Employers
are hoping to stem the rising tide of retail crime by training shop workers as
special constables.
Sir
John Stevens, the Metropolitan Police commissioner, said that staff would be
trained by his officers and released from work for a day to work with local
police. Retail employers will still pay their wages.
The
scheme is expected to be rolled out across the country.
According
to statistics, a shop worker is assaulted or verbally abused every minute of
the working day, and more than 60 per cent of incidents result from the
apprehension of thieves.
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Retail
trade union Usdaw has welcomed the move as long as workers put their own safety
first.
