Safer Sheffield: Calls for more bobbies on the beat as council reviews new crime strategy proposals

The Safer Sheffield Crime and Disorder Reduction Strategy for 2025 - 2028 will be discussed by the city council today (Monday, March 31) at a Communities, Parks and Leisure Committee meeting.

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In it, the Safer Sheffield Partnership - which brings together Sheffield City Council, South Yorkshire Police, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and the National Probation Service - identified seven areas to focus on over the coming years, based on the results of a public consultation.

The list includes tackling the supply of drugs, reducing serious violence - including violence against women and girls - hate crime, neighbourhood crime and re-offending, anti-social behaviour and protecting vulnerable people.

Major concerns were also raised around the city centre, which those consulted pointed to as an area that felt particularly unsafe.

Proposals to tackle these issues include facing the wider social, financial and health inequalities in the city, in a bid to make sure people avoid taking up a criminal lifestyle in the first place.

Superintendent Paul Ferguson, of South Yorkshire Police, said: "Together, we are focusing on themes which pose the greatest risk and harm in Sheffield.

“As a partnership, we are focused on tackling the underlying health, accommodation, and substance abuse issues which contribute to some of the problems we encounter and can lead to vulnerable people frequenting the streets, as well as creating perceptions which make people feel insecure.

"We are fully committed to further lowering crime rates and tackling anti-social behaviour - primarily through our dedicated Neighbourhood Policing Teams - and we'll continue to support ambitious redevelopment work with the ultimate aim of making Sheffield a safer city to live, work in, and visit."

However, on The Star’s Facebook page, readers put forward other suggestions of what would help them feel more comfortable when travelling through the city.

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Abigail Ruth pointed to wider issues affecting the nation, claiming that the justice system has become too lenient.

She said: “Not just Sheffield but [the] UK in general needs a tougher justice system, especially for knife crimes and violent crimes - there needs to be a deterrent, offenders know they can get away with it.”

She also suggested an increase in police patrols, a point echoed by many readers.

Mazzy Wills added: “Bring the bobbies back and not cardboard cut-outs of police officers in the shop windows.

“I loved seeing them out and about as a kid and felt safe knowing there was one never too far away.”

Irene Healy similarly said: “More police on the beat again and visible like they used to be - especially at night.”

Others focused on improving education and opportunities for young people, with youth club raised regularly.

Boz Sultan said: “More youth clubs for the younger people - they have nothing to look forward to growing up so what's happening [is] they get [themselves] mixed up with the wrong people.

“We need to look after the younger generation of this wonderful steel city”

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