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Good Samaritans patrol streets of Camden Town
CAMDEN Town has a new team ensuring the safety of revellers on busy weekend evenings.
Street Pastors is a church initiative and works with Camden police to patrol Camden Town between Mornington Crescent and Stables Market.
Edward Campbell, a minister at Kentish Town Evangelical Church, who is also co-ordinator for Street Pastors in Camden, said: "We are good Samaritans in the street. If someone falls over or is drunk, we will make sure they can get home safely. If we see a young lady waiting at a bus stop we will wait around until the bus arrives.
"We will also try to calm angry people down and help anyone who may have been injured in a fight. There is an element of danger to being a street pastor but what we have found is that we get respect once people know we are volunteers from churches who just want to help. Rather than step into any dangerous situation, we would notify the police or a PCSO."
Camden is one of the last London boroughs to try the street pastor scheme.
Volunteers receive 12 days of training and look at matters such as sociology, drugs, counselling and have a session with the police.
The four Camden Town pastors hit the streets for their first shift on Friday.
Mr Campbell said: "We were on the streets until 2.30am but it was very quiet. We carried bottles of water for people who might be dehydrated and flip flops for women who have worn inappropriate footwear."
Inspector Steve Cant, of Camden police, said: "From the point of view of the police they are just people who can go out there and work with us, not
for us, and they are able to engage with vulnerable people or people hell-bent on confrontation and maybe diffuse situations."
He added: "Anyone in Camden Town between 2am and 4am is at risk but these guys are non-threatening and know their limits.
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