Alison Zimmer was grocery shopping in Halifax on Sunday afternoon when she saw a police officer standing guard at the entrance to her local store.
“I was very disappointed and angry to see that,” he said. “I think it’s a really cruel response to increased food insecurity.”
Several people in Halifax say they have seen armed Halifax Regional Police officers in full uniform patrolling supermarket locations in the borough in recent days and want to know why they are there.
Zimmer said he approached the officer at the Quinpool Road location to ask him a question.
“I was very curious if the city was paying him to be there or Superstore,” he said. “But he said he couldn’t answer, which I thought was odd.”
Const. John MacLeod said HRP has an additional work program consisting of officers who can be requested by businesses, organizations and events to conduct policing at or near their premises.
“These requests do not come from our core policing duties and are only filled if there are officers available in the excess service program,” MacLeod said.
“Officers working additional duties at grocery stores must be in full uniform, which includes the firearm.”
He said the company requesting the officer is responsible for the associated costs.
MacLeod directed questions about specific stores to the business.
Mark 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 in-store security or loss prevention measures,” Boudreau said in an email.
Coun. Lindell Smith, the chairman of the board of police commissioners, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“A little surprised”
Kevin Payne said he saw a police cruiser parked outside when he entered the Braemar Drive Superstore in Dartmouth on Wednesday. When he entered, there was a uniformed police officer standing guard at the entrance.
Payne said the officer walked around various sections of the store “just, you know, looking at people.”
Payne said the officer’s presence made him uncomfortable and “a little 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.”
Disgruntled customer
After the experience, Zimmer said he would consider taking his business elsewhere.
“I would certainly be much more comfortable shopping at a store that doesn’t treat its customers like suspected criminals,” he said. “I wouldn’t shop there, but unfortunately in many parts of the city, they’re really the only option.”
She added that she is concerned about the potential for violence if a standoff escalated with police at the store.
“I don’t think that’s how we solve poverty and food insecurity,” he said, adding that he would like to see more transparency around the homework program.
Halifax Regional Police said data on grocery store robberies in the borough is not available.