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Target - Racial Profiling
Review by postcoitalooze on 2013-01-15
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WOODINVILLE, WASHINGTON -- My wife shops in this store and has for over 2 years now, although I don't know why, with how she has been treated.
She is Latina and every time she goes into the store there is at least one employee who seems to look her over, like she is thinking about stealing something. When she first brought it to my attention, I thought she was being somewhat sensitive, However about a year ago, I came into the store unbeknownst to my wife and I watched one of the Asset Protection people, a rather tall large women follow her around the store. The AP passed white shoppers, but seem to linger at other Hispanic customers in the store. I was so appalled at the behavior I asked to speak to the manager. A woman came over and I explained I had just watched the AP follow my wife and others, but saw no suspicious behavior on their part, but for the mere fact they were Hispanic. I explained I watched a young white man dressed in an oversized coat hanging out in the electronics section and witnessed him pocket something, but the AP was too focused on the Hispanics in the store to even notice.
She said she would address the concern with the AP although I never saw her call the AP over. My wife continued shopping and after a time, that the AP did not appear to be working there anymore, but was replaced by another younger man.
In the last several months, my wife has gone on in different occasions and has been followed into the restroom by employees. The last of which was the fitting room attendant who entered the stall next to her, but never used the toilet. Upon finishing her business and washing her hands, the Target attendant came out. My wife asked her why she was following her, but the employee said she was not, and walked out of the restroom. Evidently she didn't bother to read the sign that states "Employees are required to wash their hands before returning to work"
Disturbed by this incident I tried to make a complaint by calling the guest services phone number only to be referred to another number, which only allowed me to leave a voice mail. I received an canned response of "I'm making your concerns available to the regional and district offices to ensure that Target team member training sufficiently addresses the issues you raised."
Shopping again yesterday, my wife felt as though she was being followed by the AP again. She texted me distraught, so I told her take his picture.
The AP passed, she called him by the name on his tag, Michael. He didn't like this at all. He told her it was illegal for her to take his photo. She told him that she took it to report him for following her. He then told her that she was going to have to leave the store. She asked why, she hadn't done anything wrong.
She then called me to report what was going on. I could hear him ask who she was calling. "My husband" She told me she took the picture as I had suggested because she was tired of being profiled and followed. To which the AP says "You want I call the cops?" She asked for what reason, she didn't do anything wrong. He again asked if she wanted to call the cops. I guess he was trying to intimidate her by doing so, but she told him "go ahead! Don't worry I'll call the cops."
I told her I was already on my way to pick her up and just to meet me outside. She came outside but the AP was nowhere to be found. He obviously didn't call the cops or they had more important things to do, like fighting real crime.
I called guest services again asking to speak to a district manager, was told by corporate guest services that district managers don't take calls from customers, Oh really? I've worked in retail and it's been my experience that part of their job duties are to take care of customer issues. I was told to expect a phone call from the AP "team leader" in the next 72 hours.
I received a call from a woman who then began to tell me that the employees including the AP at the store are afraid of my wife, because she has "accosted" them on the sales floor and in the bathroom. My wife is a petite woman all of 5'3" and these people are afraid of her? I said my wife confronted employees who have followed her, and it's a result of the employees continued behavior. The woman said that my wife followed the employees into the bathroom to confront them and that my wife's view of the events are distorted.
I said this has been going on over 2 years, I had witnessed the woman AP last year follow her and other Hispanics and even made a complaint to the manager. She said that they had no such woman there, but then later said she had only been there 6 months but her knowledge of the situation is that my wife has been causing the problems. I guess the problem is she is Hispanic.
This "team leader" said she had the backing of the corporate office to inform us that if my wife engages with any of the employees again, that she will be "tresspassed" from the store. Great Customer Service!
She is Latina and every time she goes into the store there is at least one employee who seems to look her over, like she is thinking about stealing something. When she first brought it to my attention, I thought she was being somewhat sensitive, However about a year ago, I came into the store unbeknownst to my wife and I watched one of the Asset Protection people, a rather tall large women follow her around the store. The AP passed white shoppers, but seem to linger at other Hispanic customers in the store. I was so appalled at the behavior I asked to speak to the manager. A woman came over and I explained I had just watched the AP follow my wife and others, but saw no suspicious behavior on their part, but for the mere fact they were Hispanic. I explained I watched a young white man dressed in an oversized coat hanging out in the electronics section and witnessed him pocket something, but the AP was too focused on the Hispanics in the store to even notice.
She said she would address the concern with the AP although I never saw her call the AP over. My wife continued shopping and after a time, that the AP did not appear to be working there anymore, but was replaced by another younger man.
In the last several months, my wife has gone on in different occasions and has been followed into the restroom by employees. The last of which was the fitting room attendant who entered the stall next to her, but never used the toilet. Upon finishing her business and washing her hands, the Target attendant came out. My wife asked her why she was following her, but the employee said she was not, and walked out of the restroom. Evidently she didn't bother to read the sign that states "Employees are required to wash their hands before returning to work"
Disturbed by this incident I tried to make a complaint by calling the guest services phone number only to be referred to another number, which only allowed me to leave a voice mail. I received an canned response of "I'm making your concerns available to the regional and district offices to ensure that Target team member training sufficiently addresses the issues you raised."
Shopping again yesterday, my wife felt as though she was being followed by the AP again. She texted me distraught, so I told her take his picture.
