A private patrol team has been launched to tackle anti-social behavior and tackle crime

The patrol team keep a close eye on visitors to the town center and help bridge the gap between the police, the council and businesses.

Speaking to GB News during a patrol, Afy Amin of the BID Patrol Team pointed to a man sheltering in the doorway of a shop and said: “You have someone sitting there potentially begging people for money or maybe could harass. people.

“So we’ll look at things like that, engage with them, see if they’ve got help, any support or if we can signpost them to the right people.

“If there’s any anti-social behaviour, anything going on, any shouting will engage with that and any loud music.

“We’re going to engage with people, you know, doing things that, you know, just get the attention of the public that’s visiting the city.”

The Turls Green pub in Centenary Square, Bradford, has already seen the positive impact of the patrols.

Tom Mitchell is the shift leader at Turls Green spoke to GB News about the BID patrols in Bradford.

He said: “It makes you feel a lot safer – not only are our customers and our staff safe, but the whole of Bradford city center is a lot safer when you have people like these people coming and checking. us and make sure everything goes well.

“You can see fights, you can see like drug use quite often, although it works out. Sometimes it’s something that’s not really welcoming to Bradford.”
As shoppers feel the financial need, this scheme aims to further increase store traffic.

Catherine Riley is center manager at Kirkgate Shopping Center and told GB News: “It’s tough everywhere in the country. You know, there’s a cost of living crisis and people are being pushed hard with utility bills, mortgages, rent payments.

So it must be easy for them to come here, not harder.”

The BID Patrol team is partnered with leading industry experts, Argenbright Security Europe Limited (ASEL).

Peter Fisher, ASEL’s Director of Risk and Intelligence said: “We are delighted to have been selected by Bradford Business Improvement District to represent them and their ratepayers as their ‘on the ground’ patrol team.

“We are also looking forward to working with all the stakeholders at Bradford BID and making a meaningful and real difference to shop workers and visitors to the town centre.

“We believe our new ‘integrated’ and collaborative approach to town center safety and security is industry leading, truly bridging the gap between local police, town center businesses and other stakeholders in Bradford City, combining highly skilled and well trained resources with appropriate technology and data. , ensuring Bradford BID has the right people, in the right places at the right time to tackle crime, including violence and anti-social behaviour.”

Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) work by levying a small fee on businesses that join to pay for additional services that support improved commerce and traffic.

Bradford is City of Culture 2025 and they hope these patrols will encourage more people to visit next year.