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Estate security team attacked again
Patrol staff are issued with protective ‘bump caps’ after pair come under fire from large group
THE council's security teams tasked with patrolling housing estates at night have been issued with 'protective head gear' after two staff were treated in hospital following the third attack in three months in a small area of Gospel Oak on Sunday.
In a routine tour of Kiln Place at 9pm, one member of the housing patrol was hit by a stone and a second struck with a scooter before both were surrounded by a group of around fourteen people and kicked and punched, according to police.
Three housing patrol staff were hit with stones in separate incidents on the nearby Barrington Court estate in March.
'Bump caps', a kind of reinforced baseball cap, have now been issued to the patrol workers.
Yesterday (Wednesday), a council press spokeswoman said that no officials were available to discuss the question of why their staff were being repulsed with stones from Gospel Oak estates because speculation could interfere with potential court cases against the perpetrators.
A council statement said: “"Two housing patrol officers sustained minor injuries on Sunday evening during an attack on Kiln Place. The Council takes the safety of housing patrol officers very seriously and has implemented special measures to make sure they can work safely. All housing patrol officers have been issued with protective head gear, and as a short term measure patrol teams will double up when covering Kiln Place in the immediate future."
A worker claiming to be employed by the Broadland Guarding Services company, which has supplied the housing patrol contract since it was privatised by the council year, told the New Journal that staff were inadequately trained to deal with an area where the pressure of enforcement against alleged anti-social behaviour by the council and police was creating resentment.
Speaking anonymously he said: “These guys are being sent into riot situations, but they do not know what their powers are or what their job description is. They're not substitutes for the police but they are sometimes being being referred incidents by the police. The approach taken by the council and police doesn't have to be confrontational. You have to be compassionate about these kids, and the housing patrol needs to carry with it something that assists the kids.”
Regional director of Broadland, Frank Adamson, yesterday said his staff were fully trained in first aid and conflict management and the company carried out full health and safety debriefings after every incident, introducing new safety measures including stab vests as a result.
"The housing patrols are never directed to deal with large groups of youths and it is unfair to say they are being sent in to situations that are dangerous," he said. "This particular incident was on an estate where we had not had any previous incidents and occurred when the officers went to the aid of a pizza delivery boy who was getting beaten up. They were in a routine patrol and should have stood back and called police, not got involved."
Youth services departments at the council admitted in April that Gospel Oak had become a 'black hole' for activities and projects aimed at young people.
Housing patrol staff must have basic training to be certificated as security workers, but patrol Camden's estates without uniform or high visibility identification. A control centre in King's Cross serves as a dispatch point for the teams, which can be sent to deal with complaints of anti-social behaviour, vandalism, or arson in council housing. Tenants pay a small monthly fee for the service.
The measures introduced after Sunday's incident- doubling patrols and closer working with the police- were also adopted after March's episodes. The housing patrol returned to working in pairs after a few weeks. |
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Your comments:
Its about time someone gave these guys some credit for all the hard work they do and the way they have improved camden!These guys are like the police,street wardens,youth workers,enviromental heath and substance misuse workers all rolled into one.Under paid not under trained
Mike James
Why are the police passing the buck in situations where they are better protected and more feared by these sorts of uncontrollable youths? The housing patrol aim to help those living in Camden, and it is shocking that they are being subjected to such violence on a regular basis while doing so.
'Jem' |
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