Shoplifting (FOI ref: 752/26)

Request

The number of officers who were part of dedicated teams to tackle retail crime and shoplifting in the years 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Response

The force does not hold a single centrally recorded dataset showing the number of officers who were part of dedicated teams to tackle retail crime and shoplifting across all Local Policing Areas for the years 2021 to 2025.

Local enquiries were made with the relevant seven policing areas across the force area. Recorded information was identified for three areas and is provided below. No further recorded information has been identified from the searches completed.

This response should not be taken to mean that no officers in other areas undertook work relating to retail crime or shoplifting. Rather we have not identified recorded information showing that those officers formed part of a dedicated team falling within the terms of the request. It should be noted that dealing with retail crime is a role for all Neighbourhood officers, as part of broader policing responsibilities.

Coventry, Sandwell and Walsall:

2021 - 0
2022 - 0
2023 - 0
2024 - 2 PC 2 PCSOs (Coventry)
2025 - 1 PC (Walsall)
2 PC 2 PCSOs (Coventry)
1 Sgt 4 PC 4 PCSO (Sandwell)