Co-op equips staff with body cams in over 50 Midlands stores
The move comes after a rise in crime and abuse in stores
Co-op workers are being given body cameras to help stop violence and abuse towards them in stores.
After a successful trial of the technology in two Birmingham Co-ops, the retailer has approved the decision to roll out body cams across 50 Midlands stores.
Stores which will receive the new body cams are based in Stafford, Leicester, Nuneaton, Castle Donington, Derby, Peterborough and other parts of Birmingham.
This step comes after Co-op found that over 10,000 incidents have been recorded in stores this year.
72 Assaults, 879 cases of verbal abuse and threats, and 272 anti-social behaviour reports were among the thousands of other incidents that were reported by staff.
Compared to 2020, the total amount of incidents have seen a vast increase of 31.1%, with a considerable rise in verbal threats and anti-social behaviour.
Co-op has also been working alongside other major retailers, unions, industry bodies, police and over 200 MPs in a call for the Government to introduce tougher penalties on those who abuse shop workers.
The retailer is aiming to drive down crime rates through various other means, such as installing centrally monitored CCTV in stores and further use of tracking devices in high risk products.
New specialist software and technology to protect lone workers will also be rolled out, while training packages and toolkits will be made available to colleagues to ensure they have the information and skills needed to keep safe.
Nicola Walton, Loss Prevention Advisor, said: “Our body camera trial was a great success. It allowed our colleagues to feel safer while serving their communities and played its part as another deterrent to prevent crimes before they take place.
We are aware that any kind of crime can be frightening for store colleagues and this is why we are extended the rollout of the technology to over 50 stores across our trading estate."
Store Manager Gill Evans, who helped trial the body cams in store, said: “We were so pleased to be part of the trial and to find out more stores will be getting this vital technology.
Colleagues should not face any kind of abuse and these cameras act as another great deterrent to try and put people off."