http://digbig.com/4mpfe
"Night owls in Enfield may have noticed some new additions to the borough's usual lively cast of nocturnal characters over the past four months. Since April, clad in distinctive blue jackets, teams of trained street pastors have patrolled Enfield's streets after dark, looking to engage with the public and help people in distress.Enfield Police faith officer, Garrett Pennery, said: "I think they're absolutely brilliant. Already our intelligence unit is suggesting crime goes down when the street pastors are out on the street." The pastors, who range in age from the mid-20s to late 70s, hit the streets every Friday or Saturday night with three teams taking it in turns to work a 10pm to 2am shift. The police advise the teams which areas to patrol but an important factor in the pastors' success is their independence from the police, allowing them to build up trust with the people they meet." [Crime Reduction; Police news]
