Chelmsford city officials have launched a private security patrol initiative targeting concerns over public safety, particularly those raised by women and older residents who reported feeling intimidated by asylum seekers. The operation, named Operation Vanguard, was implemented by Essex County Council, led by the Reform party, and was launched with a £150,000 budget. The scheme also extends to the nearby towns of Braintree and Colchester.

The decision to introduce private security patrols follows reports of anti-social behaviour in Chelmsford, attributed both to local residents and asylum seekers accommodated at the nearby Ministry of Defence Police base at Wethersfield. Migrants housed at the base are transported daily into Chelmsford. Council leader Peter Harris, who leads the Reform group, cited several recorded incidents involving asylum seekers, including the alleged sexual assault of a nurse at Broomfield Hospital in January 2022, as justification for the patrols. Harris expressed concern for the safety of women and children, stating he received numerous messages thanking him for the initiative.

Local resident Linda Sheppard, 72, a former NHS worker, supported the move, describing her own experience of intimidation that led her to contact police multiple times. She said she avoided her usual walking routes due to concerns for her safety, noting groups of asylum seekers walking together in the area.

Harris criticized the Home Office, calling for stricter immigration control measures. He appealed to Prime Minister Andy Burnham to end migrant arrivals, detain and deport asylum seekers, and restrict their movement outside the Wethersfield site, which Harris described as resembling a "holiday camp."

However, reactions among residents have been mixed. Some found the patrols useful but did not feel personally threatened. Valerie McDevitt, 71, said the patrols were “handy” but did not address any personal safety concerns, while Tony Woolnough, a 60-year-old former security worker, questioned the allocation of funds to private security instead of local police officers.

During a public walkabout on the high street, Harris faced criticism and hostile remarks from some members of the community. Chelmsford’s Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament, Marie Goldman, described the patrols as an expensive “gimmick” and called on the Reform-led council to invest more in proper police resourcing rather than private security. The debate highlights ongoing tensions around migration and community safety in the area as local authorities seek to respond to residents’ concerns.