Drive Thru workers get training to spot exploitation

Last year, West Mercia Police introduced two dedicated trainers who deliver training sessions to raise awareness of the issues.

People who have received the training so far include hotel workers, licensed premises and council workers, refuse collectors, teachers and voluntary organisations. More than 18,000 people across the region have received the training.

The next phase will see police work with Drive Thru restaurants based on retail parks and service stations. The training will help raise awareness of the signs staff need to look out for, and what to do if they suspect criminal exploitation.

The initiative is the latest from We Don’t Buy Crime, which takes a holistic approach to acquisitive crime and associated harm.

We Don’t Buy Crime’s inspector Ram Aston said: “We’ve already worked with staff at service stations as part of our fuel theft initiative and are really pleased that we are now rolling this out to staff at Drive Thru restaurants.

“Staff at these venues play an important role in helping us to protect those who are most vulnerable, they are our eyes and ears and may see or hear something that sparks concern, if that information is passed on to police it could prove crucial in helping to prevent crime. The training will help staff to spot these signs, help them to identify what information police need and how they can pass this on to us.

“We’re really grateful for the role our communities play in helping us to protect those who are vulnerable, it is fantastic that we now have more than 18,000 people upskilled in exploitation and vulnerability and are committed to increasing that number and delivering the training to even more people and even more sectors in the future.”

Signage will be displayed at participating venues informing customers staff have been trained and are working with police to protect local communities.