Essex Council Deploys Private Security to Patrol Town Centres

The Reform UK-led Essex County Council has launched Operation Vanguard, a three-month trial deploying six private security guards to patrol the town centres of Braintree, Colchester, and Chelmsford. The initiative, costing approximately £118,000 plus VAT and funded by a drawdown of up to £150,000 from a community improvement fund, aims to deter anti-social behavior. Council leader Peter Harris stated the patrols respond to resident concerns that gatherings of male migrants from the Wethersfield asylum accommodation have made these areas uncomfortable for women and children.

Security operatives from the firm My Local Bobby wear red stab vests and body-worn cameras. While they lack formal police powers, they are authorized to perform citizen's arrests. The deployment follows a Home Office announcement to expand the Wethersfield site's capacity from 800 to 1,245 residents and extend its operation beyond 2027.

The scheme has drawn sharp criticism from political opponents and local MPs. Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors argued the move is driven by prejudice and stokes stereotypes, noting that police reports indicate crime linked to the asylum center is very low. Braintree MP James Cleverly and Chelmsford MP Marie Goldman both criticized the expenditure, with Goldman calling the scheme a costly gimmick. They argued that funds should be directed toward resourcing warranted police officers rather than private security.