Street wardens begin night patrols in Salisbury
New night time economy wardens, funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC), have begun patrols in Salisbury with aim of tackling violence against women and girls and reducing anti-social behaviour in the city centre.
The wardens, walk the city's streets on Friday and Saturday nights, are specially trained to recognise, step in and de-escalate potentially volatile situations as well as identifying people who may be vulnerable and in need of help.
They are being funded following a successful bid from the OPCC to the Home Office “Safer Streets” fund which will see over eight-hundred thousand pounds being spent on initiatives across Wiltshire and Swindon.
Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson said:
“Safer public spaces for all our communities – and a safer night-time economy – in Wiltshire is a key priority within my police and crime plan and for Wiltshire Police. Our communities tell me they want to feel safer and for crimes, like anti-social behaviour, to be tackled robustly.
“My office secured significant government investment for the county to do just this. Some of this funding has provided night-time wardens for Salisbury at weekends, with a focus on the city centre. These wardens will bolster existing neighbourhood and response policing teams and is not a replacement for them. Both the Chief Constable and I remain committed to visible, community-based, policing.
“Our wardens will be a continual presence in the city centre, with a focus on safety and intervention based patrols, to ensure everyone can enjoy a safer night out but especially so women and girls can feel reassured and safe.
“The Safer Streets’ fund has also been used to fund four deployable CCTV cameras in Salisbury to specifically cover areas anti-social behaviour hotspots. These are intended as a preventative measure but will also provide high-quality footage, should it be needed.
“The package of interventions is contributing to making Wiltshire safer and is a positive addition which should encourage more people to enjoy our night-time economy in Salisbury and feel safer as a result.”
A survey of over two thousand people conducted by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner in June 2022 showed that over two thirds of women and girls across Wiltshire felt unsafe in public spaces at night as a result of the drunken behaviour of others.
Paul Howe is the Managing Director of Venture Security, the company which provides the night time economy wardens, and he says his staff are well trained in dealing with situations which can make people feel uncomfortable, unsafe or vulnerable:
“My staff are trained in conflict management, they’re trained under the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS), they’ve also had bystander training from the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.
“They know what to look out for and how to provide support, when others often wouldn’t.”
Since the wardens started their patrols in February, they developed relationships with the Street Pastors, Salisbury CCTV, Salisbury BID and the local Neighbourhood Policing Team. They’re already well known in the city as they’re a familiar face on the streets during the daytime.
Dan Collins is the Business Manager for Salisbury BID:
“I think it’s an excellent idea, because businesses and the night time economy has an extra layer of support.
“There’s already a good foundation in place with the Street Pastors and door security, but this is another resource which will help make people feel safer at night”