law enforcement
MP criticises PCC over shoplifting claims
A political war of words has broken out between the MP for Bracknell in Berkshire and the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner over claims that shop staff should confront shoplifters.
The Conservative PCC Matthew Barber told a Police and Crime Panel that bystanders and shop staff need to do more to "challenge" shoplifters.
Responding to the commissioner's remarks, Labour MP Peter Swallow said that shop staff deliver "vital services in our community and are frequently intimidated, threatened and abused".
He continued: "I'm afraid it speaks to a lack of common sense for the [commissioner] to say that they should also be stopping criminals too - that is the job of the police."
Swallow noted that the Labour government has "brought in new rules to protect shop workers", which "the Conservatives voted against".
"It is vital that police are now supported in delivering these stronger measures - rather than asking ordinary shoppers to step in to dangerous and threatening situations."
Commissioner Barber's remarks have already been heavily criticised by Lib Dem MP for Maidenhead Joshua Reynolds as "irresponsible" and "dangerous".
The commissioner told a crime panel that "we should all be responsible citizens in our community", recounting an anecdote from someone in High Wycombe where after a shoplifter "just goes and helps themselves to their daily lunch from an M&S, grabs their sandwich and walks out, and the staff do nothing to challenge it", the next person in the queue asked the cashier why they should bother to pay for their own items "cause you're not even going to try to stop him."
The commissioner continued: "If you're not even going to challenge people, if you're not going to try to stop them, then people will get away with it."
"And that's not just about policing, that's a bigger problem in society."
He called people who do nothing "part of the problem", saying of bystanders who film shoplifters: "But you're the idiot standing there with a mobile phone, you're not doing anything either, are you?"
