SOME of society’s most vulnerable people will get extra protection under Shaun Wright’s new Police and Crime Plan, including women, the elderly, children and people in the grip of addictions.
“I’m focusing on these four groups,” said Mr Wright.
“Addicts are vulnerable as their addictions can be used by others to exploit them, and crime impacts on older people a lot more, because of their frailty, age, and sometimes because of mental health problems.”
He said 10 extra public protection officers will be appointed, and extra training provided for the rest of the workforce.
A specialist police squad is also going to be set up to tackle child sexual exploitation in South Yorkshire. The five-strong team will swoop in areas where concerns about grooming have been raised.
Nearly 50 children have been identified as being at risk in Sheffield, and 60 in Rotherham.
Mr Wright said he wants officers to prevent offending, protect children and prosecute.
Criticism was levelled at the force last year when confidential files revealed authorities had known of a culture of men targeting vulnerable English girls to groom for sex for a decade, but few had been prosecuted.
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