“I regularly shop at Tesco and from time to time see police in the store. I've have never once seen their presence as a so called waste of tax-payers money, rather, its nice to see a bobby on the beat so to speak. Im aware that they cant please everyone all the time, but come on people, lets not forget the scum that they have to deal with and more often than not the shoplifters too! Are we not pleased to see a uniformed presence where such crime occurs?? Would you also complain to see doctors, paramedics, firemen (&women!) or is it yet another pop at the old bill! To be fair, I cant really praise the sentinel for making it a frontpage headline either... The media can spoonfeed us all with what we are told is "important" news. This is an example of an editorial failure!”

“Anon....

Realistically it isn't feasbile to expect an officer to return to the station, take off our utility belt and equipment, put a civilian jacket on just to go and get a sandwich.
This takes away the concept of: 1) postive local policing in the community.
2)Theft from the store
3) Being divertable. We are on duty through out the 9 or 11 hour shift. If an immediate response comes in (999 call) we can't respond without our equipment and uniform, as you would like us to be.
Don't get me wrong I would be the first to complain if I saw a uniformed officer pushing a trolley around doing his or her weekly shop... but dont forget this story has stemmed from an officer buying a sandwich and fruit, and some milk for the tea fund.
Oh and ive just finished a 10hour shift and once again didn't get a break, nothing to eat, not even 5minutes for a drink, because we were that busy going from 1 job to another.”

“I was gobsmacked when I actually read this story. As a serving officer I have on occassion gone to the local stores to purchase my dinner. As previously stated many if not all staff are welcoming and it shows a presence. Whether we actually get a chance to eat the food we have just brought is another matter all together. The amount of times I have gone full 9/10/11 hour shifts without food, I can not count. Also when we are sitting down eating if an incident occurs, we are straight out again.
In agreement with Scott, I and the rest of the officers are not after sympathy but would just like to give a version from the other side.
As for Mr Allcock, all i can say is that times have actually changed in the 16 years since he was a "serving officer" and that I doubt if he used to do the amount of hours we do anyway.
I know police are always going to come under criticism for one issue or another as we are in the public eye but I feel this should never have warranted an investigation.”

“I can certainly say there is not many, if any, officers who would take time out during a shift to do "personal" shopping for anything other than necessary items, normally food. Yes sometimes we have to buy a torch, or batteries etc, but hey, we're human! As for the breaks, any person who has or is shift operational, will know, that we hardly ever get the full 45 minute break we are legally entitled too, with many Officers taking this time to also make calls to victims and complete paper / computer work.
Recently nearly all operational shift Officers have been issued with personal handheld PDA (computer) devices so that we are out of the Station's more, and can complete many computer associated enquiries whilst in public, and this will lead to more bobbies shopping out for food / refreshments, and being seen in public tapping away on these devices, which is after all, most members of the public's wishes to see more Police around, and is what the vast majorities of Officers want to do, being out with the public and trying to make a difference.”

“Just to make it clear I pointed out that eating is fine but shopping is not, there is a difference between the two.

Just so anyone doesn't get the wrong idea my definition of abuse isn't large scale abuse but merely leakages of time, money and policy wastage , amongst other smaller matters, but in the broader sense its still classified as abuse.

Whichever way you look at it I strongly believe that the Police do a good job.”

“Keiran

I do not begrudge anyone time to relax / shop especially hard working public servants but when in uniform and in issued vehicles it isn't quite the right image to portray as the ex serving officer said 'civilian clothing was issued for such instances.

Don't get me wrong I understand the Police and other services have their work cut out for them but as I know quite a few serving officers at various ranks I know how the system gets abused. As for you being operational 24/7 well I shall not even go there.”

“Well i apologise anon from cheshire that in your eyes you deem it unacceptable for us to get a sandwich when we have 5minutes spare, from a break which we are divertable anyway. Get a life, we are operational 24/7 do you expect us not to eat. Thanks to all those who have seen that the sentinel and Mr Alcock should not have published such a mickey mouse story.”

“You can deem this person as sad or someone with the communities interest at heart but either way the officers are paid to be on duty and not shopping.

The time involved with actually doing the shopping and no doubt returning the goods home is somewhat considerable, especially if you take in to account their hourly rate of pay.

Here in Crewe I am forever seeing officers both normal constables and PCSOs shopping on the retail park. Ok to some having a bobby about may be reassuring but what if they are needed on a call out elsewhere they have extra delay in getting back to the car and then eventually getting out of the car park.

At the end of the day if you worked for anyone else and took time out other than lunch breaks to do your shopping you would be disciplined for wasting company time and money......the money here is OUR TAXES, we pay for safety not for shopping.

As the report says some shops encourage officers to use their restaurants which I agree is a good solution but eating and shopping are 2 different things”

“This man deserves my pity. As a serving Police Officer for 6 years, on shift in North Staffs, i can only repeat others comments about how sad this man's life must be. I would not be at all surprised if he has recently become aggreived in some way with the Police, and believes this is some form of retribution. However, firstly i can not believe this story first of all made the front page headline of the Weekend edition, but secondly, that so many of his comments were printed giving this timewaster the headlines he so desired. Does he complain about other employees of the "taxpayers" system ie Doctors, Nurses, Firefighters etc, do they not have breaks etc.... We work varying shifts, and due too the way we are resourced, i can count on one hand the number of meal breaks i have had this year at the time i was allocated at the start of shift. If i do get some food and sit down for my break, this can be cut short at any time for me and my colleagues to respond to a incident, which can the leave us dealing with the same job way past our finishing time, eating into our private and family lifes. I do not want any sympathy for this, i get well paid, have good job security and most of all do a job i want to do and love doing. We understand as Officers that the public can sometimes get the wrong perception of us, but that is a element of our job, however this man is doing his upmost to upset and stir up what i would call being seen in the Public eye, supporting local stores, and meeting and talking to members of the public, and been seen to be more than just "a uniform" pity on you Sentinel for giving this man the front page headlines for this nonsense. Just how much did this drivvle cost yoruselves to report, edit, print and deliver... enough said!”

“As a serving officer i cannot believe the comments from this individual. This man obviously has nothing better to occupy his mind with, ive heard of train spotters but never cop spotters!!! Does he realise the pressure that is put on the Police? are the police not human? dont they need to eat or drink? He shot himself in the foot straight away as is comment suggested "when he was in the force" yep a very long time ago when it may have been possible to go back to the station and grab your jacket and go the shop. Times have changed the police are alot more stretched in terms of supply meeting demand. And i strongly believe seeing the Police in the local shop or supermarket is effective in terms of high visibility policing not only speaking to the public but also in deterring shoplifters- correct me if im wrong isn't this what the public want the police to be seen, what they have been striving for over the past few years driving home neighbourhood style policing??? I have and will continue to go to the local supermarket when necessary to get my lunch you are welcomed by the staff and the public it is another link to getting to know your community and to identify any problems that may need addressing.”