Alison Zimmer was out shopping for groceries in Halifax on Sunday afternoon when she saw a police officer standing guard at the entrance to a local convenience store.
“I was really disappointed and angry to see him,” she said. “I think it’s a really callous response to growing food insecurity.”
Several people in Halifax say they have seen armed Halifax Regional Police officers in full uniform patrolling supermarkets in the municipality in recent days and want to know why they are there.
Zimmer said she approached the clerk at the Quinpool Road location to ask a question.
“I was very curious if the city was paying him to be there or if the Superstore was,” she said. “But he said he couldn’t answer, which I thought was odd.”
Const. John McLeod said HRP has an emergency duty program involving officers who can be requested by businesses, organizations and events to police at or near their facilities.
“These requests do not arise from our primary policing duties and are only fulfilled if additional duty program officers are available,” McLeod said.
“Officers working overtime at grocery stores must be in full uniform, which includes their firearms.”
He said the business that wants an employee is responsible for the associated costs.
MacLeod referred questions about specific stores to the business.
Marc Boudreau, director of corporate affairs for Loblaw Companies Limited, declined to be interviewed.
“As a company (as with other retailers), we do not comment on the specifics of our various store loss prevention or security measures,” Boudreau said in an email.
Count. Lyndell Smith, the chairman of the police board of commissioners, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“kind of shocked”
Kevin Payne said he saw a police car parked out front when he walked into the Braemar Drive Superstore in Dartmouth on Wednesday. When he got inside, there was a uniformed policeman inside, guarding the entrance.
Payne said the officer walked around several sections of the store “just, you know, checking on people.”
Payne said the officer’s presence made him feel uneasy and “kind of shocked.”
“I don’t like the idea of a public police service … protecting the interests of a private company,” Payne said. “It’s a little too direct and kind of signals to me that if you have money, you can hire police officers.”
Dissatisfied customer
After the experience, Zimmer said she would consider taking her business elsewhere.
“I would certainly be much more comfortable shopping at a store that doesn’t treat its customers like alleged criminals,” she said. “I wouldn’t shop there, but unfortunately in many parts of town they’re really the only option.”
She added that she worries about the potential for violence if the confrontation escalates due to the presence of police at the store.
“I don’t think that’s how we’re solving poverty and food insecurity,” she said, adding that she would like to see more transparency around the surcharge program.
Halifax Regional Police said data on grocery store thefts in the municipality is not readily available.
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