Please know that the safety of our employees and customers is, and has always been, our very top priority. We have numerous processes in place to ensure that our stores remain a safe and welcoming environment for all.
We have two forms of contracted security services working in our Safeway stores – Uniform Guards and Loss Prevention Officers – both licensed under the Alberta Security Services and Investigators Act. We continue to invest in these services to ensure that we are equipped with trained resources to help reduce, prevent, and deescalate safety concerns for staff and customers, while minimizing the financial impact of external criminal activity.
Uniform Guards provide improved staff and customer safety through overtly visible security presence. They wear “Security” marked uniforms and perform standing orders situated at a primary entrance with the ability to patrol the Front-End and secondary entrances. These guards can assist by asking for receipts or recovering products that do not have proof of payment, and deescalating disorderly behaviour or conflicts in store.
Loss Prevention Officers (LPOs) provide improved staff and customer safety through covert security support to detect, deter, and apprehend those involved with external criminal activity. LPOs have extensive training and must follow strict rules set within the Canadian Criminal Code. LPOs can also provide support to deescalate disorderly behaviour and conflicts in the store, but their primary duties are to reduce and prevent theft. LPOs are more effective in deterring chronic repeat offenders and organized retail crime as they wear plain clothes and are trained to blend in with our customers. For this reason, you may not be aware of the coverage in your store, but the Store Management and LP Manager will know how much LPO support your stores receives.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding security measures in your store, please get in touch with your store manager or LP manager to discuss further. We want to hear from you.
We’ll keep you updated here on SafewayTalks.ca
