Top cop outlines stragegy to tackle South Yorkshire crime gangs who 'rely on culture of silence to thrive'
The Star asked South Yorkshire Police (SYP) to confirm how many organised crime groups or gangs (OCGs) are operating in Sheffield and South Yorkshire, based on intelligence obtained by the force.
A SYP spokesperson said they were unable to provide that information. Detective Superintendent Becs Horsfall, South Yorkshire Police’s thematic lead for serious organised crime, has instead outlined some aspects of the force’s strategy to tackle organised crime, which she says includes ‘drug manufacture, supply and dealing, violent crimes including those incidents that involve firearms or knives, child criminal exploitation, and in the very worst cases, murder and manslaughter’.
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Hide AdDet Supt Horsfall continued: “Across South Yorkshire, we have officers and staff who are dedicated to investigating these various areas of criminality. Each district has its own Fortify capability with specific remit to disrupt and tackle organised criminal groups operating within our force area. While the public may only hear about our Fortify officers and staff occasionally, rest assured that they are working day in day out, often at a relentless pace, to identify emerging areas of risk and take proactive action whenever possible to disrupt criminal activity.
“We know that drugs supply lines are often closely tied with organised crime, so while the public may sometimes feel that executing a drugs warrant isn’t the best use of our time and resources, in reality we’ve snapped a link in the chain and we’ve ruined a criminal group’s plans.
"It all forms part of our wider efforts to make South Yorkshire an uninhabitable environment for organised crime.”
Papers that went before the Public Accountability Board Board, hosted by Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner in 2022, stated that there are 17 known OCGs operating in Rotherham, however the number working in Sheffield has not been disclosed.
Part of the force’s strategy lies with their Armed Crime Team, a resource ‘solely focused on investigating armed criminality’.
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Hide Ad"While not all firearms incidents are linked to organised crime, in many cases enquiries show some kind of connection to the world of serious organised crime or an organised criminal group operating locally. We know any incident involving a firearm is shocking and distressing for the local community where it happens, and we understand all too well the significant risk those individuals pose,” said Det Supt Horsfall.
She added: “Our Armed Crime Team works with our specialist Armed Response officers and other teams across the force to investigate firearms discharges, execute warrants, search areas of land, make arrests and wherever we can, bring these dangerous individuals before the courts and take dangerous weapons off the streets.”
The senior detective said she wanted to reassure members of the public in South Yorkshire that the force’s work to tackle organised crime is ‘carefully planned, continuously analysed and adapted so that we can effectively target our resources and strike organised criminal groups where it hurts’.
“Organised criminal groups seek to instil fear, threaten and intimidate in order to further their enterprise. They rely on a culture of silence to thrive. We must not let them continue to damage our communities. The information we get from the public in relation to organised crime can be invaluable and we want to work with our local communities to make their area safer,” said Det Supt Horsfall.
"I know it’s been said before, but I truly would urge anyone who has information about organised crime, or something that you suspect may be linked to organised crime, to report it. You don’t have to do this directly to us, the independent charity Crimestoppers is a fantastic national resource that can take information without you having to disclose who you are.”
Contact Crimestoppers via their website: www.crimestoppers-uk.org or by calling their UK Contact Centre on 0800 555 111. You can contact South Yorkshire Police via live chat, their online portal or by calling 101.