Merseyside Police has become the first UK police force to partner with the charity Retail Trust to protect shop workers from escalating levels of abuse, violence and intimidation.
The initiative will see retail staff across Liverpool city centre receive specialist de-escalation training from the Retail Trust and new support from police officers.
The training will give shop workers more tools and confidence to safely manage, de-escalate and recover from violent and confrontational situations and protect their wellbeing. 500 workers will also be given access to the Retail Trust’s range of dedicated resources to help staff deal with abuse at work as part of the charity’s new partnership with Merseyside Police.
Sessions are taking place at St John’s Shopping Centre and the city centre, with a wider roll-out planned in the coming months.
The Retail Trust warned last year that over three quarters (77%) of shop staff had experienced intimidating behaviour and a quarter (23%) were physically assaulted. The charity ran new training to protect thousands of retail workers against abuse and called on the retail industry to unite against the problem, but this is the first time Retail Trust has partnered with a police force to bring more support to staff.
The programme is being funded by the Hyper-Local Policing Fund, awarded by the Home Office and secured by Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner and Merseyside Police. The funding is being used to prevent knife crime, violence and robbery and improve public safety in four priority areas of the city centre, including St George’s Quarter, Matthew Street and Ropewalks.
Police officers will be closely involved throughout the retail initiative, as part of their zero-tolerance approach to abuse and violence against retail workers, and will evaluate its impact on business robbery offences, violence against shop workers and other related crime within the city centre. Offenders will continue to be pursued, held to account and put before the courts.
Superintendent Philip Mullally, force lead for serious violence and knife crime, said: “Retail workers are an important part of our local economy and should not have to feel intimidated and threatened or unsafe doing their jobs. By becoming the first police force in the UK to partner with the Retail Trust we are sending a clear message to those intent on causing harm and violence that we will not tolerate it and we will take robust and swift action.
“This initiative is key in giving retail workers the confidence and tools necessary to defuse difficult situations in the knowledge that we stand with them and support them in times of conflict.”
Merseyside Police crime commissioner Emily Spurrell said: “No one should ever go to work fearing abuse, intimidation or violence. Our shop workers and retail staff do an incredible job keeping services running for our communities, and they deserve to feel safe and respected every day. I’m proud that Merseyside Police is the first force in the country to partner with the Retail Trust on this initiative.
“This partnership builds on the momentum of our recent Safer Town Centres Conference, where partners from across the region came together to share learning and strengthen our collective approach to making our retail spaces safer for everyone.
“By investing in practical training, wellbeing support and a zero-tolerance stance on abuse, we are sending a clear message: retail crime will not be tolerated in Merseyside. We will continue working with businesses, local authorities and our police colleagues to protect staff, reduce crime and ensure our high streets remain welcoming places for all.”
Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust, said: “Shop workers across the country are being abused, threatened and assaulted on a daily basis simply for doing their jobs.
“Hundreds of retailers’ employees have already taken part in our training and we’ve joined forces with Merseyside Police to bring even more support to retail workers in Liverpool. We want to teach people how to safely de-escalate and recover from verbal and physical assaults and work with the police to make the city’s shops safer.”
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