The AP passed, she called him by the name on his tag, Michael. He didn't like this at all. He told her it was illegal for her to take his photo. She told him that she took it to report him for following her. He then told her that she was going to have to leave the store. She asked why, she hadn't done anything wrong.
She then called me to report what was going on. I could hear him ask who she was calling. "My husband" She told me she took the picture as I had suggested because she was tired of being profiled and followed. To which the AP says "You want I call the cops?" She asked for what reason, she didn't do anything wrong. He again asked if she wanted to call the cops. I guess he was trying to intimidate her by doing so, but she told him "go ahead! Don't worry I'll call the cops."
I told her I was already on my way to pick her up and just to meet me outside. She came outside but the AP was nowhere to be found. He obviously didn't call the cops or they had more important things to do, like fighting real crime.
I called guest services again asking to speak to a district manager, was told by corporate guest services that district managers don't take calls from customers, Oh really? I've worked in retail and it's been my experience that part of their job duties are to take care of customer issues. I was told to expect a phone call from the AP "team leader" in the next 72 hours.
I received a call from a woman who then began to tell me that the employees including the AP at the store are afraid of my wife, because she has "accosted" them on the sales floor and in the bathroom. My wife is a petite woman all of 5'3" and these people are afraid of her? I said my wife confronted employees who have followed her, and it's a result of the employees continued behavior. The woman said that my wife followed the employees into the bathroom to confront them and that my wife's view of the events are distorted.
I said this has been going on over 2 years, I had witnessed the woman AP last year follow her and other Hispanics and even made a complaint to the manager. She said that they had no such woman there, but then later said she had only been there 6 months but her knowledge of the situation is that my wife has been causing the problems. I guess the problem is she is Hispanic.
This "team leader" said she had the backing of the corporate office to inform us that if my wife engages with any of the employees again, that she will be "tresspassed" from the store. Great Customer Service!
Comments:
Posted by Alain on 2013-01-15:
Give a call to the governor's office at 360-902-4111 and see which state/local agency you can report this to for action.
Posted by leet60 on 2013-01-15:
I agree that something is amiss in the way she is being treated in the store. The store does, however, have the right to refuse service, is a private entity and could bar her from the store at will.
It is a sad commentary that this is happening. Were it my family, none of us would shop at this retailer ever again - I vote with my wallet in situations like this.
It is a sad commentary that this is happening. Were it my family, none of us would shop at this retailer ever again - I vote with my wallet in situations like this.
Posted by trmn8r on 2013-01-15:
My guess would be that taking a picture of AP personnel would indeed not be allowed.
This patronage of this store by your wife has, for whatever reason, escalated to an untenable situation. There may be something to your allegation that your wife has been unfairly targeted because of race, but frankly I don't see proof of that.
What I do see, from personal experience, is exacly what it contained in the last paragraph of your complaint - the store is on the verge of banning your wife from the premises. A business can do that if they feel a customer is harrassing employees or creating an unwarranted nuisance. In fact, I would not be surprised if that decision has already been made. Putting this in writing has documented that she attempted to take their pictures, which may be sufficient.
Personally, based on experience and your description of the situation? I would shop elsewhere. The only alternative I see is providing proof that there was actually an offense committed by employee(s).
This patronage of this store by your wife has, for whatever reason, escalated to an untenable situation. There may be something to your allegation that your wife has been unfairly targeted because of race, but frankly I don't see proof of that.
What I do see, from personal experience, is exacly what it contained in the last paragraph of your complaint - the store is on the verge of banning your wife from the premises. A business can do that if they feel a customer is harrassing employees or creating an unwarranted nuisance. In fact, I would not be surprised if that decision has already been made. Putting this in writing has documented that she attempted to take their pictures, which may be sufficient.
Personally, based on experience and your description of the situation? I would shop elsewhere. The only alternative I see is providing proof that there was actually an offense committed by employee(s).
Posted by Starlord on 2013-01-15:
Having worked in Loss Prevention. There are many points of your post which don't quite ring true. Loss Prevention Agents do not wear name tags. They are undercover, and a name tag would defeat the purpose. You might as well have uniformed security, but that is another matter. Most business places do not allow photographing or recording on their premises as they consider the store, its personnel and fixtures to be proprietary. Very few post a notice to this effect, such as Fudrucker's, but it does not change the fact. A business has the absolute right to refuse service to anyone. There is no law that they have to do business with an individual. I am sorry you feel so intently about this that you must throw the race card, but the facts remain.
Posted by TIRA~MASUU on 2013-01-15:
I have also worked loss prevention in 3 different stores and it would never be practice to be identified with a badge or uniform as this would defeat the purpose. Also as you stated that the employee followed your wife into the restroom and into the next stall. Unless you were with her, which would be a new set of problems then this is her interpretation of the incident. I am sorry to sound negetive about her complaint but it sounds like during many of these complaints you were not even there to verify these facts. I do understand why you would of course take the word of your wife over anyone else. But why would she continue to shop there and for that matter why would you let her step foot into the store? I highly doubt that at this point she is even allowed in the store so you no longer have to deal with people you feel are racial profilers.
Posted by Dryer Lint on 2013-01-16:
I'm thinking statistically, anecdotally more Hispanics are ripping that store off. This issue of non profiling is nonsense, some groups, demographics, incomes, whatever do certain things more than others. Marketing is based on this.
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