We cannot underestimate the real and perceived impact of High Street crime, which cost retailers over £2bn each year according to the BRC Crime Survey 2005-2006. The plan is to make ShopWatch a national, industry-wide scheme with a high profile under a single brand name. One national scheme to administer will mean minimal paperwork for maximum effect.

Store staff have the opportunity to become ShopWatch Special Constable by attending training courses run by the Metropolitan Police, and once trained will provide a high-profile uniformed presence in the area where they currently work. The volunteers who are successful are given all the powers of a regular police officer.

Recruitment and deployment will be specifically concentrated on retail environments in town centres and an infrastructure will be put in place to support, brief, task and co-ordinate the deployment of the ShopWatch Special Constables.

As a retailer you'll receive a dedicated and visible crime and antisocial behaviour deterrent in your retail area with enhanced links and a greater working partnership with the local police. Also, you'll have staff in your stores who have been police trained, bringing with it extra skills in dealing with customers - and criminals.

The training will be conducted over four weeks, Monday to Friday during normal office hours and will be delivered by qualified Metropolitan Police trainers.

At a Metropolitan Police Training School such as Hendon.

In return for the very tangible benefits which you will receive within a short time, we ask for your business to 'sponsor' staff who volunteer for the scheme, by paying them for the time off over the four-week training period and then allow them one day's paid leave each fortnight to patrol in the area where they work.

They receive their normal work salary, but they are volunteers in the eyes of the police. ShopWatch Special Constables are now entitled to Free travel on London's tube, buses and DLR. Free travel is available on and off duty, and it is open to all current ShopWatch Special Constables who perform at least 200 hours duty a year* In addition what is known as a refreshment allowance is paid based on the number of hours performed on duty.*

Stores who either support ShopWatch nationally or locally include Dixons, The Link, Lillywhites, Debenhams and The Carphone Warehouse, to name a few. More retailers, large and small, are joining all the time.

At the moment ShopWatch is being rolled out across London. On a national basis there are around ten police forces who have ShopWatch Special Constables or are setting up schemes. This includes West Midlands Police who are running a scheme in Birmingham. It's important to remember that ShopWatch works the same everywhere - one national scheme for your business to support.

The MPS are responsible for co-ordinating and operating the ShopWatch scheme in the 32 London boroughs. As the pioneering police service for the scheme, the MPS are leading the way in ShopWatch and working with other police forces and the Home Office to launch the scheme nationwide.

There is of course a possibility that some staff may wish to change careers and join the police full time. However, experience so far has shown that the scheme actually helps employers to retain key staff. Many employees, through the training they have received, have increased their confidence and skills, resulting in some being promoted in-store. No-one from the pilot scheme has left to join the police as a regular officer.

During their one duty day per fortnight, selected staff are on-duty as a ShopWatch Special Constable, so to maintain the integrity of the service, the retail store must use their existing method of calling 999 or the local control room (depending on the seriousness of the incident) - the store must not for example call the officer on their mobile phone to attend.

When the member of staff is off-duty and doing their 'day job' in your store, it may be appropriate for the member of staff to become 'on-duty' on occasion to effect an arrest, however, as you would expect, there are guidelines set up to safeguard the welfare and integrity of all concerned. We have found that in most cases it is not appropriate for the member of staff to become on-duty during their shop work and that in general it's 'business as usual'.

After initial recruit training, staff will be required to undergo a further period of supervised on-the-job training (during their one day per fortnight) and we ask managers to be flexible in setting that training day for at least the first six months of duty, according to the availability of trainers. Thereafter, the day on which duty is performed is agreed with the manager, individual members of staff and police supervisors where they are stationed.

Yes. In fact, your staff could become part of the scheme in a shorter space of time, as the ShopWatch team would deal directly with your store.

Yes, ShopWatch Special Constables are now entitled to Free travel on London's tube, buses and DLR*. Free travel is available on and off duty - this is a significant financial benefit for your team member, and acts as a great help towards staff retention.

This offer is open to all current ShopWatch Special Constables who perform at least 200 hours a year.

* This offer is subject to MSC policies, which are available on request. As a guide, a ShopWatch Special Constable performing one day's duty per fortnight would accrue 208 hours duty per year.