Working together to keep people safe - 01/05/2024
“Sheffield’s city centre is transforming at speed. The ongoing regeneration is creating a modern, accessible city centre, with diverse and thriving daytime and nighttime economies. It’s a great place to live, to visit, set up a business, and to work. We’re excited to see that development happening, and for the city centre to be a place for everyone. We truly mean that.
“But as part of an inclusive city centre that works for everyone, there must be some clear boundaries about behaviour, and what is and isn’t acceptable. People deserve to feel safe and welcomed and to be able to go about their daily lives without worrying about crime and antisocial behaviour. That’s where we come in,” explains Jessica Doncaster, Inspector of Sheffield City Centre Neighbourhood Police Team (NPT).
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Sheffield City Centre NPT aim to deliver an outstanding neighbourhood policing service. The team use partnership working, along with a problem-solving approach to issues to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour. By looking at root causes, and working with partners to address these, the team can work proactively to address social problems and the subsequent criminality that exists in the city centre.
“Education is really important”, continues Inspector Doncaster. “Members of the public and businesses need to understand our role, and where we fit into the wider picture in the city centre. A lot of our work is about reaching out to people, to business, to communities, and to schools, to educate people about our remit, including how to report concerns and what we’ll do to address them.”
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To contact your local neighbourhood policing team in South Yorkshire, people can use a quick and simple online contact tool, by answering a few questions to make sure your query gets to the right place: https://www.southyorkshire.police.uk/area/your-area/south-yorkshire/sheffield/sheffield-city-centre/contact-us/our-priorities
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“Currently, a key challenge for us as a policing team in the city centre is keeping people safe during protests. People have the right to protest peacefully, and our role is to keep everyone safe during the events, including businesses.
“Another area that we are focused on is supporting the street cohort of people, who may be sleeping rough and accessing support services in the city centre. Over the past couple of years, we have seen increasing numbers of people needing to access these services in the city centre, with some services feeling overwhelmed. This at times has led to growing frustration within the street cohort, and increased occurrences of anti-social behaviour, including issues with drugs and alcohol, and violence.
“As a team, we are empathetic and understanding of people’s issues. We know that enforcement alone isn’t the correct approach, nor is it the most effective. Having an ongoing and regular dialogue with partners who support people on the streets is crucial to tackling these issues together. Our team has a dedicated Police Community Support Officer, Steve Hart, who works closely with the Street Outreach team from Framework, accompanying them on daily outreach walks to engage with rough sleepers. Our commitment to supporting people to get the help they need is genuine. We’ll always be there when people need us, but with that comes an understanding that criminality and anti-social behaviour aren't acceptable in the city centre.”
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Read some case studies from Framework that tell the stories of people they have supported in the city centre: here.
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“Another big part of the picture in the city centre is the businesses”, continues Inspector Doncaster. “We all benefit as a city when people do business here, shop here and keep money in the local economy. But people have to want to do that, and for too long there has been negativity about the city centre, with people saying they don’t feel safe to visit, particularly in the evenings. That’s a real shame and something we’re working hard to improve.
“City centre businesses need people to want to work here, without worrying about shoplifting, aggressive behaviour, or having to step over litter, cans and takeaway boxes on their way in. By looking at all the issues, along with our partners, we can ensure that the city centre continues to thrive. Supporting people to access the help they need is a big part of that bigger picture.”
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You can read more about the work of Sheffield City Centre NPT, their priorities and upcoming community events, online: https://www.southyorkshire.police.uk/area/your-area/south-yorkshire/sheffield/sheffield-city-centre/about-us/our-priorities
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Alison Wise for Help us Help, April 2024.