Improved guardianship will be implemented to keep people even safer on a night out in Mansfield.
The ‘street guardians’ will be given training to spot the signs and prevent violence against women and girls in the town centre thanks to the Safer Streets initiative.
The scheme will be delivered in partnership with St John Ambulance to set up a project similar to ‘Operation Vigilant’, which began in Dorset.
This operation saw uniformed and plain clothed officers patrolling outside night-time venues. The guardians will also have First Aid training, high-visibility uniform, and will hand out water.
The scheme would also look to reinvigorate the 'Ask For Angela' campaign with renewed advertising and promotional materials, the scheme allows women who feel unsafe to discretely approach venue staff and ‘Ask For Angela’ to be given help.
The initiative is among several schemes coming to the town thanks to more than £133,000 of investment coming to the town centre which will also pay for new HD CCTV cameras, state-of-the-art refuge point cameras, and additional youth activities to change young people’s behaviours and combat antisocial behaviour.
This has been made possible after the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner secured £1m of Home Office funding via the Safer Streets fund aimed at tackling antisocial behaviour, neighbourhood crime, and violence against women and girls across the county.
In total more than £333,000 will be spent across the North Nottinghamshire Community Safety Partnership area, which also includes Sutton-in-Ashfield.
Mansfield District Council is due begin delivering the interventions within the next few months.
Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry said: “Mansfield is the second biggest population centre in the County and the biggest town centre. It has a fantastic night time economy, second only to Nottingham City and these initiatives will benefit all those who visit the town.
“Mansfield has become even safer in recent years thanks to the huge investment in tackling antisocial behaviour locally, and the new investment in Mansfield town centre will make a huge difference to the town.
“The new addition of CCTV and our innovative refuge point cameras to Mansfield will be a game-changer in tackling antisocial behaviour in the town centre, the guardians giving that extra level of high-visibility patrols for people on a night out will be a welcome addition to the existing police presence in the night time economy.”
The area had previously benefitted from a £375,000 programme of investment in public space security in Warsop. This saw the implementation of new CCTV Refuge Points and automatic number plate recognition cameras, new street lighting, a network of Safe Space shops and community clean-up days.
This combined with the continuing hard work by officers from Nottinghamshire Police and Mansfield District Council - saw a reduction of 46% in antisocial behaviour and a 33% drop in vehicle crime in the 12 months from October 2022 when the project started, compared to the previous three-year average.
Inspector Kylie Davies, District Commander for Mansfield, said: “When people come to Mansfield to enjoy a night out it is our job to keep them safe.
Our work in this area has already benefited from significant Safer Streets funding in the town centre area and will be further assisted by the work of local volunteers, businesses and partners to create a night-time economy that is beneficial for everyone”.
Portfolio Holder for Health, Wellbeing and Safer Communities Councillor Angie Jackson, said: “Our night-time economy is a thriving part of Mansfield, and we want everyone who enters the town centre to enjoy it, knowing they are safe.
“The new guardianship scheme will be a crucial part of keeping visitors safe in Mansfield and will enhance the fantastic partnership work already in place with the police and pastors.
“These high-visibility and reassuring patrols work will also complement the already existing expansive CCTV network of cameras across town, and the soon to come refuge point cameras giving people instant access to emergency help.”
To report antisocial behaviour in your neighbourhood, call Nottinghamshire Police on 101 or visit the web page linked below to report.
Report antisocial behaviour | Nottinghamshire Police (opens in new window).
In an emergency, you should always call 999.
Published on behalf of the Office of the Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner.