A PRIVATE South Lakeland security firm has resorted to using handcuffs to detain violent individuals because of lengthening police response times.

Kendal-based LRM Security confirmed its staff have been trained to use the controversial detention method following the closure of police stations in Windermere and Ulverston which has resulted in officers taking longer to arrive at venues it provides personnel for.

“My staff are trained and qualified in using handcuffs and they know only to use it as a last resort,” said company director Lyndon Montgomery.

“It’s far safer doing it in this way than using four members of staff to hold one person down, which in fact could be more dangerous to the person being detained.”

Mr Montgomery said assaults on his staff had increased over the past year with some being hospitalised.

“Our priority is to protect the staff, the individual being restrained and the customers,” he said.

“We work closely with the police but no one can deny that because of funding cuts we are waiting longer for officers to arrive, especially now that various stations around the area have shut.

“If anything, what we have resorted to doing, is an emphasis that we need more officers in our area.”

The handcuffing policy is being trialled and will be reviewed in April. But Mr Montgomery said he had received positive responses from organisations that use his firm.

Cumbria Police said that what LRM Security was doing was completely legal but was not something the force was encouraging.

Supt Matt Pearman said staff at LRM had only the same power to make a citizen’s arrest as any other member of the public and may only use “reasonable” force.

“The decision to carry and use handcuffs by these security staff has been made independently by that security company,” he said.

“Cumbria Constabulary has not trained or delegated any powers or equipment in relation to this.

“The fact this firm has chosen to use handcuffs does not impact on the number of police officers available or where they are located.”

In 2018, Cumbria Police attended 84 per cent of all emergency deployments within the historically agreed timescale of 15 minutes to urban and 20 minutes to a rural location, across the county.

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has warned that government cuts to Cumbria’s police have reached ‘breaking point’ as one in 10 officers in the county took days off work in 2018 due to ‘psychological disorders’.

Figures show there that has been a sharp rise in the number of officers taking time off because of anxiety, depression or stress, from 62 in 2015 to 112 in 2018, according to a Freedom of Information request.

“When I spent a day out with officers earlier this month, I found the biggest problem that our local officers face is the majority of incidents they are called out to they have to tackle on their own,” said Mr Farron.

“And in rural areas like ours, they often have to wait half an hour for back up to arrive.”

On average there are around six ‘foot patrol’ officers on call during a typical 11-hour shift to cover the entire constituency.

However, Cumbria Police say this figure does reflect on the numbers of police patrolling in cars or other means of transport.

Barrow MP John Woodcock said the use of handcuffs by a security firm shows how little confidence many have that the police will be there when needed.

“The police are struggling to cope,” he said. “Local constabularies are grossly overstretched and as a result drastic action is now being taken to make up for the force’s lack of capacity. But he added that he was concerned by the development, which could ‘threaten the entire tradition of policing in this country.’