officers.

During the last few days before the festive period gets underway, officers have been earning extra cash by standing in as security guards at some Island stores.

Some supermarkets and other large premises have retained the services of Police to guard against shoplifters and other crime during the busiest retailing time of the year.

Gorham's and branches of Marketplace are among those shops who have enlisted officers.

A Police spokesman said they had full knowledge of the arrangements and they had been approved by senior officers.

It is termed as "extra duties'' for officers who would have been off duty anyway, which are paid for by the stores themselves. There is no cost to the taxpayer.