Peter McCormack, owner of Bitcoin Podcaster and Real Bedford FC, is taking matters into his own hands in his hometown of Bedford, UK.
With growing concerns about public safety, McCormack says he is stepping up where police are shortages by paying a group of private security guards to patrol the streets every Saturday.
The town, home to around 185,800 people and within two hours of London, is on the rise of what McCormack calls “aggressive be-eating,” shoplifting and harassment.
“The police failed us,” he said in a post on X.
Security team patrolling on Saturday
McCormack said he warned Bedford police before announcing the plans. Now he personally funds a pilot program that dispatches 10 security guards to monitor the town centre every Saturday. According to him, this is making the streets safer for women, children and families who are no longer comfortable going out.
Announcement of private security pilots for Bedford Town Centre
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Since August this year, I have been personally funding a pilot project to provide private security in Bedford. Every Saturday, 10 security guards patrol the town centre and oversee the safe parking lot in Lark…
– Peter McCormack🏴☠️🇬🇧🇮🇪 (@petermccormack) July 18, 2025
It is not yet clear how far these security guards can go to stop crime. In Britain, justice is not just frowning. It may be illegal.
Legal experts at JD Spicer Zeb Solicitors say vigilance is against the law. So, while McCormack’s plan may sound bold, details of how it works within legal restrictions are still uncertain.
Community support and soccer support
McCormack isn’t just a podcast personality. He is a visible figure in the town’s business and sports scene. He owns several businesses in Bedford and also runs Real Bedford FC, a club known as the “Bitcoin Soccer Team.”
The nickname comes from the support of Gemini co-founders Tyler and Cameron Winclevos, who invested in the team.
McCormack said he is researching local people and holding community meetings to build the momentum behind his efforts to combat crime. He hopes residents will share and share experiences and ideas that will make Bedford safer.
Private security fills gaps in other cities
Bedford isn’t the only one looking outside the traditional police. In San Francisco, Li, a city police station Eric J. Altafer, said civil security is increasingly intervening to deal with public safety, especially as law enforcement struggles with staffing issues.
“Private security already plays a key role,” Altorfer said in May. However, he stressed that for it to work, it would require coordination between private companies and police rather than conflict.
As McCormack’s plans move forward, the focus will be on how security guards are trained, how they are run, whether they are with the police or against them.
For now, Bedford has a Bitcoin-backed football club owner who is willing to spend money on making the streets safer. Whether the law sees the same is a question that still hangs in the air.
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