New Sheffield city centre police leaders vow to tackle aggressive begging and anti-social behaviour

A new police leadership team in Sheffield city centre has set its sights on tackling aggressive begging and anti-social behaviour.
By Robert Cumber
Published 23rd May 2022, 15:45 BST

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Chief Inspector Sarah Gilmour is now responsible for overseeing the neighbourhood policing teams across the city, while Inspector Gareth Thomas is in charge of Sheffield City Centre Neighbourhood Policing Team.

Between them, they plan to address the biggest issues in the area, as identified by the public, including aggressive begging.

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Inspector Gareth Thomas and Chief Inspector Sarah Gilmour will be responsible for overseeing policing in Sheffield city centreInspector Gareth Thomas and Chief Inspector Sarah Gilmour will be responsible for overseeing policing in Sheffield city centre
Inspector Gareth Thomas and Chief Inspector Sarah Gilmour will be responsible for overseeing policing in Sheffield city centre
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Inspector Thomas, who has been with the police for 26 years, said: “It is my team’s job to support the people who live and work in the city centre, as well as those who visit to enjoy all our city centre has to offer.

“I am very aware of the public’s concerns about aggressive begging, anti-social behaviour and issues surrounding the night-time economy, and we already have plans in place to tackle these issues.

“Violence and sexual exploitation are also issues that we will continue to focus on, as is commercial burglary, as there are a lot of empty premises and I want businesses to feel confident that we are protecting them.”

Sheffield City Centre NPT has also been bolstered by the arrival of two new police sergeants, Sergeants Darius Razaghi and Andrew Rimmer, who will together manage the team of dedicated city centre police constables and PCSOs.

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The team includes a dedicated officer for The Moor and one who works specifically with homeless people.

Chief Inspector Gilmour, who has worked for the force for 18 years, said: “Now, more than ever, it is important that our city centre is a safe place to be. As we have emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic, all of us have seen huge changes to how we live our lives, and the way our city centres operate has also changed significantly.

“As a force, we are adapting to these changes, and have introduced a new Inspector and two Sergeants to manage policing in this area, with plans in the pipeline to further expand the team. I see this as an opportunity to have a real impact on reducing crime and building public confidence within our city centre community.”

You can follow Sheffield City Centre NPT on its Facebook and Twitter pages.