The Community Safety Patrol Team dealt with 78 anti-social behaviour incidents during June, according to latest statistics.

 The Community Safety Patrol Team (CSPT) were introduced in September 2018 as a quick solution to the rising problem of anti-social behaviour in Southend-on-Sea town centre and other hot spots across the Borough.

 The initial interim team were supplied by Stambridge Security and gained overwhelming support from residents, visitors and local businesses. The permanent team started on April 1.

Monthly data released shows that in June 2019 they;

·         Had 102 interactions with people begging or sleeping rough

·         Responded to 43 street drinking incidents

·         Received 48 CCTV reports which led to arrest

·         Assisted with 28 crimes

·         Completed 31 targeted patrols

·         Dealt with 10 first aid incidents

·         Issued 3 community protection warnings or notices.

 This is in addition to helping find missing children, rescue a family stuck on the shoreline and helping to deliver a baby in the High Street.

  Cllr Martin Terry, cabinet member for community safety and customer contact, said: “Southend-on-Sea has undoubtedly felt the impact of central Government cuts to police numbers, and something needed to be done quickly to tackle the growing unease people felt within the High Street area with anti-social behaviour such as drinking alcohol and aggressive begging. Once the CSPT started their patrols, the feedback from the public was ‘I feel much safer with these guys patrolling the streets’.”

  The team has since had specialised training from EMS Executive Management Security and transport companies, First, Arriva and C2C have provided free travel passes to the CSPT, so they can easily access the various wards within the borough. CSPT will intervene with any issues that could arise whilst travelling on the bus network and at a later date will be accredited to assist in and around the stations.

 Cllr Terry added: “It makes some sense that this team help out all different aspects of the community and I want to thank these organisations for supporting the CSPT.

 “Whilst the team are not there to replace fully warranted police officers, and I will always fight for more police resource on the frontline, they are there to provide another uniformed presence on the streets, additional support for minor level incidents and give the public some reassurance. The links they are building within the community, with individuals and businesses, plus the intelligence they are gathering, is vastly important to the work we are doing to improve the safety of our communities.

“It is therefore great to see them doing such great things, and I will always support that work of the CSPT, along with making the case to restore fully warranted police officer numbers throughout the borough.”

 The community safety team is part of a much larger team working operating as part of the community safety hub. They work closely with partner agencies such as, Southend BID, South Essex Homes, Essex Police, HARP and Peabody,

 The team are now compiling their monthly data in an infographic to share on their social media account. You can follow them on twitter with the handle @Southend_CSP.