Case Studies

South Bank officers commended

by Mark Rowe

In London, South Bank Patrol have been thanked by Lambeth’s borough police commander for their work after the March 22 Westminster attack. South Bank Patrol officers were on duty close to Westminster Bridge, when the attack started. Two members of the team were among the first to arrive at the scene; they helped the injured, cordoned off the area, sent the curious and confused off the bridge and liaised with emergency services.

Speaking to South Bank Patrol officers at a commendation event at County Hall, Chief Supt Richard Wood, Lambeth’s Borough Commander, praised the team for their quick response on March 22. He also commended them for their daily contribution to making South Bank a safer neighbourhood and visitor destination. He said: “South Bank Patrol were some of the first people to arrive at the scene, they acted quickly and calmly in a chaotic situation where members of the public and professionals can often struggle to think clearly. We are very grateful and commend the speed and selflessness with which they acted.” On the Patrol’s role in South Bank, Richard Wood added: “Most people take community safety for granted, South Bank Patrol is a service that is now vital to South Bank life – for businesses, visitors, residents and employees.”

Govert Deketh, London Marriott Hotel County Hall General Manager and Chair of South Bank BID added: “The London Marriott Hotel County Hall immediately recognised the need for a base and offered the hotel as an operational triage centre for the Patrol and Met Police. The nature of this event demonstrates how well people and organisations pull together and collaborate. The London Marriott Hotel County Hall is a member of South Bank BID, and we highly value the work the South Bank Patrol have done for the last nine years.”

Background

South Bank Patrol is managed by South Bank Employers’ Group and funded through the South Bank Visitor Management Group – a public-private partnership of the major sites at South Bank, and Lambeth Council. Revenue for the service is generated from London Eye Section 106 revenue contributions, private contributions from South Bank Businesses and South Bank Business Improvement District (BID).

The Patrol team’s work is part of a vital network of security and safety services – provided by the same financial mechanisms and managed by South Bank Employers’ Group. This network includes a Met Patrol Plus team, and an Enforcement Officer, on secondment from Lambeth Council.

The South Bank Patrol Team works in collaboration with South Bank Business Watch – an innovative and highly effective group of security managers of South Bank organisations, meeting bi-monthly and reporting activities to Visitor Management Group and South Bank Partnership.

The work of the Patrol Team as coordinated and managed by Neil Haggertay, Head of Security, and Alex Valenzuela, Director of Public Realm, at South Bank Employers’ Group and South Bank BID, featured in our January 2017 print issue.

About South Bank Patrol

Founded in 2008 by South Bank Employers’ Group it’s funded – through South Bank Visitor Management Group – by revenue from the London Eye Section 106 agreement. It is also supported by additional and entirely voluntary contributions from business members, and by South Bank Business Improvement District (BID). It provides a highly visible street presence to deter crime and the fear of crime, reduce and eliminate illegal street trading, reduce anti-social behavior and engage with private security teams, police and other agencies throughout the area. South Bank Patrol has community safety scheme (CSAS) accreditation, which allows the team to use designated police-style powers such as seizure of alcohol within a controlled drinking zone, and dealing with anti-social behavior and low level crime. And South Bank Employers’ Group (SBEG) is a partnership of 18 of the major employers in South Bank, Waterloo and Blackfriars, such as the BFI, ITV, Network Rail, Southbank Theatre, Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, and National Theatre.

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