Police reveal why shoppers will see even more armed officers at Meadowhall in the next week

Nowhere is likely to busier over the coming days than Meadowhall, which is why police have announced they are stepping up patrols there to keep the peace over the festive period.

The shopping centre’s dedicated squad of officers will be supported by reinforcements from South Yorkshire Police’s Operational Support Unit, with extra armed police in place.

Sergeant Paul Robinson, from the Meadowhall Policing Team, said: “Working at Meadowhall at this time of year is definitely an experience. We see thousands of people coming through the doors and it’s our job to make sure shoppers feel safe.

“You’ll see my team, who work here throughout the year, chatting to members of the public and businesses ensuring that the centre is a reassuring place to be at what can be an overwhelming time.

“We have great relationships with businesses which means any concerns are addressed quickly and I want the public to know that we’re here to listen to them too.”

Superintendent Paul McCurry, head of the Operational Support Unit, said: “You’ll be seeing more of our firearms officers than usual over the next few days and I hope they are a reassuring presence for shoppers. We’ve got extra officers on duty as we enter the busiest weekend of the year for the centre.”

It’s not just police who are keeping shoppers safe. Meadowhall said it had made a ‘huge investment’ over the past few years in ‘enhanced security measures’.