Physical attacks/threats on staff.

[JCZY]

do Tesco really think, in the middle of an armed robbery, you'll ask the nice man with the gun to hold a sec while you answer the phone ?

If it saves them money in some way, yes 

Indeed, I believe this came about as a result of fines for false alarms?

The police do not fine.  Only the fire brigade.

as I stated above, if the  recieve two false alarms in 6months, (I can't remember the exact wording of the letter, but it was along these lines)  police will refuse to come out as an quick responce, but will come out in there own time.  And this stands for 12months.

The fire brigade cannot do such a thing, as lifes can be lost, so they treat every alarm as urgent, however, the fines are way of ensuring people try and prevent false alarms.

[JCZY]

How would the police know it was a false alarm until they attended?

Obviously they don't, but it is upto us to prevent false alarms.

[Anne]

In the event of asrmed robbery, lives can be lost whilst waiting for the police.

[JCZY]

Can, but unlikley.

Of all the armed robberies I've heard happen across Tesco stores, I've yet to hear of one that resulted in a death of a worked.  

[Anne]

There have been many in the retail industry. Not too far away fro me, about 4 years ago in fact.

[JCZY]

It would be interesting to see statistics on this, but after a quick net search I can't find any.

I don't disagree with you Anne, but there does need to be a deterant against false alarms, and this is what the police have chosen to do, and they do give you two chances, more in fact if the 6month time passes by without incident.

Its certainly made me be more careful, and I don't have to explain to my EOM as to why we have a fine about such a stupid false alarm!

If there was a person in store, making threatening behaviour, and the panic button was pressed, then the person disappeared, I doubt the police woulod call that a false alarm.

[Anne]

I agree, however the issue is that the police would not recognise a false alarm untill they had attended the scene. If they are taking their own sweet time to get there, anything could happen. Whilst it may be rare for there to be a fatality as a result, who wants to take that chance?
The issue of the panic button now raises questions about the effectiveness of the system of calling security support, be it in Herts, or Bangladesh.

[JCZY]

On the other hand, if a store is constantly sending out false alarms, and the police whizz over there for a false alarm, what about more serious call out, which has been over looked in favour for a store with a background of false alarms.

I don't know if the alarm goes to secuity support, becasue the polive were there in minutes, and the 2nd store phone didn't ring?

I know the fire alarm goes to secuity support.

[almostlost]

I had a knife pulled on me last night (the second time in a year!) for refusing to serve someone alcohol.  Then threatened by two of the guys mates who came back. I called the police, at the same time a manager and a ca both pressed the panic buttons.

10 mins for the police to arrive, which isn't too bad considering they aren't actually dispatched from this town anymore.  While waiting for them, the guy with the knife walked in, grabbed the beer and walked out.

Security "support" phoned, but because we were busy actually dealing with the problem nobody answered. What did they do ? Try again 30 minutes later, at which time I was sat with the police about to give a statement. They then called half hour after that, and then questioned why we refused sale of alcohol.  I thought they were there to support us, not question me doing my job.  My manager has complained to eom and higher, not sure if he's heard anything back.

I don't have any faith in them being there in the case of a serious situation.  I'd feel a lot safer having a baseball bat behind the tills than having to press those buttons.

[Gold_Alien]

last night, gentleman being verbally abusive to staff. When asked to leave, became more verbally abusive to staff and customers. No security guard in store due to cut backs. Customers offering to intervene. he eventually left the store shouting more abuse on the way out.

[wych]

Just like to say this happens all to often, in the last few years I have been threatened, hit , spat on, verbally abused and even my car kicked for finishing work and just leaving to go home, several of the instances happened when we had no guard and mangers were well out of ear shot and I was completely on my own. Not to mention having a 2L bottle of cider thrown at my head.

And yet not one manager has ever shown real genuine concern, apart from when a customer actually hit me and I decided to knock seven shades of poo out of them for it. And that was because their were around a dozen customers who saw the girl attack me and a few of them, wanted to know why we had no security,.

[nellysonuk]

unfortunately it seems weekends at our store are a hotbed for drunken, mouthy, abusive people we ga's get verbally abused regularly, for me tis just par for the course and i tend not to let it bother me.
Surprisingly enough though most of the abuse is from drunken women rather than men (they seemto be too busy shoving whiskey in there pants while the women kick off!!) .
Security staff are a little thin on the ground at night times due to cut backs so i guess thats an encouragement to the neanderthol masses to act like thugs and pilferers. its a sorry state of affairs when a ga is left at the security desk alone while the solitary security guard pops up to the cafe for a brew and a bite to eat.

[535]

just heard that a guard in an express had bleach thrown in his face yesterday after banning a customer.

