Security officers set to patrol Luton town centre to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour as part of My Local Bobby scheme

Security officers will be patrolling Luton Town Centre at the weekends in a bid to help improve safety and tackle anti-social behaviour and crime.

The two new officers will be in the area on Friday and Saturday nights from November 11 as part of the My Local Bobby scheme.

The scheme is being funded by Luton BID and is a direct response to feedback from late night operations such as pubs, restaurants, shops and takeaways who have expressed concerns about anti-social behaviour, crime and the lack of a security presence.

Cherrie Bennett, landlady of The Castle and chair of Luton SAFE Pubwatch said: “Improving safety at night has always been a priority for town centre businesses. Whilst that’s never changed, we feel it is more important than ever to support the local night time economy and to give people reassurance that they can enjoy a safe night out in Luton.”

She added: “We are confident that the My Local Bobby initiative will do exactly this, and encourage more people to come and visit our wonderful pubs, venues and restaurants.”

Luton BID manager Julia Horsman said: “We have a fantastic working partnership with the police and the council and are determined, as a collective, to reduce the fear of crime for the benefit of staff and the public. We want to create a safe and secure environment for all.”

She added: "This will lead to greater economic investment ensuring a brighter future for Luton.”

So far Luton BID is signed up to the scheme for three months – and it’s the first time the scheme has been introduced outside London.

A spokesman for Luton Council said: “Luton Council works closely with the police and other stakeholders including the BID to ensure the town centre is a safe and welcoming place. As part of this we have two uniformed neighbourhood enforcement officers dedicated to the town centre, one of whom is funded by the BID.”

The My Local Bobby project was established in 2007 by ex-Met detective David McKelvey. With a senior management team consisting of ex police officers and former military personnel, the scheme says it has made a significant difference to crime and anti-social behaviour levels in the areas where it operates.

Operations director Ahmet Izzet said: “Luton is the first town outside London to benefit from the scheme. Our Bobbies provide a visible presence through regular patrols, dealing with issues as they arise and contacting the police if required. Businesses will have a direct line via town centre radios, providing reassurance they can be contacted if staff or owners are feeling vulnerable or concerned.”

A Bedfordshire Police spokesman said: “We do have dedicated officers in place at the weekends in Luton town centre, which are a mix of our patrol and community officers. However how many we have on duty would depend on what else is going on which is where the threat/ harm/ risk assessment comes in.”