PRIVATE “cops” hit the street of Southampton for the first time yesterday for the start of a free three-day trial.

Uniformed security officers equipped with handcuffs and stab vests were showing residents what they could expect if they agree to pay £3.15 a week or a one-off annual payment of £163.80.

Four officers were due to be patrolling overnight, although their guard dog – which will be used to disperse street gangs – failed a fitness test to take part due to a skin complaint.

Earlier the trial started with a lone patrolman wearing a high visible jacket pounding the streets of Shirley in the rain. The evening was uneventful save for the discovery of a unlocked car belonging to a vicar.

The boss of the fledgling Atraks service Dave MacLean said residents had been supportive.

He said: “During the day things are not so bad but we’ve had lots of intelligence from the community telling us when and where things are occurring at night.”

The full Atraks service will include dedicated patrols of eight officers up to 60 times every 24 hours in every community that signs up, special patrols outside schools, escorts to shops and banks, and emergency response to alarms and other incidents. It will be tailored to the needs of residents.

Mr Maclean said crime in Shirley was still too high despite police claims it was down 7.8 per cent since April.

The Atraks service, which is independent from the council and police, comes as police officer numbers in Hampshire have fallen over the past year, according to Home Office figures.

The number of full-time officers in Hampshire Constabulary fell by 102 to 3,811 in March this year. The 2.6 per cent decline bucked a national rise in police officer numbers up 1.3 per cent to 143,770.


The streets included in the patrols

The Atraks service has attracted criticism from city politicians who accused it of “scaremongering” and urged residents not to part with their money.

Mr MacLean said 337 Shirley residents have agreed to pay for the service with 1,754 more wanting to sign up when it starts. He said seven more joined yesterday morning. However, he insisted he was not concerned about the money and had set up the business out of concern for public safety.

Shirley ward councillor Matt Dean said he was satisfied with the job the police were doing adding: “I don’t think there is an appetite from local residents to have private security patrols on our streets.

“I’m nervous it could lead to public disorder as there is a danger they might over react or be targeted. There is no need for a vigilante police force.”

The Atraks patrols will continue in Shirley today and tomorrow from noon until 6am.