Enfield links volunteer patrols with council safety and CCTV teams

A seven-year volunteer patrol in Enfield has formed a direct partnership with the council’s community-safety and CCTV teams.

The Love Your Doorstep patrol began in 2019 after robberies targeting young people. Volunteers remain visible in town centres during the afternoon, when many children are travelling home from school.

More than 200 people have registered and contributed thousands of hours across several town centres. Volunteers have visited Enfield Council’s CCTV control room to learn how incidents are monitored and reported. Patrols will continue, while council communications help recruit volunteers and closer contact improves links with safety teams.

The partnership shows how an established community network can connect with formal services without losing its volunteer character. Its impact is not yet measurable, however: published information includes no change in crime, response times or victim outcomes, and registrations do not reveal how many people patrol regularly.

The next test will be whether recruitment and information-sharing improve. Both sides plan to continue the relationship while preserving the patrol’s community-led approach.