Spotlight on Leadership: John Gorrell, Senior Director of Law Enforcement Partnerships

Collaboration is at the heart of Retail Crime Intelligence, and law enforcement is a key piece to the connections Auror helps build. Together, our retail partners and law enforcement leaders are making communities safer.

We recently spoke with John Gorrell, Senior Director of Law Enforcement Partnerships at Auror, to dive into his background and passion for making communities safer. Let’s meet John.

‍Can we start with a brief origin story?

‍My experience in the law enforcement space began in an international context working at the United States Embassy in Germany, followed by roles in corporate strategy at Motorola Solutions in Berlin, where I was primarily involved in positioning the company to compete in the tender for the German nationwide public safety communications network (BOS).

I later moved on to take on a role at Interpol in Lyon, France developing partnerships with the private sector as well as other international/European police organizations. Just prior to joining Auror, I was Managing Director of the Europe, Middle East & Africa Region for Tait Communications (also a Kiwi company), where our customers included public safety agencies, critical infrastructure/utilities, and public transport.

The common thread throughout my experience has been the promotion and optimization of public safety, and this continues to be a key focus for me today.

‍How did you learn about Auror?

‍My first contact with Auror took place in roughly mid-2021, when a friend and former coworker of mine brought the company to my attention. I was immediately attracted to both Auror’s approach to Organized Retail Crime (ORC) prevention and the Auror platform itself. A number of discussions ensued, which ultimately led to my joining the company in May of this year.

The opportunity was and continues to be a perfect fit for me, allowing me to leverage both my law enforcement expertise and strategic acumen.

‍Why are law enforcement partnerships so important? 

Loss prevention in the retail context and the efforts of law enforcement at virtually all levels – from local agencies to state AG’s offices and on to federal agencies such as HSI within Homeland Security – go hand in hand.

When the public considers retail theft, there’s a natural tendency to ascribe a shoplifter’s motives solely to personal need. The reality is that retail loss is often part of a more comprehensive, organized effort to fund much more ominous criminal activity such as human or drug trafficking and other interstate (or international) crime. Only the combined efforts of retail and law enforcement can have a real impact on combating ORC; it’s why our focus at Auror has been to serve as a unifying force between the two.

‍What are you most excited about for the next 6-12 months when it comes to your team? 

In the course of the past 16 months, we’ve recorded a 400%+ increase in the number of law enforcement agencies actively using the Auror platform. Our work with the Organized Retail Crime Associations (ORCAs) across a multitude of US states, New Mexico being the most recent of them, has continued to gain momentum and served as a point of intersection between retail and law enforcement partners.

I’m particularly excited by the traction we’re getting with the platform and its ability to transform the way loss prevention is being conducted. I’m also both motivated and honored to work with such a fantastic, competent team.

‍What are you doing outside of Auror?

It's not possible to live in Colorado without engaging with the outdoors, and for me there’s nothing quite like a hike (with or without snowshoes) in the backcountry. I’m an avid traveler and sports shooter and am a big fan of photography, motorcycling, golf, and (perhaps most important) good food in good company!

Interested in learning more about how Auror partners with law enforcement leaders around the world?

‍Explore what Aurors like John are working on each day.