At a Local Home Depot, Cortez Masto, Sparks City Attorney to Discuss Efforts to Crack Down on Retail Crime

Reno, Nev. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Wes Duncan, Sparks City Attorney, and local Home Depot employees to highlight local and federal efforts to crack down on retail crime. City Attorney Duncan discussed Sparks' "Back our Businesses" initiative to combat retail theft, while Cortez Masto highlighted efforts she is leading on a federal level to deliver more funding to local law enforcement and pass legislation to go after large-scale criminal schemes driving an uptick in retail crime nationally.

Cortez Masto's bipartisan, bicameral Combating Organized Retail Crime Act creates new tools to tackle evolving trends and establishes a new task force within the Department of Homeland Security to better coordinate a whole-of-government and industry response to protect retailers and workers across the country. Organized retail crime costs retailers hundreds of thousands of dollars each year.

"The City of Sparks is doing great work with local law enforcement to crack down on retail crime, and it is my job to get them the resources and support they need on a federal level," said Senator Cortez Masto. "Solving retail crime is a complex issue, and it requires coordination at all levels of government and all levels of law enforcement. That's why I'm continuing to champion legislation on Congress to help connect the dots on organized retail crime, reach across state lines, and hold more bad actors accountable."

"Retail theft hurts everyone in our community. This includes both the small and large business owner and the consumer who feels the increased cost of theft passed on to them at the check-out line. The City of Sparks' 'Back our Businesses' initiative will continue to focus on deterring criminals, prosecuting repeat offenders and working with all levels of government to send the message the City Attorney's office and the City of Sparks will not tolerate this brazen criminal conduct in our community," said Wes Duncan, Sparks City Attorney.

"We are pleased to continue the conversation with Senator Cortez Masto and City Attorney Wes Duncan on proactive ways to reduce organized retail crime," said Scott Glenn, Vice President of Asset Protection for The Home Depot. "The safety of our customers and associates is our top priority, and the Back our Business Initiative here in Sparks and the Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act at the federal level are common sense solutions to help dismantle these brazen criminal networks."

As the former top law enforcement official in Nevada, Senator Cortez Masto has been a leading advocate in the Senate for public safety. In 2022, she ledthe call for robust funding for the Byrne JAG grant program, the leading source of criminal justice funding for state, local, and tribal governments supporting crime prevention, law enforcement, prosecution, corrections, and mental and behavioral health programs. Her bipartisan Invest to Protect Actwould set aside $250 million to help small police departments, including the Sparks Police Department, invest in training, mental health support, and recruitment and retention.

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