NightSafe Marshals will be seen on the streets of Harrogate thanks to a Home Office grant.
The three-year grant has provided a pool of four marshals, two of whom will patrol Harrogate town centre during weekend nights to help keep members of the public safe during busy periods.
NightSafe is a crime reduction scheme set up by the Harrogate District Community Safety Partnership, which includes Harrogate Borough Council and the North Yorkshire Police.
Cllr Nick Brown, cabinet member for public protection and rural affairs at the council, said: “These NightSafe Marshals are not police. Their role is to support police officers, to provide a reassuring presence on the streets and to intervene when necessary at an early stage to prevent alcohol-related violence.
“Night marshals have been used successfully in many town and city centres where they have been able to contribute to reductions in violence and anti-social behaviour.”
The marshals will have no power of arrest and will be directed by the police at all times. They will carry radio handsets, which will link them to the CCTV control and other radio users such as door supervisors and the police.
They will work mainly on Friday and Saturday nights, between 10pm and 4am, but may also be used during Bank Holidays, for large sporting events or to other areas of the district for events that attract large crowds.
The marshals have been employed by Professional Security, in Leeds, which supplies trained, accredited and licensed security personnel.