Community / Street pastors could be introduced in Lerwick
‘STREET pastors’ could be introduced in Lerwick as part of measures to try to curb anti-social behaviour.
The Church of Scotland said it is looking forward to extending street pastors’ “listening, careful and non-judgmental care to the Shetland community.”
Police area commander for Shetland chief inspector Chris Sewell said he understood the initiative come could potentially into force over the coming months.
Street pastors generally are volunteers from churches who are deployed with a “listening, caring and helping” ethos, usually at weekends when people are on nights outs.
One aim is to offer a non-judgemental approach to those who may engage in anti-social behaviour, such as attempting to diffuse tensions or encouraging people to talk about any problems they may have.
There are street pastors across the country, with the organisation Ascension Trust (Scotland) for example overseeing schemes in cities as well as more rural areas including Kirkwall and Stornoway.
In Orkney a team of at least three people patrols the streets in Kirkwall on Saturday nights generally between 10pm and 2am.
The issue of antisocial behaviour in the centre of Lerwick was brought up at a meeting of the Shetland community safety and resilience board on Wednesday morning.
Chairman Allison Duncan said it did not appear there was much improvement on the situation, saying there was underage drinking taking place in the Park Lane community garden.
He also said the book swap box there had been vandalised, as was a bench.
Duncan also claimed a Swastika was scratched onto a wall there, around VE Day, which he said was “despicable”. He said it was removed quickly once it was identified.
Sewell said some of the incidents Duncan mentioned were “quite shocking” but said he was not sure if all those incidents had been reported to the police.
He encouraged anyone who experiences antisocial behaviour to get in touch which the police.
Sewell said officers are engaging with Shetland Islands Council’s antisocial behaviour co-ordinator Billy Mycock on the matter, and added that the police and the local authority are “doing everything we can to try and address the problems”.
The police chief also confirmed there was a proposal to introduce street pastors to Lerwick.
He said the volunteers would offer a “visible presence” and be able to engage with young people, potentially diverting them from antisocial activity.
When asked if there was a timescale on their introduction, Sewell said it could potentially be this summer, but he was not able to confirm this.
Last year some youth workers were put out on patrol in Lerwick at weekends following an assault in the town centre.
A Church of Scotland spokesman said after Wednesday’s meeting: “Shetland Church of Scotland is already in discussion with our local ecumenical partners regarding the introduction of a street pastor service and is recruiting volunteers to sharing the caring and loving example of Jesus in practical ways.
“Church of Scotland members, along with volunteers from other denominations, are serving as street pastors in town and city centres, at festivals and other events across the country, helping diffuse tension, or offering practical aid from hot drinks and foil blankets on cold nights to flip-flops for revellers who cannot walk any further in their high heels.
“They also provide a sympathetic ear for people – predominantly young – who may be facing a range of issues, from mental health struggles to homelessness or the impact of abuse or violence.
“We look forward to helping extend that listening, careful and non-judgmental care to the Shetland community.”
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