Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker MP joined shop union Usdaw General Secretary John Hannett at a Co-op store in South London with its own police station. It was to launch the union’s new ‘It’s your store – respect it’ campaign.
The minister, who has responsibility for policing, security and community safety, met Co-op staff and local police officers working in partnership with staff at the store in Eltham, where London’s first store-based "cop shop" was opened to reduce crime.
Usdaw’s new campaign is designed to tackle abuse aimed at shopworkers which results, it is claimed, in more than 10,000 physical assaults on shop staff every year and a torrent of vicious verbal abuse aimed at retail workers.
"Usdaw’s Freedom From Fear campaign has really put the issue of abuse aimed at shop workers on the political agenda and the Co-op has been a major player in supporting that work," said Vernon Coaker. "The police station at Eltham is a unique project and a very direct response to help address the real concerns of shop staff and the community they serve.
"An on-site police station wouldn’t suit every store as each one has a different set of crime-related issues, but it was fascinating to hear for myself how strong community-based policing can really help give shop staff some much needed peace of mind in deterring a minority of abusive shoppers.
"I was particularly pleased to use this visit to launch Usdaw’s new Respect campaign which is encouraging MPs to use their local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships to tackle retail crime. There’s no doubt local MPs have a key role to play in bringing together retailers, shopworkers, the police and local authorities to tackle unacceptable levels of physical and verbal abuse of shop staff."
Usdaw has run a Freedom From Fear campaign for the last five years asking that retail crime isn’t seen as a victimless crime but abuse that can ruin the lives of shopworkers.
"Usdaw members endure a catalogue of physical attacks and verbal abuse that is simply horrifying in scale ruining lives in the process and this Government has introduced tough measures like Anti-Social Behaviour Orders that help protect our members," said Usdaw General Secretary John Hannett.
"Usdaw is launching our new campaign in a Co-op store because they have been supporters of Freedom From Fear from its inception, pioneering the use of in-store signs warning customers that abusive behaviour won’t be tolerated giving our members much needed support.
"It’s clear that having the police on site works for our members in Eltham and our new ‘It’s your store…respect it’ campaign aims to encourage a dialogue between those who are the victims of retail crime and those who can help fight it.
‘It’s your store – respect it’ aims to remind a minority of shoppers who lose their tempers in shops lashing out at staff.
"Usdaw is delighted that so many MPs have told us they are willing to sign up to our campaign because they will play a key role in bringing together communities to tackle a minority of anti-social shoppers who can make the lives of our members a living hell."
Co-operative Group Director Kathryn Smith, who also attended the launch, added: "The ground-breaking partnership to provide a community office for the police at our Eltham store has proved very successful and has helped transform this shopping area for the benefit of all local businesses and people. As such, the Eltham store is an ideal location for the launch of Usdaw’s latest campaign, ‘It’s your store – respect it’, as The Co-operative Group has shown that abuse of our staff and anti-social behaviour around our stores will not be tolerated and we are at the forefront of tackling retail crime."
