Neighbours hire their own police force for £3 each a week

Neighbours hire their own police force for £3 each a week

u2w3.com

There is always a price to pay for rising crime rates and an over-stretched police force.

But rarely is it so clear what that cost is. Residents of an affluent suburb in Southampton have decided to pay £3.15 a week to fund a private security force to patrol the streets.

Hundreds of residents who have 'lost faith in the police force' have clubbed together to hire the private team of uniformed officers to protect them from crime in the area.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Being very close to me (but not close enough) I thought this was fascinating.

I'm up for the idea and think it would / could be good. There is a real problem over here in the UK with security and the police being either over-stretched or forced to work to certain targets. Where I live there is a real problem with youth and crime. Having a security presence would make a difference.

Legally I am not sure how they would fare if someone tried to sue the security guys as due to UK law being set-up in such a way that often the criminal is protected, but I am sure they have looked into that.

Of course, it could go down a path that led to even more restrictions but for now I think its a great idea.

u2w3.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Trouble is with 'private security forces' is that the firm has no law only 'guildlines' as used by the real police force, and no backing from the lawyers.
Say they try to arrest a burglar, they accidentally rough him up in the process of arresting him and whilst waiting for the police arrive they hold him, this burglar can sue the firm for assault and false imprisonment hence making the whole escapade fruitless as when the police arrive, the burglar will complain about the security force and then the police will try to arrest them as vigilantes or something IMO.

Just give the extra £3.15 to the government and demand more police, but even then we'd complain about it becomming a police state.

Another thing if a crim assaults one of the 'private security firm' then what? the guy will take time off , call a 'compensation for work injury helplines and get paid to sit of his ass.

Interesting thread, i made a similar one asking about the use of private security firms recently in Skunk Works. Looks like the idea is already being used.

Unfortunately i think two guys are not going to do it. I know Shirley, and not all of it is nice. I think there will be many a kid looking to have a rumble with these two if they tried to butt in.

I admire the idea, and the guys who are trying to help, but i hope they have more than just two blokes doing the patrol.

CX.



[edit on 7/8/09 by CX]

reply to post by AlwaysQuestion


The story is quite amazing if yout think about it. I have often wondered why is it that the police forces become incompetant in certain areas when the nation as a whole contributes money to them. Simple, government.

Theres a moral somewhere in this story and I know its somewhere along the lines of, if you want something done you have to riot. JK
Or maybe it was do it yourself, I cant remember

In the U.S. I hear "I carry a gun because a cop it too heavy."

Looks like over there a group is willing to almost carry a cop.

Trouble is like with any other person earning a paycheck, they'll work just hard enough to keep that paycheck and no harder. Unless you've got your security strapped to your back 24/7 you're really no better off than you are with the patrolling police.

Legislating safety is an idiotic fantasy anyway. Almost as idiotic as law enforcement. A criminal doesnt care what is legal or not. You either respect anothers individual rights or you do not. You cant legislate or enforce that. The best you can do is be rid of those who repeatedly express a lack of respect for the rights of others to limit recidivism.

Well it certainly touches some grey areas and it could lead to some sticky situations but it does show that people want some security and they are willing to try something new.

they`ll have as much `power` as the police forces on `PCSO`

which is to say , they dont have a queens warrent so can only ` arrest` someone using `citizen arreest` lol and are bound by the law.

[edit on 7/8/09 by Harlequin]

Why isn't every opponent of 'socialized' health care in the USA lobbying for this to be the norm in American neighborhoods? And fire service, too.

reply to post by suicydking


Police and fire are funded locally. There may be some federal level grants and such that trickle down once in a while generally followed some assinine local PD purchase like a couple hundred M-16's or a hovercraft (don't laugh. I grew up in a town that now has a hovercraft because of federal waste and there is only one river in the town that doesnt really go anywhere.)

Local funding of local services is tolerable. Federal funding of local services is evil.

Likewise, if I dont want local PD and fire 'service' I should be able to opt out. My property doesnt border anyone elses so there's no danger of fire spreading and I have no need for police.