Shopworkers to become special constables

Leading retail trade union Usdaw today welcomed, in principle, a new scheme to reduce retail crime by training shopworkers as special constables - but urged workers to always put their safety first and not to put themselves at risk of attack.

A shopworker is assaulted or verbally abused every minute of the working day in Britain and over 60 per cent of violent incidents result from the apprehension of thieves. Many UK shopworkers go to work in genuine fear of being abused or assaulted.

An Usdaw campaign, called Freedom From Fear, seeks to raise awareness of this issue, which often goes unrecorded in official crime statistics. In most instances, retail crime is recorded in financial terms, ignoring the human side to this worrying trend.

In this context, Usdaw welcomes a new scheme to be trialled in London which will see an initial 15 staff from stores including Dixons, Woolworths and The Link signed up as special constables with the Metropolitan Police. Staff will complete three-week training courses with the police and receive paid leave to go on patrol with full-time officers in retail areas.

Commenting on the scheme, Usdaw General Secretary Elect, John Hannett, said today: "Any initiative aimed at reducing retail crime and its effect on retail workers is to be welcomed. Retail crime is a serious issue that has a huge impact on our members.

"All too often, our members are victims of attacks or abuse at the hands of thieves. But they should never put themselves in any danger and should leave the crime-fighting to the trained professionals. Those store workers trained as special constables must never try to be heroes or heroines in dealing with incidents of crime in the workplace."

Notes to editors:

• More information and statistics about retail crime and its effects on shopworkers is available from Freedom From Fear

• Usdaw is the UK's fifth largest trade union with over 330,000 members. More information and news releases are available at our online Newsroom.

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© 2003 (USDAW) Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
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