Coronavirus: Top Peterborough cop offers help and support to city supermarket staff

Superintendant Andy Gipp, area commander for Peterborough and Fenland, wrote a letter to food stores across the city, thanking all the staff for their work in difficult circumstances.

Mr Gipp said: “I write to you as the Area Commander (head of police for your area.)

“Firstly to thank you and all of your staff - both those visible to the public and also all those who work tirelessly behind the scenes. I can see you are under tremendous pressure, and having to work, tirelessly in times that we, as a society, do not have the benefit of experiencing before.

“As an emergency service we know what it feels like to persevere in difficult times. So firstly, on behalf of your local policing, well done to every single one of you, and a very sincere thank you.

“Secondly - we are here to work with you, support you and help. Perhaps society may have become used to how integral you all are to the smooth running of our daily lives. It is easy to take such things for granted. Community policing means we work with all of our communities. Sometimes perhaps when we talk about communities, we think of individuals - I want to reassure you, I see businesses as a critical component.

“Therefore my purpose here is to extend a hand. I will be discussing with my department heads today the detail of how we will be supporting you over the coming weeks. Not to replace your own measures for preventing tension or disorder, but to help you with the general engagement and reassurance with the public which we are so very good at.
“I am conscious that our communities are fearful at the moment, and you and your staff are experiencing that.

“As a community leader it is right and proper I reach out to you at this moment in time and discuss the engagement of our services at an informal level, to work together to help manage our communities and provide reassurance and public safety.”