ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to the publication of the Public Accounts Committee’s report on the sustainability of policing, calling for the government to ensure police response to crime against convenience retailers and their staff is consistent.
The report ‘Financial Sustainability of Police Forces in England and Wales’ looks at the funding into police forces and the priorities for policing, stating: “Forces cannot do everything and are prioritising their work by cutting back in some areas, such as neighbourhood policing meaning fewer officers on the street. Public confidence in the police is declining and officers’ personal resilience is under pressure with this reduction in visibility.”
Findings of the report include:
- Funding for police forces is down by nearly a fifth since 2010-11 and there are nearly a fifth fewer officers and staff
- Public confidence in the police is declining and officers’ personal resilience is under pressure with the reduction in visibility
ACS figures show that over three quarters of retailers are concerned about the response from police when crimes are committed against their business.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “The Public Accounts Committee report highlights the increasing strain that police forces are under in the face of rising crime levels.
“The ACS Crime Report 2018 shows that the total cost of crimes committed against the convenience sector over the last year was £193m, which equates to a 7p ‘crime tax’ on every transaction in stores
“Retailers and staff are facing violence, theft and abuse on a regular basis and it is important that they receive a consistent response from the police when these incidents occur.”
ACS is calling on all Police and Crime Commissioners to pledge to ensure that police forces take shop theft and abuse of staff seriously, and that they respond to incidents where they’re reported. For more information, visit https://www.acs.org.uk/lobbying
