Truro’s anti-social behaviour officers have been given extra powers which will help them make the city centre a safer place to shop, eat and drink.

Recognisable by their red tabards, the Truro Rangers are now accredited by Devon and Cornwall Police under the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS).

This gives them limited police powers, including being able to ask for details including names and addresses – with refusal to provide them being a criminal offence – and taking witness statements.

They can also share information with the police, meaning they have a better understanding of the people they are dealing with.

Three rangers – Will Garside, Garin Evans and Darryn Brookes – are employed by Axien Security to work in the city centre. As well as diffusing low-level crime, they are first responders to medical incidents including overdoses and falls.

“The CSAS powers will make our job much easier,” said Will. “Being able to request information, and share it, are the two main benefits. If we are dealing with low-level crime, it will free up the police to deal with other issues.”

“Sharing information with the police will enable us to understand what’s going on in the background – more complex needs such as dependency and support mechanisms,” added Garin. “That will help us give a better service.

“Also, if we are dealing with violence, we can call the police and get the same response an officer would. We hope not to have to use that option, but it’s nice to know it’s there.”

PC Richie Wilson, Neighbourhood Beat Manager for Devon and Cornwall Police, described the rangers as “a welcome addition to Truro”.

“They provide a valuable security presence and a deterrent to crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB), and have become familiar faces to businesses, residents and regular visitors to the city centre,” he added.

“As ASB and low-level crime are closely linked, the CSAS accreditation will provide the rangers with some useful tools to continue their great work in resolving issues at street level, before they escalate, reducing demand on local policing; and in identifying those involved in ASB, to allow for progression through ASB processes or, should it meet the criminal threshold, prosecution.” 

The Rangers are funded to the tune of £60,000 each year by Truro Business Improvement District (BID), a membership organisation for city centre businesses. This pays for 56 hours a week, and the BID has just qualified for further funding which will enable this to be increased to cover the night-time economy until 9pm.

BID manager Alun Jones said: “There may be a view that the government should provide adequate police and security services, but the reality is that those partners are under-resourced. A town centre has to make a decision, and in our case that’s for businesses rather than the taxpayer to fund them, and to great benefit.

“With their hi-vis jackets and interaction with the public, and now with extra powers, the rangers have helped to achieve a reduction in anti-social behaviour.”

He urged residents and visitors to report all incidents of concern. “Reporting levels are very low and need to be increased – otherwise we can’t act upon them.”

The BID also co-funds Steve Lennon, an anti-social behaviour case worker for Cornwall Council, covering an area from the Roseland Peninsula to Perranporth and St Agnes on the north coast – and including Truro.

“The Rangers are people-people, and as such can diffuse low-level situations, empathise with rough sleepers and signpost services,” he said. “As a local authority officer, I think they are brilliant.

“The fact I can now share data with them results in a more joined-up method of working. For example, in the case of missing persons, I now have two pairs of eyes. That’s the best part of CSAS for me, and it makes Truro a safer place to live, work and visit.”

He added that since his employment three years ago, ASB – including street drinking, begging and large groups – had seen a marked downturn thanks to targeted patrol work in conjunction with charities including Young People Cornwall and We Are With You.

“Truro is thriving,” he said. “People want to feel safe in a city, and as Truro is Cornwall’s only city, they should be able to feel safe here.”

The Truro Safe Partnership was established in 2013, with monthly online meetings to tackle current issues regarding ASB, community safety and crime. Members include Devon and Cornwall Police, Cornwall Fire & Rescue, St Petroc’s, Truro BID, councils and housing providers.

Chair Helen Toms, Cornwall Council’s community safety officer for mid-Cornwall, said: “The Rangers are a great asset to the city. These new powers will give them a little more depth, especially with prolific offenders.”

Truro Safe held the first community safety drop-in session on Wednesday, July 24, with the local policing team, anti-social behaviour officer and Truro Rangers on hand to answer questions.