In Leicestershire, the towns of Market Harborough, Hinckley, Loughborough, Coalville, Melton Mowbray and Ashby-de-la-Zouch are not getting on-street private patrols, to tackle what the authorities admit are persistent concerns around anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. Instead, the county police force will deliver additional police patrols, says the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Rupert Matthews.ย
Police will now deliver the patrols under a Service Level Agreement using police officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs). The arrangement will cost less than originally budgeted by the Commissioner, with savings reinvested into further crime prevention initiatives across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, the PCC announced.
As featured in the June edition of Professional Security Magazine (‘Street wardens for shire’), it had looked like Rupert Matthews, who politically went from the Conservatives to Reform, would take the step of paying for private security out of the police budget, praising uniformed SIA-badged security (as used in other places ever more routinely in recent years) for its reassuring presence. However the local Police Federation, the rank and file police ‘trade union’, took offence.ย
What they say
Mr Matthews said: “I was determined to deliver the additional patrols I promised to the public. Residents and businesses in these towns have told me that policing can feel too distant, and that is simply not good enough. People deserve to feel safe where they live, work and shop. Visible policing plays a vital role in preventing crime and anti-social behaviour before it takes hold. Strong police presence helps build confidence, reassures communities and supports thriving town centres.
“I set the chief constable [David Sandall] a clear challenge, and I am pleased that Leicestershire Police has responded with a practical and cost-effective plan that delivers the extra patrols local people want to see. I’m particularly pleased that this initiative will be up and running before Christmas, providing additional reassurance to residents and valuable support to retailers during one of the busiest times of the year.”
Leicestershire Police Federation chair Andy Spence commented that he was pleased that the PCC has seen sense and changed his mind. He added: “I am concerned that it has taken so long and, in doing so, has created so much work for others. โIt should also be concerning that the remainder of the money is being spent on crime reduction techniques with no measurable outcomes, rather than on police officers or PCSOs who can put their skills and training to use.
โI hope this is not a short-term funded plan. Policing needs long-term, proper investment, not ideas that change like the weather.โ
Photo by Mark Rowe: Leicester street art.
