Merseyside Police has become the first police force in the UK to partner with the Retail Trust to support shop workers facing rising 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 alongside additional support from police officers.
Training And Support For Retail Workers
The programme is designed to equip shop workers with the skills and confidence needed to safely manage confrontational situations and support their wellbeing. Around 500 workers will also gain access to the Retail Trust’s support resources aimed at helping retail staff deal with workplace abuse.
Training sessions are currently taking place at St John’s Shopping Centre and across Liverpool city centre, with a wider rollout planned in the coming months.
Addressing Retail Worker Abuse
According to the Retail Trust, the initiative responds to ongoing concerns about the scale of abuse facing retail employees. The charity reported last year that more than three quarters of shop staff (77%) had experienced intimidating behaviour, while nearly a quarter (23%) had been physically assaulted.
The partnership marks the first time the Retail Trust has worked directly with a police force to provide coordinated support for shop workers.
City Centre Safety Programme
The programme is funded through the Hyper-Local Policing Fund, provided by the Home Office and secured by Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner together with Merseyside Police. The funding is intended to help tackle knife crime, violence and robbery and improve safety across four priority areas in Liverpool city centre, including St George’s Quarter, Matthew Street and Ropewalks.
Police officers will remain closely involved in the initiative as part of a wider zero-tolerance approach to violence and abuse directed at retail workers. The force will also assess the programme’s impact on business robbery offences and related crimes across the city centre.
“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.”
Superintendent Philip Mullally, Force Lead for Serious Violence and Knife Crime, Merseyside Police
“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.”
Emily Spurrell, Police and Crime Commissioner, Merseyside
“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.”
Chris Brook-Carter, Chief Executive, Retail Trust
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