The City Safety Patrol has been roaming the streets of Bristol for 20 years but their work has also taken them to Palestine, Jamaica and received recognition from the United Nations. The group has developed since the early days when founder Reverend Dr Dawnecia Palmer was leading groups into areas of St Pauls that were seen as off-limits to police officers.
The volunteer patrollers receive training to attend places where conflict may take place. Sometimes just making their presence known is enough to increase safety or help to de-escalate a tense situation. From local football matches to anti-bullying initiatives at schools, their work over the years has put them in contact with a range of groups and communities across Bristol.
It all started in the early 2000s when Rev Palmer wanted to take positive action to reduce knife crime. “I thought we could be a presence [on the streets] and speak to the perpetrators directly. When I went there on my own, I wasn’t intimidated but I noticed that they were vulnerable,” explains Rev Palmer.
READ MORE: The patrollers who have been fighting crime in Bristol for 20 years
Central to the ethos is one of compassion, and Rev Palmer felt that if they could be a group that saw the humanity in people, tensions could be de-escalated and consequently crime would be reduced. “I was speaking to one guy and he said, ‘you are the first vicar that has come out to speak to us, why haven’t you come out before?’
“I realised that these guys were only human and they just wanted help. There was a reason they were there and that’s where it started.
“The compassion to see value beyond the crime. There was a cry for help, almost,” continued Rev Palmer.
Being a reverend, in its infancy all volunteers were trained in a Christian ethos and although the group's original 'Prayer Patrol' hasn’t gone away, the City Safety Patrol is non-religious and open to anyone and everyone. The group has also expanded its geographical reach and they target various places in Bristol as well as one-off events and incidents when they are called to do so.
Rev Palmer hopes people from different backgrounds are able to come together under the 'safety patrollers' banner. Volunteers can be from any religious background or none and even children can get involved if they are with their parents.
Rev Palmer said: “We are called on wherever a situation is. My rules are strict about how to approach people and when not to approach people.
“We would really like to see some young people involved {as well as] grandmothers and grandfathers. They were the ones who helped us in St Pauls to make a difference because nobody hurts them.
“I would like to encourage mothers to come out - when their children see them out there, they are not going to want to go on with any crime and it’s something positive that they are doing as well. You can come out for 30 minutes if you want, you can come out for an hour, two or half a day when it’s warmer and we do different events in town.
“A lot of people think that you have to be religious but it’s really not the case. Normally people think prayer is something where you clasp your hands and go to church but it doesn’t have to be a religious thing, it can be good will to others, intention."
The city safety patrollers currently work across ten areas in Bristol which include parts of East Bristol and the city centre. Anyone who has an interest in promoting safety in the city can get involved as long as they are not currently involved in crime or substance misuse.
To find out more about becoming a city safety patroller or to discuss collaborative work, you can contact Rev Palmer via the contact form or number on their website or by email: peacemakersprayerpatrol@gmail.com
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