Richmond residents are looking to bring in private security patrols to protect themselves from anti-social behaviour, gangs and drug dealers.

The move comes after an earlier attempt to put private security officers on the streets through the summer was abandoned following opposition from Richmond Council and police.

Now police chiefs appear to have softened their stance and have indicated they are prepared to work with private patrols.

The controversial idea of bringing in private 'bobbies on the beat' comes as the chairman of residents association The Richmond Society, Barry May, warned the area is facing a "perfect storm of discontent".

Green residents' woes

People living in the streets around Richmond Green and riverside have bemoaned crowds of people getting drunk and urinating in the streets and on their doorsteps for months.

They also say there has been a surge in drug dealing, drug taking and violence throughout the summer evenings during the lockdown.

Some residents now fear leaving their homes in the evenings, particularly at weekends.

A WhatsApp group is filled with hundreds of reports of criminal activity and images of alleged crimes.

Writing in the Autumn Newsletter of The Richmond Society, Mr May said: "Brazen street dealing in narcotics and supermarket sales of cheap alcohol and have made for a toxic situation.

"As restrictions to try to curb the spread of the virus eased, there have been frequent flare-ups of anti-social behaviour and serious disorder.

"Pent-up frustration with lockdown and its consequences have created a perfect storm of discontent."

Toilets situation

The only public toilets in Richmond are in the railway station. Earlier this summer the council offered £350 to pubs and cafes serving takeaway food and drink if they opened their toilets.

Yet public urination and defecation, particularly around the Green, has been repeatedly raised as an issue by residents.

It was brought up by Conservative councillors last week who called for an emergency meeting into the matter.

A Richmond Council spokesperson replied, saying: "For the first time in over a decade the council is seriously looking into the provision of permanent toilet facilities in both Richmond town centre and Twickenham Green to complement the existing public toilet provision".

'Threatening' groups on the Green

In response to concerns about cheap booze being available in supermarkets late into the night, Sainsbury's stopped sales of alcohol after 9pm.

Green resident Olly Scott, 42, complained the anti-social behaviours, including loud public drunkenness, often continue until 2am.

Mr Scott said: "They've been behaving very rowdily and raucously. Typically, they've been going to one of the local supermarkets, emptying the shelves of special offer alcohol, and also buying food and takeout and then going to the Green. They then walk away from all the litter and smashed glass.

"They are doing nitrous oxide cannisters, playing music and having BBQs and all this until late into the night.

"If you walk up to these groups of people and ask them not to make so much noise or take the litter away, you get intimidated or threatened."

Policing trends

Mr Scott said residents feel they have not received sufficient protection and support. This is disputed by the council and the police, who point out that they have increased patrols.

Officers in Richmond took advantage of a fall in emergency calls during lockdown to carry out more proactive policing. They used stop-and-search powers 408 times in May - up from 100 times in May 2019.

It was the steepest increase of all South West London boroughs.

Richmond's own police station closed in 2017, while the front counter in Twickenham is closed for refurbishment and due to re-open next month.

Private security guards

Earlier in the summer, a group of residents brought in a small team of private security officers in a trial designed to curb anti-social behaviour.

It was abandoned several weeks ago after an altercation involving an attempted citizen's arrest in the town centre, which was filmed by a passer-by and shared on Twitter, causing a backlash.

Subsequently, the Lib Dem council leader, Gareth Roberts, and Richmond's top police officer, Chief Superintendent Sally Benatar, wrote a letter to residents warning them against bringing in private security officers to patrol the Green and public streets.

It said: "Neither the council nor the police can condone individuals or private companies operating within the margins of the law to act as 'security' in Richmond.

"Private security contractors are NOT permitted to patrol in public areas eg The Green, Riverside or Town Centre."

The letter added: 'Only the police have the power of arrest and the Police and Council emphatically do not endorse any other self-appointed individuals or group who claim to do so."

At the time, the council and police promised to help residents by increasing park patrols during the month of July. Householders claim this protection did not extend into August leaving them feeling "completely abandoned".

Enter My Local Bobby?

It has now emerged that residents are in early discussions with private security company My Local Bobby with a view to bringing the firm in to the area. My Local Bobby was not involved in the earlier trial opposed by the council and police.

Mr Scott said at least 100 residents have expressed an interest in paying for the service in the hope it could be up and running within weeks. And it now appears that the police are prepared to work with the company.

The council referred questions from Richmond Nub News to the police. Ms Benatar said: "We are aware of the concern in the local community regarding crime and anti-social behaviour in the area of Richmond Green.

"Our local officers have been working hard to address these concerns through partnership work, increased patrols of the area and use of legislation such as S.35 dispersal orders."

She added: "Individuals and businesses are entitled to employ security companies to provide additional safety for themselves or their premises and the Met work closely with these companies.

"If a security company is employed, officers will continue to carry out regular patrols in Richmond and will continue to work closely with partners such as the Business Improvement Districts and local businesses to help keep the area a safe place to live, work and visit.

"The officers will also assess any information provided by the security firm and act on the information where appropriate.

"I encourage residents to continue raising concerns with their local Safer Neighbourhood Team and to report anti-social behaviour and crime. This can be done on the Met website or by calling the police on 101, or 999 in an emergency."

My Local Bobby, which was set up by two former Metropolitan police officers, is currently operating 12 beats around London and Essex, including Belgravia, Mayfair and Kensington. Ty[pically, householders pay a subscription fee of £100-£200 a month.

Its officers or 'bobbies' carry out high-vis uniformed patrols and are available by telephone hotline to residents who want to report an issue. They are equipped with handcuffs, a body cam and a first aid kit, and are trained to make citizens' arrests.

Residents have also talked about making an application to the Metropolitan Police under the little known Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS), which can allow private guards to police an area.

Individuals accredited by the scheme can issue fixed penalty notices for disorder, request an offender's name and address, confiscate items such as tobacco or alcohol, or stop and inspect a vehicle.

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