Overview

• Two Akon Security guards now patrol Herne Bay on weekdays, assisting officers and reporting any incidents directly to police
• Police have boosted visible patrols on Fridays and Saturdays to complement the private security presence
• Local shopkeepers say incidents of shoplifting and vandalism have declined since the new patrols began
• The contract is funded by an £8,500 grant from the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner to Canterbury’s Community Safety Partnership
• Residents remain divided between calls for stricter enforcement and demands for increased youth activities to tackle the root causes of anti-social behaviour