Sussex Police said that a new crew of “night safety marshals” would help keep people safer on a night out in Brighton.
The force said: “The highly trained team will be deployed at specific locations around Brighton’s night-time economy to offer an additional visible presence, identify issues before they escalate and protect vulnerable people.
“The force already works in close collaboration with multiple agencies across the night-time economy, including security staff and the Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP), to keep people safe.
“Night safety marshals extend that partner working, providing a group of specially selected Pagoda Security employees with advanced training, high-visibility uniforms, radios and body-worn video cameras.
“The team has received advanced vulnerability training, allowing them to identify vulnerable people in the night-time economy and signpost them to support services.
“Linked in with the police via their mobile handsets, the marshals can escort people to a safe location, take them to a Sussex Police taxi marshal at a taxi rank, enlist the help of St John Ambulance or request assistance from police officers.
“They will also identify incidents as they occur and report them to the police for escalation, while capturing vital evidence on their body-worn cameras to assist with the prosecution of offenders.
“The night safety marshals are in addition to the extensive range of measures in place between Sussex Police and its partners aimed at keeping people safe in the night-time economy.
“As well as police officers conducting dedicated patrols around the night-time economy, we work closely with venues via the BCRP to raise awareness around safeguarding and regularly hold briefings with security staff.
“Officers also conduct unannounced licensing checks throughout the night, help operate Safe Space, in West Street, work with street pastors and Beach Patrol to protect vulnerable people and employ taxi marshals to make sure people can get home safely.”
PC Jamie Botting, of Brighton and Hove’s Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Security staff have long been an essential part of keeping people safe in the night-time economy, acting as eyes and ears on the ground with proven experience of spotting issues before they occur, de-escalating situations and helping to catch offenders.
“This collaboration extends that partnership, providing an extra level of protection for vulnerable people in the night-time economy.
“Everybody has the right to enjoy a night out in safety and the night safety marshals are another important resource in our commitment to keeping the public safe, safeguarding vulnerable people and reducing crime.”
Pagoda Security managing director Lee Craig said: “Pagoda Security are both proud and honoured to be trusted with such an important role, providing what is a vital and necessary safety support service in the city.
“With the main focus on reducing violence and vulnerability within the night-time economy and being part of a multi-agency approach to improving community safety, our night safety marshals have been carefully selected and provided with additional training in readiness to deploy on to the streets.
“They will without doubt make a positive impact, all the while working closely with the BCRP, Sussex Police and other vital partners in the night-time economy such as the taxi marshals, Safe Space and Beach Patrol.”
The way that the country is going, there will be rather less of the “night-time economy”. Come to think of it, that is a strange phrase – will these people in yellow vests be outside chamber concerts?
I get the impression that quite a lot of the people enjoying the night time economy are not bothered about everyday living expenses as they still live with their parents or are quite happy with being in debt.
Who is funding the new Safety Marshalls ?
The Police precept went up 7% yet again this year but we seem to also have to pay for alternative Police in security guards, town centre anbassadors , litter police…and maybe Safety Marshalls
It is funded by Brighton Police, BHCC and other partners.
They will have no powers of arrest or dispersal orders so what are they going to do? Get Phelim down there.🤣
All we need is private security staff doing this job. Have they been thoroughly vetted, for instance, or are they just erstwhile bouncers?
Sussex Police outsourcing their responsibilities to the private sector is not acceptable, full stop. This will all end in tears.
It’s so white where is the integration if Brighton is supposed to be a multi -cultural city,with the number of black , Indian and Asian students in the city where is the representation??
Hold on, this is NOT BHrighton Police – they have outsourced it to a private security firm (which we the taxpayers willno doubt be footing the bill).
Whatever happened to local PC Plod on the beat ? (answer – he clocks off about 6pm) Whatever happened to night shifts?.
Night shifts are all busy starring in ‘Night Coppers’ on TV!