John H. Christman, CPP, retired security consultant and former member of the IAPSC passed away unexpectedly on July 12, 2013.
John was a highly respected member of the retail loss prevention community and is best remembered for his long service with Macy’s West as Vice President and Director of Security. He directed a staff of over 500 security/loss prevention personnel, several distribution centers and 60 department stores. Before joining Macy’s West he worked with a major grocery chain and was a member of the Southern California Special Agents Association where he met Chuck Sennewald. The two undertook joint projects over the years including the development of the “six steps” required for a shoplifting detection and were the first members of the California Merchant’s Association’s Retail Security Committee and of which John served as the first Chairman. That committee, in the early 1970’s was instrumental in codifying the act of shoplifting and civil recovery in the state’s Penal Code, a pioneering task of national note. That new retail statutory law (and concept) served as a model for many states.
He was a long time member of the National Retail Federation’s Loss Prevention Advisory Council and in more recent times was the recipient of the NRF’ Loss Prevention Ring of Excellence. For a number of years he served as one of the three moderators for the NRF’s LPInformation.com discussion forum with a large internet following of mostly entry level LP employees comparing notes and seeking advice, and answers to their problems.
He and Sennewald co-authored three books: Shoplifting, 1992; Shoplifting…Managing the Problem, 2006; and Retail Crime, Security and Loss Prevention, An Encyclopedic Reference, 2008.
Upon retiring from Macy’s John established a security consulting practice and joined the IAPSC. He left the IAPSC upon accepting a board member position with a provider of security products.