Safer Streets Marshals
Published
Tuesday 21 May, 2024
Updated
Sunday 16 June, 2024
Uniformed marshals have been routinely patrolling Sheerness and Sittingbourne high streets over the school holidays to help keep our residents safe.
The Safer Streets marshals work to prevent antisocial behaviour and crime in the town centres by acting as a visual deterrent and actively intervening in harmful situations.
These trained marshals wear body cameras and have radios connected through Swale Link to the council’s CCTV centre, allowing them to coordinate with the CCTV team and the local police.
This communication has led to many successful interventions including tracking down individuals suspected of vandalising the Beachfields public toilets and administering vital first aid to people in need.
They have also been an important asset for local businesses, who are also connected through Swale Link, as they are able to respond quickly to any incidents that may occur.
The marshals have been deployed during the school holidays as that is when we see a spike in antisocial behaviour and other crimes so their presence will have the most impact.
Tyler, one of the marshals for Sheerness, spoke about tackling violence against women and girls:
“I've dealt with assaults against women, people spiking women’s drinks in clubs, so I've got the experience I need from that, and I can bring it into the marshalling.
“But it is just something that needs stamping out really and hopefully us being there, and people knowing what we are and what we do, will help women and children think that we’re a safety [net].
“They can come to us and talk to us, if they can't phone the police or don't see a police officer, they can come to us, and we can deal with it.”
Kieran, one of the marshals for Sittingbourne, spoke about the impact they’ve had:
“When you see elderly people … when they actually see you, you can see the look in their face, that they want you to be there, that they feel safe, and that they're glad someone's there.”
PC Alison Honess, Sheerness Beat Officer in the Kent Police, asked the marshals to patrol around Sheerness and was very impressed by their work.
The police constable said: "I asked them to engage with any youth and be the ‘eyes on the ground’ if we’re not around, this is exactly what they have done, and then some.
“They got to know the local youth and build a rapport with them, to deal with them robustly but without conflict and have been a high vis presence to reassure the public.
“I don’t want to sound over the top, but honestly it has made a big difference and credit where credits due!”
Watch this video to meet some of the marshals and see what they do! (VIDEO)
We worked with the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner, through the Community Safety Partnership, to secure £265,000 from the Government’s Safer Streets Fund, which funded these initiatives.
