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From Facebook. This was a bit of a wtf moment for me. The police should not be handing their duties out to volunteers, but especially not to religious volunteers. This is not appropriate and I am in more than half a mind to complain.
I would worry hugely for my trans offspring knowing they are patrolling if she was out at night in Dumfries.
https://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2023/12/27/the-rise-of-secular-digital-scotland/
Here's an interesting article that kind of explains why having Religious Pastors doing Police Work in Scotland is a bad thing.
This is a secular country in which the Churches are collapsing. Bringing outdated beliefs to vulnerable people is simply predatory.
@Alternatecelt we can’t assume SPs are anti-trans (and would act on it in volunteering) any more than we can assume it of police. Also, tasks listed in the post aren’t police jobs (and I’d worry if they were). Knowing a few SPs they effectively just look after vulnerable people and help them be safe. They don’t do any job remotely connected to policing (thank goodness). Of course, we shouldn’t depend on volunteers for social aid, and a booze-fuelled society should be solved not merely mitigated.
@Alternatecelt but you raise an important question about what a safe city centre looks like for young trans people. I confess that’s something I don’t fully know but guess it requires a mixture of fundamental societal shifts in attitudes and multiple easy micro-kindnesses.
@simonvarwell
Patrolling the streets at night is pretty much the most basic policing task. That's what Robert Peel created his force to do.
Secondly, Police have many more checks and balances on their behaviour ( and still harbour bad people, See Sheku Bayou) and have not signed up to a set of beliefs that may bias them against the vulnerable people they are coming across.
Volunteers doing things that police and social services should be doing is not a healthy thing.
@Alternatecelt true. They don’t patrol the streets the way the police do, and there is extensive training (in which the police are heavily involved), and nor does quite every religious organisation sign up to biased beliefs, but I do get where your concerns come from. Merry and restful Christmas to you and yours!
@Alternatecelt these guys aren't new. They basically scoop up drunk dafties and keep them alive until they either sober up enough to get themselves home or phone a sober person to come and get them. They don't do much more than offer hot drinks, blankets, and shoes.
@CloudyMrs
They have the word 'Pastor' on their backs. This is a secular country.
@Alternatecelt they were out doing their thing 20+ years ago when I was still taking the late bus home. They are what it says on the badge. They might try and spread their word and their truth, but I strongly suspect most folk they interact with won't remember a thing about it when they wake up next morning. At least they will wake up next morning.
I have no religion and don't buy what they're selling, but I think they are doing a decent thing for decent reasons.
@CloudyMrs @Alternatecelt
Many moons ago in Glasgow incapable drunks were brought in to establishments where ropes were rigged across a large room and the men were draped over them, arms one side, bodies the other, kneeling on the floor. This kept them alive when they would otherwise choke if left lying prostrate.
There was a term, either a ‘thrupny (3d) or six Penny hing’ that they had to pay on departure in the morning for the pleasure of being kept alive.
@Clutha @Alternatecelt dear dear. 
@Alternatecelt Dig into the group a little and you find its a "charismatic / Pentecostal" (the founder's terms) evangelizing effort disguised as a broadly based social outreach program.
@SteveHynd
Which neither surprises nor reassures. They shouldn't be handed a vulnerable group to proselytise to.
@Alternatecelt Absolutely agreed. We already know the far-right evangelical wing of Christianity is just as toxic as that of Islam, but Christians still occupy a privileged place in our supposedly secular society so they don't get treated the same by authorities like the police.
@SteveHynd @Alternatecelt The thing that puzzled me was why the police were posting supportively about a bunch of volunteers patrolling the streets. But according Wiki: "In 2010 Ascension Trust devolved responsibility to oversee Street Pastors in Scotland to Ascension Trust (Scotland), a Scottish registered charity [...] whose first chairman [and later, CEO] is former police officer Sandy Scrimgeour."
He also appers to be Moderator of the Society of Perth High Constables. Puzzle no more!