A crime-hit neighbourhood hired a private warden in order to tackle anti-social behaviour. After a series of crimes involving addicts, drug gangs, beggars and rough sleepers left the locals and shop owners living in fear, the residents decided to take matters into their own hands and hire their own private guard.
Despite the fact that they are living in one of the most deprived areas in the country, they wanted to fund a private warden to take care of the job that the police were no longer doing. The money ran out after about a year and the resident’s application for funding from their local council was turned down.
Cuts to policing meant that the streets once again became unsafe. There was also a point made about the warden only being able to provide an eyes and ears service. However, he was able to disperse gangs.
Residents’ frustration
The residents became increasingly frustrated, as they are paying their taxes which should go towards policing, but this doesn’t seem to be the case. Under the current government, there have been cuts and more cuts, especially to vital services such as the police. This is leaving residents feeling incredibly unsafe, with drug dealers and shootings being a very common occurrence, especially around the middle of the day.
It seems to be left to individuals to be their own police force, rather than having a trained officer on hand. Similar stories of the public having to take matters into their own hands, because of a lack of policing, are relatively common.
There is talk of more police officers using body worn camera technology, from places such as https://www.pinnacleresponse.com/, and perhaps they should be given to all police officers, not just British Transport Police Officers.
Other stories of residents’ policing
There are many other stories of the public having to take matters into their own hands, such as when a street was turned into an unofficial airport car park. Householders started sticking signs on window screens saying that vehicles had been dumped by holidaymakers and parking firms. Residents had decided to take this action, after there was growing congestion on their street and they had become increasingly concerned that a crash would happen sooner or later or that someone would be knocked down.