Community Safety Team

Dedicated to ensuring safety, security, and engagement in your community.

Community Safety Team (CST) – Local Street Marshall-Style Public Safety Support

The Community Safety Team (CST) is a proactive, community-first initiative designed to enhance public safety, reduce anti-social behaviour (ASB), and provide vital reassurance across Devon and Cornwall. Functioning in a role similar to that of a local street marshall service, CST officers maintain a strong, visible presence in public areas—offering support, intervention, and safety monitoring to help create safer, more confident communities.

Our uniformed officers are approachable and highly trained, addressing issues such as street drinking, disorder, safeguarding vulnerable individuals, and providing real-time support to emergency services and local partners.

What We Do

Community-Led Enforcement & Public Reassurance Patrols Disorder

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) and public disorder can severely impact local communities—threatening safety, disrupting daily life, and deterring visitors and investment. Our Community Safety Team (CST) is trained to deliver a fast, visible response to ASB incidents, offering the kind of local reassurance often associated with street marshall initiatives, while going further through collaborative support and safeguarding.

Through active foot patrols and intelligence-led deployment, our CST helps reduce ASB across high-impact areas—supporting both day-time and night-time economies.

Request name and address from individuals committing ASB-related offences

Confiscate alcohol or tobacco from underage individuals in restricted areas

Disperse groups likely to cause harassment, alarm, or distress

Issue incident reports for breaches of Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs)

Our Approach

CSAS Powers & Enforcement

Our officers are accredited with Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS) powers, giving them the authority to:

📛 Require names and addresses for ASB-related offences

🚭 Confiscate alcohol and tobacco from underage individuals in restricted zones

🚷 Disperse individuals or groups acting in a way likely to cause harassment, alarm, or distress

📄 Issue reports and enforce Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs)

By taking swift, appropriate action and referring persistent offenders to partner agencies, our team maintains a safe, welcoming environment in the communities we serve.

Intelligence-Led Reporting

Every CST deployment is informed by real-time data analysis and community intelligence, allowing us to operate efficiently and predictively:

🚨 Instant reporting to councils and neighbourhood policing teams

🗺️ Live heat mapping to identify ASB hotspots and patterns

📈 Tracking of incidents and interventions over time

🧠 Intelligence sharing with police and council partners to support enforcement and investigation

Our officers act not only as front-line responders but also as a source of live public safety intelligence that supports long-term planning.

Strategic & Operational Meetings

We work closely with councils, police forces, and local support services to coordinate interventions and review ongoing performance:

📅 Strategic planning meetings to refine priorities

🛠️ Operational briefings for emerging risks and incidents

🧩 Multi-agency collaboration on complex issues

📚 Data-informed reviews of enforcement trends and community feedback

This continuous cycle of assessment and action ensures our approach remains responsive, focused, and effective.

Supporting Vulnerable People

CST officers are trained to identify and support at-risk individuals in crisis:

👥 Liaising with outreach, housing, mental health, and addiction support teams

💬 Providing welfare checks and crisis intervention

🧭 Signposting to services for homelessness, addiction, and safeguarding needs

Our compassionate, proactive model ensures we deliver not just enforcement—but care where it’s needed most.

Emergency Response & First Aid

When every second counts, CST officers are ready to respond:

❤️ Equipped with AED defibrillators and oxygen kits

🎓 Advanced first aid training for overdose, injury, or loss of consciousness

🚨 Coordination with paramedics and emergency services to provide critical on-the-ground intelligence

In times of delayed ambulance response, our CST’s ability to intervene rapidly has saved lives and protected community health

Our Powers & Authority

Our Community Safety Team officers have a range of police-accredited and council-delegated powers, allowing us to enforce local regulations and ensure compliance with Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs).

CSAS-Accredited Powers (Police-Granted)

Requiring name and address for relevant offences, ASB, and traffic-related offences.

Confiscation of alcohol in restricted areas.

Confiscation of tobacco from individuals under 18.

Stopping and directing traffic when required.

Gathering intelligence and sharing information with police.

Council-Appointed Powers (PSPO Enforcement)

Requiring individuals to stop consuming alcohol in prohibited areas.

Confiscating alcohol or containers reasonably believed to contain alcohol.

Confiscating intoxicating substances within PSPO zones.

Issuing Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for PSPO breaches.

Dispersing individuals or groups causing ASB for up to 24 hours.

Reporting aggressive begging and other PSPO violations.

How We Make a Difference

Since launching our Community Safety Team (CST) initiative, we’ve delivered measurable improvements in public safety, anti-social behaviour (ASB) reduction, and emergency response. Our street-level safety teams work in partnership with local authorities, police, and communities to create safer, more welcoming town and city centres across the South West.

Key Outcomes from Our Work:

Notable reduction in ASB incidents across high-footfall town centre zones

Hundreds of successful engagements with vulnerable individuals, linking them to mental health, housing, and addiction support services

Faster medical intervention at the scene of emergencies, helping reduce ambulance delays and improve critical care outcomes

Safer trading environments through collaboration with local businesses and Business Improvement Districts (BIDs)

Consistent praise from police, councils, and members of the public for professionalism, approachability, and impact

Our partnership-led, intelligence-driven approach continues to strengthen public trust, reduce crime, and foster a more secure atmosphere in shared spaces—from market towns to city centres.

Why Choose the Community Safety Team?

Accredited & Professional

We are CSAS-accredited professionals with legally granted enforcement powers.

Community-Focused

We engage with the public, ensuring a friendly and approachable presence.

Intelligence-Led

Our real-time reporting system allows for data-driven decision-making and swift responses.

Trained First Responders

Our officers are fully trained in first aid and emergency care.

Strategically Coordinated

We work in ongoing collaboration with councils and police to continuously improve our services.

Proactive & Preventative

We focus on early intervention to prevent crime before it escalates.

Whether it's tackling ASB, providing emergency first aid, or supporting vulnerable individuals, our Community Safety Team is committed to creating safer public spaces for all.

Community Safety Team