Town Guards Announced by the Mayor in Zero-Tolerance Crackdown in Middlesbrough

A new plan to crack down on crime and antisocial behaviour in Middlesbrough town centre has been announced by Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen.

Mayor Houchen has announced he will fund a new team of Town Guards who, with the support of Cleveland Police, will be given formal police powers to tackle crime and disorder in the town centre.

These officers will be formally trained and accredited, with police-approved powers to act on crime and antisocial behaviour – not just observe and report.

Recruitment is due to begin in the coming months, with the new patrols expected to begin later this year.

The move comes in response to long-standing concerns from businesses and residents about antisocial behaviour, retail crime, and the impact of drug use in town centre.

This action is backed by £1.3m approved by Tees Valley Combined Authority Cabinet earlier this year.

Tackling these issues head-on will not only improve safety but also transform perceptions of the area, helping to attract new businesses, and make safe for local people to go into the town.

Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen, said: “For too long people in Middlesbrough have had to put up with antisocial behaviour, crime and intimidation when all they want to do is go shopping, enjoy the town centre or get to and from work.

“People from across the region have stopped going to Middlesbrough Town Centre because of their concerns about safety. Enough is enough.

“I want the Town Guards to take a zero-tolerance approach. These won’t be council officers or security guards in high-viz – who criminals know have no authority – they will be officers with real police powers to clamp down hard on those who cause trouble.

“We must make our town centre safe again and give people the confidence to come back. This is about backing law-abiding people, protecting businesses and sending a clear message: crime and antisocial behaviour will not be tolerated.”

The new patrols will be dedicated solely to Middlesbrough, with eight Town Guards patrolling the town centre, focused on tackling retail crime, antisocial behaviour and repeat offending.

Tony Parkinson, Chair of Middlesbrough Development Corporation said: “Making our town centre more attractive is the foundation of our regeneration plan.  We want more people to invest, live and spend time in the town and this will only happen if it feels safer, cleaner and easier to navigate than it does at present.

“I am delighted that very soon we will have highly visible security staff, with the power to intervene and resolve antisocial behaviour issues.