Street warden

Street wardens patrol designated areas to ensure a sense of security with the public, and provide general support. They monitor suspicious behaviour and cooperate with the police and other local institutions to maintain the community’s safety and well-being, and enforce law and issue penalties when necessary.

Street wardens typically do the following:

• respond to anti-social behaviour incidents
• report crime to the police
• tell the council and other authorities about environmental problems
• issue fixed penalty notices for litter, graffiti and dog fouling
• make sure empty properties are safe and secure
• support older and vulnerable people in the area
• get involved in community activities
• visit schools and attend community and resident meetings
• share information with other agencies like the police, community groups, social landlords and tenants’ associations

The following job titles also refer to street warden:

neighbourhood warden
environmental warden
bylaw enforcement officer
community support officer
special constable
community safety warden
countryside ranger
warden
neighborhood warden

A high school diploma or equivalent is generally required to work as a street warden.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Street warden is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to street warden.

civil enforcement officer
police officer
juvenile correctional officer
prison officer
airport security officer

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of street warden. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of street warden with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

court bailiff
immigration officer
police detective
police inspector
hand luggage inspector

These skills are necessary for the role of street warden.

• Assist emergency services: Assist the police and emergency services where needed.
• Comply with legal regulations: Ensure you are properly informed of the legal regulations that govern a specific activity and adhere to its rules, policies and laws.
• Use different communication channels: Make use of various types of communication channels such as verbal, handwritten, digital and telephonic communication with the purpose of constructing and sharing ideas or information.
• Ensure public safety and security: Implement the relevant procedures, strategies and use the proper equipment to promote local or national security activities for the protection of data, people, institutions, and property.
• Respond to enquiries: Respond to enquiries and requests for information from other organisations and members of the public.
• Handle conflicts: Mediate in conflicts and tense situations by acting between parties, such as service users, important others like families, and institutions, striving to effect an agreement, reconciliate, and resolve problems.
• Instruct public: Give instructions to the public during situations where they behave in a manner which is not compliant with laws and regulations, or to guide them during abnormal situations.
• Patrol areas: Patrol a designated area, watch out for and respond to suspicious and dangerous situations, and communicate with emergency response organisations.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of street warden. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Law enforcement: The different organisations involved in law enforcement, as well as the laws and regulations in law enforcement procedures.
• Legal use-of-force: The characteristics of the use-of-force, which is a legal doctrine employed by police and army forces, to regulate acts of violence during interventions. Use-of-force is ought to balance security needs with ethical concerns for the rights and well-being of intruders or suspects.
• Road traffic laws: Understand road traffic laws and the rules of the road.
• First response: The procedures of pre-hospital care for medical emergencies, such as first aid, resuscitation techniques, legal and ethical issues, patient assessment, trauma emergencies.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of street warden. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Apply first response: Respond to medical or trauma emergencies and care for the patient in a manner compliant with health and safety regulations, assessing the legal and ethical issues of the situation, and provide proper pre-hospital care.
• Perform risk analysis: Identify and assess factors that may jeopardise the success of a project or threaten the organisation’s functioning. Implement procedures to avoid or minimise their impact.
• React calmly in stressful situations: React quickly, calmly, and safely to unexpected situations. Provide a solution that solves the problem or diminishes its impact.
• Maintain order at scenes of accidents: Maintain order at emergency scenes dispersing crowds and keeping family and friends from touching the patient.
• Comply with the principles of self-defence: Observe the principles according to which a person should only use so much force as is required to repel an attack. The use of deadly force is limited to situations where attackers are using deadly force themselves.
• Conduct drug abuse tests: Conduct alcohol and drug tests according to government and company policies and procedures. Conducts random, reasonable suspicion, and post-accident testing using basic equipment.
• Regulate traffic: Regulate the flow of traffic by using assigned hand signals, assisting travellers on the road, and aiding people to cross the street.
• Write work-related reports: Compose work-related reports that support effective relationship management and a high standard of documentation and record keeping. Write and present results and conclusions in a clear and intelligible way so they are comprehensible to a non-expert audience.
• Apply knowledge of human behaviour: Practice principles related to group behaviour, trends in society, and influence of societal dynamics.
• Check official documents: Check an individuals’ official documentation, such as driver’s licenses and identification, to ensure compliance with legal regulations, and to identify and assess individuals.
• Hear witness accounts: Hear witness accounts during a court hearing or during an investigation to assess the significance of the account, its impact on the case under scrutiny or investigation, and to aid in reaching a conclusion.
• Identify security threats: Identify security threats during investigations, inspections, or patrols, and perform the necessary actions to minimise or neutralise the threat.
• Follow given instructions: Follow instructions to achieve goals and meet deadlines.
• Detain offenders: Keep back offenders and trespassers in a certain area.
• Issue fines: Recognise a violation in legislation, and issue the appropriate fine to the offender compliant with regulations and ensuring the person is aware of the specific violation they performed.
• Ensure law application: Ensure the laws are followed, and where they are broken, that the correct measures are taken to ensure compliance to the law and law enforcement.
• Practice vigilance: Practice vigilance during patrol or other surveillance activities in order to ensure safety and security, to look out for suspicious behaviour or other alarming changes in patterns or activities, and to respond quickly to these changes.

5419 – Protective services workers not elsewhere classified

---

References

1. Street warden – ESCO
2. Neighbourhood warden | Explore careers – National Careers Service