ShopWatch is a well-established initiative that unites the police, the retail industry and government to help make our shops and town centres safer.

Launched in 2004 in Camden Town and London's Oxford Street and Regent Street and now rolling out nationally, it's a unique contributor to reducing the retail-related crime that cost retailers over £2 billion in 2005-6.*

* BRC Crime Survey 2005-6

How does it work?

Shop staff volunteer as ShopWatch Special Constables and carry out patrols during some of their working hours, acting as additional eyes and ears for the regular police. Their presence seeks to actively deter theft and fraud and discourage anti-social behaviour, as well as offering additional reassurance for shoppers. The other huge benefit is that when the staff are doing their day job in-store - for the majority of their working hours - they can still use the wide range of transferable skills they've learned to provide an additional level of security. Skills like assertiveness, conflict resolution, leadership, confidence, management and more.