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Blunkett promotes use of special constables schemes to reduce retail crime
27 April 2004
Home Secretary David Blunkett wants employers to give workers additional leave to train and volunteer as special constables as part of a drive to tackle retail crime and promote community safety.
Addressing the annual delegate meeting (ADM) of Usdaw, the leading retail union, in Blackpool today, the Home Secretary praised Usdaw's Freedom From Fear campaign. This campaign has successfully raised the profile of the disturbing trend towards increased violence and abuse suffered by shopworkers across the UK.
David Blunkett urged retailers to follow the example of the "Shop Watch" scheme in London and Norfolk's STEP (Specials Through Employment Partnership) scheme, where staff get additional leave to work as special constables and walk the beat they work in.
The Home Secretary said: "The Shop Watch and STEP schemes are excellent examples of how local people can work together to make our communities safer. Retail crime can drive down a whole community. It is totally unacceptable that people are having to tolerate anti-social behaviour in their communities day in and day out."
Sir Bill Connor, Usdaw General Secretary, said: "Through our Freedom From Fear campaign, Usdaw urges local authorities, police forces and retailers to work with us, in partnership, to address this important issue. Anti-social behaviour legislation and schemes such as Shop Watch and STEP are to be applauded as significant steps in the right direction.
"As retail crime is usually measured in financial terms, its impact on victims is rarely highlighted. It is not a victimless crime, as many Usdaw members can testify. Since 1995, there have been at least one million incidents of physical assaults, threats of violence and verbal abuse towards shopworkers in the UK."
Usdaw is organising a National Respect for Shopworkers Week from 5th to 11th July 2004, to further emphasise the need to address the problem of violence and abuse suffered by shopworkers, and to promote greater respect of this important sector of the working population.
Notes to Editors:
- Usdaw is the UK's fifth largest union, with over 330,000 members. The majority of Usdaw members work in retail.
- Background information about Usdaw and its campaigns is available at our online Newsroom.
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