Southwark Council’s Night Time Uniformed Patrol Service (NTUPS) has been extended for another year after a successful pilot scheme and an additional £600,000 in funding. The service, which began as a nine-month pilot, will now run until August 2027.
Patrol Achievements and Impact
According to Cllr David Watson, Executive Member for Community Safety and Engagement at Southwark Council, the service has made significant progress. He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “The service has made some really good progress on supporting rough sleepers and directing them towards support services.”
Officers have made 52 StreetLink referrals for rough sleepers, responded to around 70 violence against women and girls reports, recovered weapons, and intervened in life-threatening situations. The patrols run from 6pm to 2am, when crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB) are most likely, with a team of up to 10 uniformed officers assigned to areas based on ASB data, intelligence, and community concerns.
Funding and Future Plans
The council approved an extra £600,000 in funding to extend the service. It will now examine how to strengthen prevention and enforcement across the borough. The patrols have become a recognised presence in local communities, integrating closely with council teams, businesses, and the police.
NTUPS priorities include tackling and deterring ASB, addressing violence against women and girls, promoting women’s safety, reducing drug-related harm, and creating safe, sociable estates and neighbourhoods. Officers undergo dedicated training and earn an accredited qualification to handle high-intensity incidents.
Community Response and Reporting
Southwark employs 26 Community Wardens and six Park Liaison Officers, whose shifts generally end at 9pm. The nightly patrols provide eight extra uniformed officers from Sunday to Wednesday, increasing to 10 from Thursday to Saturday.
Cllr Watson added: “[The officers] are a tremendous bunch of people. Like our Community Wardens, the people that do this work really are extraordinary. The reception that they get from local residents, tenants associations and businesses has been really positive. They welcome having them in their communities and having them as that visible deterrent, but also because of the rapport they’re building.”
Southwark residents can report ASB via the council’s website or by calling 020 7525 5777.
