Increased night-time patrols in Plymouth to combat alcohol-related crime
Devon & Cornwall Police in partnership with City Security Plymouth are expanding the use of the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS) into the night-time economy of Plymouth for the first time.
The aim of the service is to improve public safety and reducing alcohol-related violent crime, racially aggravated crime, and criminal damage incidents in the Waterfront area of Plymouth.
In a recent survey, 80.7 per cent of respondents said that they or their friends feel unsafe on a night out. Devon & Cornwall Police conducted this engagement project with individuals from the University of Plymouth to understand their feelings about safety in the night-time economy within Plymouth.
Although Devon and Cornwall have again been named the safest place to live, just over half of the people surveyed do not currently feel safe getting in a taxi. Under the new scheme, accredited staff from City Security Plymouth will undertake marshal roles at the taxi ranks to increase uniformed presence and improve the feeling of safety at night. This will give both the public and drivers of licensed hackney carriages a safe waiting area during peak times and in busy areas.
The Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS) was introduced under Section 40 of the Police Reform Act 2002. It allows Chief Constables the ability to accredit limited police powers to individuals in an employed, uniformed, community safety role. Organisations can apply to join the scheme and formally become a member of the extended policing family. This allows their employees to gain accreditation for limited police powers to assist them in their day-to-day duties.
City Security Plymouth’s CSAS accredited individuals have the power to share information and intelligence with Devon & Cornwall Police and request names and addresses of those involved in anti-social behaviour. Accredited persons do not have the power to detain or arrest but it is an offence not to comply with the direction of an accredited person. Accredited Persons have been vetted by Devon & Cornwall Police and undergone bespoke training provided by the Force which includes professional curiosity. This skill encourages accredited persons to look beyond the obvious to safeguard the most vulnerable in the community.
Assistant Chief Constable Glen Mayhew said: “I am delighted to be strengthening our partnership working on the Plymouth Barbican and within the evening and night-time economy. This is an exciting initiative, combining the efforts of the CSAS marshals and the policing team, and we anticipate a more robust response to the challenges posed by anti-social behaviour and tackling predatory behaviour.”
There are 27 CSAS schemes across Devon and Cornwall with 200 accredited members who are trained professionals working alongside neighbourhood policing teams. To spot those in your community who are accredited, look out for the CSAS patch. They will also have ID badges and powers cards which you are able to request to view. All Devon & Cornwall Police CSAS schemes are listed on the Force website.
ACC Mayhew continued: “Working together is the key to keeping our communities safe and I look forward to seeing this continue to develop.”
Tony Merrick, Director of City Security Plymouth, said: “City Security is very proud to be part of this project, and to achieve this accreditation. We believe that by working together with the police and other evening and night-time economy stakeholders, initiatives like this can make a real difference in increasing public safety. Alongside the work done by Pubwatch and Best Bar None, introducing a marshal service into the night-time economy serves to make Plymouth a safer place.”
For more information about CSAS in Devon and Cornwall, visit www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/csas.
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