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Episode Three: Brian Friedman, Director of Asset Protection and Risk Management at REI
Episode Three: Brian Friedman, Director of Asset Protection and Risk Management at REI
Episode synopsis
In this episode of A Safer Shift, host Blake Lewkowitz sits down with Brian Friedman, Director of Asset Protection and Risk Management at REI, to explore the evolving landscape of retail safety and asset protection. With over two decades of experience, Brian shares his journey into loss prevention, current trends in employee safety, and the role of technology in creating safer retail environments. From wearable tech to license plate recognition, he offers valuable insights into how REI is shaping the future of retail security. Tune in to hear expert advice on fostering safer communities through proactive asset protection strategies.
Video transcript
Blake Lewkowitz - Axon: Welcome to A Safer Shift, a talk series focused on creating safer communities, featuring key leaders who will help us get there. My name is Blake Lewkowitz, and I'm joined today by Brian Friedman, Director of Asset Protection and Risk Management for REI. Welcome, Brian.
Brian Friedman (REI): Hey, Blake, thank you for having me.
Blake Lewkowitz - Axon: Thanks for joining us, Brian. Looking at your history, you've spent nearly two decades in the asset protection space across multiple global retailers. How did you get started in this industry, and how has your position evolved?
Brian Friedman (REI): Yeah, I actually joined loss prevention at The Home Depot somewhat by accident. It wasn’t where I thought my career was headed. I started out in stores as an employee and later moved into store management. Then, I took a dive into loss prevention and really fell in love with it—especially the idea of creating better customer experiences through safer environments. I enjoyed the investigations side of things and have really loved watching the space evolve over the last 20 years. It's kept me grounded and focused on the contributions I want to make. My career path hasn’t followed the typical loss prevention track, so I’ve always questioned the current state and where we're heading next.
Blake Lewkowitz - Axon: That questioning of the current state is a great segue. Now that you're fully immersed in it, what trends are you seeing? Is there anything alarming or exciting happening in the asset protection space?
Brian Friedman (REI): Yeah, something that is both alarming and top-of-mind is the focus on employee safety from a security perspective. It's similar to workplace occupational safety but also different—this is about feeling safe at work in terms of threats of violence. When I first started my career, this wasn't one of the most commonly discussed topics, but now it’s a major focus. It’s not just about physical safety, but also psychological safety, which has become a significant aspect of our programs. Employees’ perceptions of their workplace safety have driven us to create new programs, solutions, and training. Violent acts, while still considered unlikely, do happen, and the fear of them happening places an unhealthy burden on both employees and, at times, customers.
Blake Lewkowitz - Axon: Got it. You mentioned programs and technology you've implemented. Can you tell us more about what the REI team is doing in terms of new technology or programs to help employees feel safer in stores?
Brian Friedman (REI): Absolutely. A guiding principle of ours focuses on two main aspects. First, the employee experience is central to everything we build. We always ask: How do they interact with the technology or processes we create, and does it make them feel safer? If we introduce technology that makes them feel more fearful, it's counterproductive. The second aspect is understanding employee behavior and meeting them where they are. For instance, we often see employees trying to help by going outside after a shoplifter runs off to get a license plate—an unsafe practice. By leveraging technologies like license plate recognition (LPR) systems in parking lots, we eliminate the need for employees to take unnecessary risks. This allows us to handle the situation through the proper channels while keeping everyone safe.
Blake Lewkowitz - Axon: It sounds like technology is evolving rapidly. Now that you're in a more corporate, higher-level role, what feedback are you hearing from your teams in the field? What technologies are working, and where do you see room for improvement?
Brian Friedman (REI): Wearable technology is definitely a key area of focus, though it's still a bit controversial among my peers and even myself at times. When I first started experimenting with body-worn cameras, I had questions about how my team would feel about wearing them and how our employees and customers would perceive them. Initially, we looked to the UK, where this technology has been in use longer than here in the U.S., to validate our understanding. We were pleasantly surprised by how similarly it was received here—behavior around escalation followed similar patterns. Over time, as we've rolled out more pilots and deployments, we've seen positive results, and many of our industry peers have experienced the same.
Blake Lewkowitz - Axon: That’s encouraging. So, what else do you think needs to be done in terms of improving safety and perceptions of safety?
Brian Friedman (REI): I think we need to continue focusing on bringing technology closer to where the employee interacts with the problem. It's important that the technology is user-friendly, creates a frictionless environment, and is overt rather than covert. In the past, we prioritized covert technology, but now we’re shifting to overt solutions that signal our commitment to safety. This overt approach makes it clear that we take safety seriously and are doing everything necessary to create a safe atmosphere.
Blake Lewkowitz - Axon: I appreciate the detailed response. As we wrap up, given the focus of our series, A Safer Shift, what advice would you give to those in the asset protection or safety space to help them make a meaningful shift toward enhancing safety in their communities?
Brian Friedman (REI): My advice would be to go slow to go fast. Take the time to connect with your cross-functional partners and understand their concerns and questions. This helps you figure out how to solve problems and gain buy-in. Also, benchmark. Reach out to your industry peers—many people are willing to share their experiences, whether positive or negative. Learning from others can help reduce friction, and when the industry moves together, we can progress faster and learn more efficiently.
Blake Lewkowitz - Axon: Thank you for that advice, Brian, and thank you again for joining me today. I appreciate hearing your insights and thoughts on the future of asset protection.
Brian Friedman (REI): My pleasure. Thanks for having me.