[fatty]

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/8876032.Security_guard_bitten_in_store_row_with____hoodie___/

[Seanmclude]

Had my manager bit and punched - got a black eye now last week and yesterday we had a marital dispute in the store. The husband was violent and abusive to her and when we asked him to stop swearing and to keep it down he continued to be aggressive even admitting he punches her and pulls her hair out.. He went toe to toe with the guard and was buzzing for a fight. When the police came he told them all to f.. off to their faces yet all they did was take him home.. Poor effort.

[mdavidson25]

Had a young reprobate square up to our security guard (ex rmp) just before christmas after being asked to leave for being abusive to staff.

Myself and a co-worker on csd stood by to back him up if needed. As soon as we saw this lads hands lunge towards the security guards throat we rushed him and restrained him on the ground until the police arrived. Took 4 staff in total including duty manager to keep him restrained.

Had no problems from management about what we did, only problems we had was the abuse we got from passing customers for the fact we restrained him.

[penguin]

http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/news/Robbers-caught-camera-threatening-terrified-shop-staff-12-inch-blade/article-3307008-detail/article.html

Staff threatend with a knife and a hammer in robbery.

[TescoCommando]

After 11 years, I can't even remember how many times I've seen confrontations between staff and customers. It rarely happens to me, since I'm 6' tall and 100 kilos, with a face that would make Police officers cross the road to avoid me on a dark night.

Frankly, the sooner Tesco evolves into Omni Consumer Products, with it's own paramilitary "security force", the better. Given the savage cuts that will soon be made to police budgets, I'm surprised Tesco is'nt moving into private law enforcement; it's a huge potential market...

[delysia]

OH theres anything in my store I had a customer who gave me a 'redeemed voucher' (it said so on the till this voucher has been redeemd at another store) She got really narky so a team leader explained that the store manager who gave her the voucher had given her a used voucher I had apologised to the custome but no she still verbally abused me.

Then there was a man who threatened to slap me across the face when I was serving him dunno what I did to him but anyway a customer came out of the queue and said she would be my witness, the man flew out of the store

[goldeneagle]

I was just involved in a situation at the back of our store, whereby a customer tried to run me over in his car, then pinned me between his car and my delivery van so that I couldn't move (luckily I got free) then started screaming abuse at me with his face about an inch from mine, threatening to beat me up.  I managed to get away and went inside to call Duty (just as the man drove off), who came out and said "oh well he's gone now" and started to walk off.  I asked if the security camera footage could be retrieved to which he replied that the cameras don't work !!!

Later I walked round the front of the store, only to be confronted by the same man who started screaming at me again and chased me around the cars until I managed to get into the store (sounds funny but I can assure you it wasn't).  I called Duty and security, who eventually turned up, only to see the man drive off in his car.  We went back inside and the Duty Manager just walked off.  Another member of staff asked me what was wrong and I explained it to them.  They said that the incident had to be logged by Duty and that I should make him do it.  I went back up to him and explained that I wasn't happy.  He told me to phone the police and tell them.  He said that there was no point in him doing it and walked off. 

I called the police and reported the incident, but feel as if my store aren't taking this seriously.  This could have happened to any member of staff, and the outcome could have been far worse.  What should I do?

[Argonaut]

After 11 years, I can't even remember how many times I've seen confrontations between staff and customers. It rarely happens to me, since I'm 6' tall and 100 kilos, with a face that would make Police officers cross the road to avoid me on a dark night.

Frankly, the sooner Tesco evolves into Omni Consumer Products, with it's own paramilitary "security force", the better. Given the savage cuts that will soon be made to police budgets, I'm surprised Tesco is'nt moving into private law enforcement; it's a huge potential market...

Kind of with you on this one.. Can never get my head round the fact that we have such an issue with shrink and protection of our staff yet tender out our door cover to agency companies that unless your lucky cover your door with someone who really doesnt care. Everyone says about getting hold of the duty manager and them sorting it however at the end of the day they only come to work to fill beans and carrots like the rest of us. They have kids and Wives/Husbands at home too, get the duty manager and help them sort the situation , its not right to just leave it to them .. is it ?
A company the size of this , you would expect that it would have its own self trained security arm that works alongside the retail side we would all feel safer then 

[fatty]

At a recent national forum meeting the focus was on staff attacks and the reporting of. Or should i say the lack of reporting of ?

[Nomad]

Is it obligatory or discretionary as to whether a manager logs an incident if requested to do so by a member of staff who has been threatened or attacked ?

[Argonaut]

I would say it has to be obligatory surely.   
I know there is a form that gets filled in on HOST K forms which goes to HO Security . I was told this is what then is looked at and helps to build the security budget for that store. Ie incidents such as these and shoplifting etc .
I am sure demographics known also go towards that however the more that reported the more security.
We should insist its reported, involve your union rep if needs be, especially if you have been attacked although I would hope that My Manager would have filled in an assault form. 

[Nomad]

goldeneagle, I would pursue the matter with your Duty manager and your union (if you are in a union).

You appear to have witness(s)

I called Duty and security, who eventually turned up

If MM will not log it go above them.