Police have 'significant' concerns about Bournemouth ‘vigilante’ group after LBC revealed leader ‘joked’ about shooting migrants crossing the Channel

Safeguard Force says it has 200 volunteers carrying out high-visibility patrols to help police stop crime in the seaside town and claims to have received thousands of pounds in donations.

Its leader, local businessman Gary Bartlett, previously told LBC the group had no political motives, did not discriminate, and vetted all its members.

But Dorset Police say they will not be endorsing the group because it failed to provide evidence of “sufficient safeguards” to ensure volunteers are fully vetted and trained.

It comes after LBC revealed the group posted online about wanting to “take back the country” from illegal migrants – and that its founder promoted demonstrations outside hotels in Bournemouth being used to house asylum seekers.

Mr Bartlett is also an administrator of a Facebook group called Taking Back Our Country, which contains numerous anti-migrant and Islamophobic posts.

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In that group, he urged people to attend a demonstration on 9 August at the Roundhouse and Britannia hotels, writing: “Join us for a peaceful protest… as we stand together against illegal migrants being housed in our town.”

In another post on 20 July, he criticised so-called “keyboard warriors” and said: “The fight needs bodies, not just… typing from the sofa.”

Mr Bartlett also promoted a protest in Bournemouth attended by UKIP leader Nick Tenconi, sharing a post by the party which for “mass deportations” of illegal migrants.

Other posts shared by Mr Bartlett include an AI-generated image of a gun attached to a coin-operated tourist telescope and pointing at the English Channel, describing it as his “new business venture.” 

Other material in the group, not posted by Mr Bartlett, includes a photo of armed Arab children with a caption suggesting they were being trained to kill, and another calling for “Muslim invaders” to be impaled.

In August last year, Mr Bartlett posted in the group saying Facebook had “restricted” him for 30 days, adding that the social media company is “so sensitive.”

Safeguard Force’s own Facebook page has also claimed “Britain’s streets are changing and no longer feel safe” due to illegal migration, adding that the group was “stepping up” to “take back our country”.

A local spokesman for campaign group Stand Up To Racism said they do not want “far right vigilantes in Bournemouth”, adding: “These are people drawn from a Facebook group steeped in hate. We believe this isn’t about public safety but about intimidation.”

The posts appear to contradict Mr Bartlett’s claims that the group has no political agenda and simply wants to “keep people safe”.

Speaking to LBC on the group’s first patrol earlier this week, he said: “We don’t have any political views at all. There’s no discrimination here and we have ethnic minorities in our group.”

The local council had already distanced itself from the group, saying it had not been forthcoming with “information sharing.”

Local Labour MP Jessica Toale has said there is a "real danger of abuse of artificial power", saying it is not the job of a "self-appointed, unregulated group" to patrol the streets in a makeshift uniform.

In a statement to LBC on Friday, Assistant Chief Constable Mark Callaghan said: “Following a multi-agency meeting on Friday 15 August 2025, which involved Dorset Police, other emergency services, the local authority and representatives of Safeguard Force, we will not be endorsing their activities.

“We have engaged with the group extensively and a review of their vetting processes has highlighted areas of significant concern.

“The organisers have been unable to provide reassurance that this group has sufficient safeguards in place to ensure volunteers are adequately vetted, trained, and equipped to undertake high-visibility patrols in the community.

“Safeguard Force’s policies provided to police contain insufficient details in relation to the use of body-worn cameras, publishing of photographs of members of the public, administration and recording of any force used or first aid provided and limited evidence of any training provided.

“We welcome the responsible use of volunteers, who wish to carry out public service and there are many ways in which this can be facilitated in a safe way, including becoming a Special Constable, joining the street pastor programme, or via established Watch schemes.

“Dorset Police continues to carry out high-visibility patrols, with 289 foot patrols taking place in the past seven days throughout Bournemouth town centre, gardens and seafront.”Safeguard Force says all its members are vetted and DBS checked.

Posting on Facebook last week, it said: "Our mission is to create safer, more supportive communities by providing visible, compassionate, and non-confrontational patrols that deter harm, promote wellbeing, and protect the most vulnerable members of society.

"We exist not to police, but to protect - with empathy, vigilance, and a strong sense of duty to one another."

LBC has approached the group and Mr Bartlett for comment.