HELPING CLOSE THE DOOR ON EXPLOITATION

For most of our 100,000-plus posties, the daily round will go without a hitch. But serving every UK city, town, village and street means our frontline teams often get a glimpse into the lives of the vulnerable – adults and children who are being neglected, abused, or even exploited by criminals.

Crimes like modern slavery are on the rise. Victims from the UK and overseas are lured into forced labour with false promises of a good wage and somewhere decent to live. Others are coerced into moving drugs or cash or forced to engage in sexual activity.

Exploitation can affect anyone, which is why constabularies like Devon and Cornwall Police are asking Royal Mail to spot – and report – the signs.

Last year, after sharing a list of signs to look out for with local hotels and B&Bs, Devon and Cornwall Police took it a step further, contacting national operations like Royal Mail and Airbnb.

And with close family who have worked at Royal Mail, Devon and Cornwall Police Assistant Chief Constable Steve Parker knows first-hand the power of our posties.

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“No other organisation has Royal Mail’s scale and scope,” says ACC Parker. “Your posties have a presence on every street, every day.

“We all have that instinct, that gut feeling when something isn’t quite right. I hope that, by talking about this, Royal Mail colleagues will know the best way to act on it.”

In his 30 years with the business, Royal Mail’s head of protective security Derek Pratt says he’s received a variety of police requests, but this is the first time exploitation has been the focus.

And it’s easy to see why the police would want to tap into our vast network.

“Our posties know the neighbourhoods they work in,” says Derek. “Before, during and beyond the pandemic, we’ve demonstrated our knowledge of, and commitment to, our communities – which means posties know when something isn’t right.

“This isn’t about increasing workload or forcing more responsibility onto our frontline colleagues,” stresses Derek. “It’s about all of us using our natural instincts to look out for other people and knowing what to do when we see something that concerns us.”

If you notice a change, like someone not being seen for long periods of time