Neighbourhood Wardens
Guidance on Bidding for Funding for Neighbourhood Warden Schemes (This guidance refers to previous schemes but remains good practice)
Appendix A
“Working the Beat” - Fundamental Principles drawn up by ACPO
Establishment of Schemes
Schemes should be established based on a locally expressed need, which will allow for them to be tailored to that local need.
Powers
There should be no diminution of the powers of police officers. In respect of neighbourhood warden and similar schemes, there should be no enhancement of powers beyond that of the ordinary citizen.
Intervention
The police must remain the only body with powers to intervene in situations without consent.
Other persons may only intervene with consent or under whatever arrangement lies between the employer of the warden/patrol and the citizen.
Government
Local authority patrols must be accountable to local authorities but, since their employment should arise from the community safety proposals of the Crime and Disorder Act, partnership working with the police is essential. However, they must bear responsibility for their own actions in joint initiatives whether with the police service or other agencies.
Regulation
Regulation of the security industry must be vigorously pursued; in the interim the police should seek an active local role in such matters as vetting and quality control to ensure that schemes are operating to an agreed acceptable standard.
Appearance
The appearance of non-police warden and patrol personnel must be distinct from that of the police in terms of uniform, livery and corporate image.
Standard Operating Procedures
Specimen standard operating procedures should be developed for a range of different locations (residential, town-centre), circumstances (intervention, patrol), relationship (local authority, private security) and purposes (information exchange, call responses). This must include reference to such matters as recruitment, training, managing processes and facilities management.
Funding
Complementary patrols and neighbourhood warden schemes
should be funded from identifiable sources which do
not involve any diminution of police budgets.
Last update: 22/09/03