Interesting.
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http://www.govexec.com/features/0707-15/0707-15buzz.htm IN EVERY ISSUE The Buzz
letters@govexec.com Government Executive July 15, 2007
/features/0707-15/0707-15buzz.htm
Private Spies
It turns out that Uncle Sam isn't the only one watching out for terrorists, enemy agents, saboteurs, bombers, kidnappers and dangerous trends. Sam Walton's folks are, too. The world's largest company has begun competing for spying talent.
Wal-Mart, with its 1.7 million em-ployees and more than 6,000 stores in 16 countries, is putting together its own corporate CIA, the Analytical Research Center, at company headquarters in tiny Bentonville, Ark. The center is part of the retailer's global security division, which is headed by former CIA and FBI officer Kenneth Senser. The center is led by David Harrison, formerly of the Border Patrol, Justice Department, 82nd Airborne and Army Special Operations.
Early this year, the center began advertising for threat analysts on Web sites for intelligence and law enforcement officers. On March 8, for example, Wal-Mart advertised on the site of the International Association of Crime Analysts. According to the job description, "threat analysts provide an objective perspective to assist key corporate leadership in critical decision-making involving corporate reputation and image, operations, safety and security concerns, and emerging world events."
Harrison's center will gather information about violence and threats against Wal-Mart and perform background checks on new employees. It no doubt also will mine the huge database of personal information the store maintains on all current and former employees, 47 million Sam's Club members, anyone who files a claim against the company or uses its pharmacies, as well as the vehicle identification numbers, license plate numbers and home addresses of those who get their oil changed at Wal-Mart.
The store also tracks those who buy propane tanks or more than three prepaid cell phones, Harrison told Government Security News in February.
Of Wal-Mart's data repository, he said: "If a [Joint Terrorism Task Force] comes to us and wants to look at it, I believe we would cooperate."
