Leicestershire Reform to outsource policing to private security firms.

[FoulBlister]

Leicestershire and Rutland's Reform UK police and crime commissioner (PCC) Rupert Matthews wants to cut police funding and spend £2million recruiting 'street marshals' from private security firms instead.

£2million pounds would pay the salary of 60 police officers.

Is this the thin end of the ICE wedge?

https://polfed.org/leics/news/2026/leicestershire-police-federation-press-release-regarding-proposed-2m-outsourcing-of-policing-to-private-security-firms/

Yes, I assume it's standard enshittification and de-skilling, with a side order of nice potential for grift.

But it happens that this week I also watched "Pray Raid Repeat" about the growth of Russkaya Obshina, an enforcer group in Russia which claims to be carrying out policing activities but is actually more like an ultra-nationalist morality police. The group breaks the law and uses intimidation to eg harass women for "contravening traditional Russian values" or to pursue migrants just for being immigrants.

Brutal raid on woman's birthday party highlights rise of Russian vigilante group
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq5p306l7weo

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002wxsd/eye-investigations-pray-raid-repeat

It's given me pause for thought.

I am reminded that a classic step in the authoritarian playbook is to create private militias which neither know nor care about the law, have no public accountability, and are loyal only to their immediate paymasters or cult-leaders.

I remember it happening in Zimbabwe c.2000, and history has no shortage of examples.

As @FoulBlister correctly points out, what this Reform UK PCC is attempting to is a transfer of power.

I'm not putting the balloon up about this yet – it can certainly be explained away by short-termist stupidity and grift.

But I think this area is "one to watch".

@PerkingFaintly I understand your concerns I think Reforms thinking would be get cheapo NMW workers wandering the streets of central Leicester and those awarded contracts will be connected.
I imagine the yobs of Leicester will run the SIA guards ragged.
It's not much different to the fake cops that patrol,I mentioned to two of them about Street drinking ,weed puffing ,sitting on ledges underneath cash machines and this is 10am.
Was told we can't do anything phone it in to police.
My home city is in Scotland and same as elsewhere anti social behaviours have been allowed to take hold.