How may I Help You Today Non-White Person? Retailer "Hot Mama" tells ACLU its Policy to Follow Blacks All Around Store No Longer in Use

No Racial Targeting Here. Hot Mama, a national retail chain with three stores in Colorado, has a theft mitigation policy that instructs employees to identify “potential thieves” and follow them around the store until they become uncomfortable and leave. Potential thieves are defined as people who do not “look like typical Hot Mama shoppers.” The store’s written policy specifically acknowledges that some customers will recognize that they are being followed “because of [their] race” and instructs employees not to “worry about making them uncomfortable.” According to the policy, “That is your goal in this situation. The more uncomfortable they become, the quicker they leave… forever.” 

The ACLU of Colorado sent a letter to the National Headquarters of Hot Mama informing the CEO that the policy violates Colorado’s anti-discrimination law, which make it illegal to refuse or deny a person “the full and equal enjoyment of goods and services” at a public place of accommodation because of race or color. The ACLU of Colorado requests that the company “rescind its discriminatory policy and initiate company-wide training to ensure that Hot Mama employees no longer rely on race in dealing with customers.” [MORE] 

Yes, it is good to Boycott White Supremacists. From [HERE] A national retail chain is encouraging employees to follow non-white customers around the store and make them feel uncomfortable as part of an anti-theft guideline, the ACLU alleged Tuesday. The complaint is [HERE]. “In no way are we discriminating of people who come into our stores,” said store CEO and founder Megan Tampte (pictured above putting Christian tattoos on the arms of Black children in Africa [MORE]). 

Hot Mama has 43 stores nationwide, including three in Colorado. The company manual says when dealing with shoplifters “they may ask you, ‘Are you following me because of my race?” and “Don’t make worry about making them feel uncomfortable. The more uncomfortable they become the quicker they leave forever.”

“Hot Mama’s policy gives the company’s blessing to racial targeting,” the ACLU said.

Tampte said that the shoplifting policy wording changed years ago. She said a former employee sent the old policy to the ACLU. (How many Black employees does this place have?)

Our Theft Mitigation Approach

 1. Identify potential thieves 

a. A customer that doesn’t look like the typical Hot Mama shopper 

b. A customer in a group that demands full attention and draws you away from the group. 

c. A customer that watches the employees. 

d. A customer that really wants to be left alone. 

e. An uncomfortable customer. Follow your instinct. It is probably correct. 

f. A customer who comes in 5 minutes to close 

2. Stick to potential thieves by following them everywhere in the store. Make them feel uncomfortable. Ask questions, such as: 

a. Have you shopped with Hot Mama before? 

b. If yes, what have you purchased?

c. What brands do you like? [MORE]

According to Tampte, her store loses hundreds of thousands of dollars to shoplifters each year. She says when it comes to thieves, race has nothing to do with it. “We don’t welcome shoplifters, we welcome moms. We’ll take any kinds of moms and we would love to have all the moms in Denver shop in our stores. There would be nothing that would make us happier,” said Tampte.

Tamte denied any practice of racial targeting.  Tamte said the manager who leaked the policy no longer works for the company.

“Unfortunately, the information that a former (and unhappy) Hot Mama manager gave you is incorrect,” Tamte said in a statement. “You [the ACLU] do not have the right information.”

Tamte said the company’s Theft and Mitigation Policy was updated in March 2013.

The ACLU said Hot Mama needs to make changes to its policy. Tampte said the changes have already been made and that she welcomes input from the ACLU.

White supremacy is carried out through violence or deception with the skillful use of lies.