::: Notable Quotes :::
"Particular people employed at Dillard’s security would…prey on African-Americans.”
-Michael Imber, former Dillard’s security guard, Good Housekeeping
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“Dillard’s has got a major, major problem with these police officers, and if they don’t change the situation, people are going to keep dying. I’ve been in this business for 28 years, and I’ve never heard of another retail chain where they’ve had four deaths.”
-Chris McGoey, nationally known store security expert, San Antonio Current
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“I don’t like picking on one chain, but they are so bad, and they don’t show any hint of changing. Their guards are going to keep stopping people, and searching people, and beating people, and killing people, and it just begs the question: Why
hasn’t Dillard’s done something?”
-Chris McGoey, San Antonio Current

::::::::::: FAQ ::::::::::

What is Dillard's customer mistreatment?
Dillard's customer mistreatment can occur when a store patron is unlawfully searched or questioned based on their physical appearance instead of by their behavior.

Who is most affected by Dillard's customer mistreatment?
Dillard's customer mistreatment is unfortunately an all too common occurrence that has been documented and criticized widely. According to the director of the Racial Justice Project at the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, women of color have the most regular experiences with Dillard's customer mistreatment.

:::::: ATTENTION! ::::::

Dillard Department Store Patrons:
If you have been wrongfully detained, assaulted, beaten, wrongfully arrested or prosecuted, or falsely accused of shoplifting at a Dillard’s store, you may have a claim.

For a free consultation contact:

Kenneth D. McConnico Kenneth D. McConnico, P.C. 830 Apollo Houston, TX 77058 (281) 286-7779

Not Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.


:: Customer Profiling ::

How large a problem is Dillard's customer mistreatment?
Dillard's customer mistreatment, according to some experts, may be on the rise due to a disproportionate increase in spending power of African-Americans and limited growth of retail outlets in African-American neighborhoods.

Why is Dillard’s currently involved in lawsuits?
Dillard’s has been involved in a long history of problems between their company and minority groups. Former and present employees have claimed discrimination and customers have filed mistreatment cases against them. Punitive damages have been awarded to victims that have been able to prove they were wrongfully accused of shoplifting or improperly treated.

Dillard's customer mistreatment

Dillard's customer mistreatment is the term used when law enforcement or store employees target someone based on that person’s physical appearance. For example, Dillard's customer mistreatment can occur when a security guard stops someone in a store for shoplifting based on the individual’s clothing or physical characteristics. Profiling in this regard is not as visible as other forms of mistreatment that occur, but Dillard's customer mistreatment has been around for a long time and is believed to be on the rise according to some experts. Dillard's customer mistreatment is illegal, according to Read Hayes, senior consultant for Loss Prevention Solutions. (Good Housekeeping, 11/01).

While shoplifting has allegedly caused retail industries losses of $8.5 billion in 1999 alone, statistics show that employees steal more than shoplifters, with $11.2 billion loss in 1999 coming from employee theft, a more than $2.5 billion difference over shoplifting losses. Even more notable is the 1997 survey showing that 46.3% of shoplifters were white and 32.7% were African American, of the 100,000 shoplifting incidents that reportedly occurred throughout the country. A 1999 FBI crime report showed that 66.1% of people that were arrested for larceny theft were Caucasian.

For victims of Dillard's customer mistreatment, the effect it leaves emotionally can be disruptive. The feeling of humiliation, bewilderment, and embarrassment while being targeted and accused and not knowing why, can cause you to second guess yourself and feel self-conscious. Two extremes can occur with Dillard's customer mistreatment, either the customer is watched to an extreme, or they are simply ignored as if they do not even exist. Some cases of Dillard's customer mistreatment involve security officers following customers around the store, watching their every move because they have certain physical characteristics or look poor, while other customers endure the feeling of being invisible and are refused help for wearing certain clothes or not looking rich enough.

“Retailers should look at behavior. Do the customers not want to make eye contact? Do they not want you to see their face? Do they tend to be looking around, checking out the security tags, checking out where the security personnel are? Do they seem to be browsing with no clear direction?” (Good Housekeeping, 11/01).

According to policies and procedures of Dillard's, store employees are required to do the following before apprehending a potential shoplifter:

"The person must be observed with the actual removal and or concealment of merchandise. If merchandise is being taken into a fitting room, you must establish a concealment by observing the customer and the merchandise count and description taken in to and from the fitting room . . ."

If you have been wrongfully detained, assaulted, beaten, wrongfully arrested or prosecuted, or falsely accused of shoplifting at a Dillard’s store, you may have a claim and should contact us to speak to an expert attorney. If you are a former employee of a Dillard’s and have witnessed incidences of Dillard's customer mistreatment in Dillard stores, contact us and help put an end to Dillard’s Dillard's customer mistreatment.
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