Hundreds of residents in a seaside town are each paying a private security firm more than £100 a year to patrol their streets because of a lack of police.
Frinton-on-Sea in Essex has no police station but six police community support officers (PCSOs) who must travel around by bus or bike. The town of about 4,000 residents has just one pub, the Lock and Barrel, and one fish and chip shop.
Frinton’s police station closed 20 years ago and the nearest, in nearby Walton-on-the-Naze, is also set to be closed and sold by Essex police due to spending cuts. This means Frinton’s nearest station will be in Clacton-on-Sea, about 8 miles away, where the crime rate is much higher.
Now, the security company AGS has revealed that 300 residents pay it £2 each a week for staff to drive around the town every night between 7pm and 7am, as well as to provide an emergency phoneline – though residents call 999 if the situation is serious.
The situation has led to Essex’s police and crime commissioner, Nick Alston, voicing his concerns about a two-tier police system, as seen in countries like South Africa.
But Stephen Beardsley, the head of AGS and a former soldier, said “We have no powers – no more than the average citizen’s arrest – but for us, we are about being a deterrent.
“We want to make our presence felt to deter people from doing what they are going out to do.”
AGS employs three people who share two vehicles to carry out patrols. Each officer wears a uniform similar to that of a police officer, and a body camera.
Beardsley, 50, predicted that private security firms would become the norm. “It is a job for the police and we have a fantastic police force, but they are so overstretched it’s unbelievable,” he said.
“It must be demoralising for them to be stuck in doing paperwork, fearing for their jobs. I feel sorry for them. But there is no getting away from it; private security will be part of the norm in years to come.”
In August, there were 39 crimes reported in Frinton. These included 13 violent and sexual offences and 11 instances of antisocial behaviour.
Alston said: “It is not for me to say what residents should or shouldn’t do, but I do have concerns that residents in relatively low crime areas are considering funding private security patrols.
“It has the potential to create a two-tier policing system. I would prefer that all of us who are residents in Essex pay a responsible amount for policing through our council tax.
“For example an extra 50p per week would fund an extra 300 officers in Essex working on behalf of the whole community, and not just those who can afford, and are prepared to pay considerably for private security.
“Such an increase in council tax would still mean we in Essex pay less through our council tax than the average across the English counties.”
Essex police have announced £60m in cuts over the next five years. Force bosses admit they cannot guarantee resources will be sent to low-level crime reports.
Terry Allen, a town councillor, said Frinton was split over the patrols: “There is a niche for private security, as long as they do a good job. But the concern is that this is something for the police. I know in our area, £1m of our council tax goes to Essex police and that would be enough to pay for dozens of police officers.
“As it is, we’re lucky if we see two. The result is, people are concerned about what goes on when they open their front door, that’s their priority. The government’s priority is terrorism, cybercrime and organised crime. That’s not what you think about when you’re in your home.”
Atricle Source: Mail Online
Atricle Source: Mail Online
