'Serious organised crime & city centre policing are my priorities' says Sheffield's new District Commander
Sheffield’s new District Commander has vowed to ‘do my absolute best to serve the people of this great city’.
Serious organised crime and city centre policing are to be priorities, Sheffield’s new District Commander has said as he takes on the role.
Chief Superintendent Jamie Henderson has taken over from Assistant Chief Constable Lindsey Butterfield following her promotion to the senior command team.
He steps into the role having previously led the force's response to tackling gangs and the criminal use of firearms during his time as Head of Serious and Organised Crime.
Chief Supt Henderson has spoken of his pride at becoming District Commander as he promises to "do my absolute best to serve the people of this great city."
He said: “I have an outstanding team here already and I intend to use my established links with our wider force resources to enhance the service we deliver to the people who live, work and socialise in our city.
“We have worked tirelessly to develop great relationships with our communities and partners, but there is more that we can do to understand what matters to them and where our challenges are.
“I want problem-solving to be at the forefront of our delivery, with officers working closely with partner agencies to identify the areas where we can have the biggest impact and make Sheffield a safer place."
Chief Supt Henderson has said tackling city centre issues will be "front and centre" of policing in the district, as he also vows to continue to bring those involved in serious and organised crime to justice.
"Serious and organised crime takes many forms," he continued.
"It ranges from the well-known drugs and firearms offenders, to organised acquisitive crime such as burglary and car thefts, human trafficking, fraud, and cybercrime.
"Organised criminals ruthlessly target the most vulnerable. They exploit children, ruin lives, and blight communities. They believe that they can use violence, intimidation, and coercion to stay above the law. They are wrong. We will show them just how wrong they are by working with our partners here in Sheffield to stay ahead of these threats and reduce serious and organised crime.
"We also want to strengthen our communities so that they are better equipped to resist infiltration from this threat."
Chief Supt Henderson takes on the role as District Commander in the 21st year of his policing career. He has spent the entirety of his service with South Yorkshire Police, starting out on the beat in Doncaster.