transitioned from law enforcement to the private sector, I had to learn that this wasn’t a “cops-and-robbers” job any longer, but was also a business! I had to learn to put my “business hat” on in a lot of different situations, even when the desire to put my old “police hat” on was tugging at me. I was lucky enough to learn quickly how to balance both of the hats. For those looking to make the transition, I would encourage finding a balance of both hats and let those hats compliment each other.

​As I was making the transition and interviewing for jobs, I met Denny Dansak. It was during that interview with Denny that I knew I wanted to work for the Kroger Co. Denny and I had a lot in common, and we shared some of the same visions. As I sat through that interview with Denny, it became clear to me that Kroger was really headed in the right direction with ORC. Denny was still building the ORC team, but the vision was clear and one that I felt I could support and contribute to. Fast forward five years, Denny retired, and I was lucky enough to be part of his succession plan to lead our team.
 
The Kroger Co. ORC team is a great team! The majority of the team is comprised of both retired and former law enforcement officers; however, some of the team members have spent the majority of their careers in asset protection. The mix of skills really allows our team to be balanced. Everyone’s skill set continues to make positive impacts for the Kroger Co. 

With that said, things are changing, but they are changing for the good. We have a new VP of Asset Protection and his vision and support for our teams make sense. The ORC team continues to look for ways to expand our footprint to a lot of different areas, including logistics, higher level internal cases and specialty cases. Currently, the ORC teams are working cases with law enforcement that utilize GPS technology in pallets to help track our stolen pallets and recover them. To date, this has been a very successful area and an area we are seeing great results in.

It’s also important that we continue to partner with law enforcement and exchange ideas, pattern trends and brainstorm for solutions as it relates to ORC. During the time I was in law enforcement, I rarely saw laundry detergent, beauty aids, toothbrushes, etc., being exchanged for Oxycontin, heroin or cocaine. However, today, that is more of a reality. ORC is a crime driven by drugs. ORC investigations lead to criminal investigations and ultimately arrests and prosecution. It’s critical that all-sides, law enforcement, prosecutors and retailers partner together to help reduce and impact this area.

By Quentin Goward
Sr. Corporate Manager, Organized Retail Crime - Kroger
 
I started my law enforcement career in the mid-1990’s and worked in law enforcement for 15 years. During those 15 years, ten were spent at the municipal and county level as a police officer/detective and the other five years were spent as a Special Agent with DEA. After 15 years in law enforcement, I started looking to transition from law enforcement into the private sector. I wanted to work for a company that mirrored the core values and mission that I upheld as a law enforcement officer.

ORC Leader Quentin Goward
Bringing Law Enforcement Values to Kroger's ORC Team