A PRIVATE security firm is providing six officers to help keep order in Barnsley town centre on Saturday nights.
The £49,000 council-funded scheme will see night marshals on patrol in high visibility vests from tomorrow, targeting areas of the town centre prone to crime and disorder fuelled by alcohol.
It is understood two marshals will be stationed on Midland Street, two near the Halifax bank on Eldon Street and the remaining two will be ‘roaming’ in the town centre.
The project is using security officers supplied by private firm Active Response Security who will work from 8pm to 6am to give a reassuring presence on the streets on what is typically the busiest night of the week for drinking in Barnsley, with hundreds pouring into the town centre to visit pubs and clubs.
Council bosses said the night marshals will support police by dealing with low-level antisocial behaviour to make sure any trouble is nipped in the bud as well as manning the taxi ranks.
Diane Lee, head of public health at the council, which is leading on the project, said similar schemes are already run in other areas and have been a success.
“The marshals start in Barnsley on Saturday night and there will be two starting at about 8pm and then numbers will increase as the evening goes on and will be working until late. The hours will change depending on how busy the town is,” she said.
“It’s about preventing issues from escalating and making people feel a little bit safer and that’s not because we have identified a huge issue in the town - many other areas have this and it’s been very successful. It is contributing to the overall safety in the town centre.”
Coun Roy Miller, cabinet spokesman, said: “We believe that by having the marshals on hand, we hope to ensure that residents and visitors alike enjoy their evening, but feel safe when they are out and about. The marshals will have direct contact with police and alert them to any potential incidents. In some cases, their presence is enough to prevent any volatile situations from escalating.
“Our aim is to create a safer and happier environment where fear of crime is at a minimum.”
More on this story in this week’s Barnsley Chronicle.
