'˜People are no longer safe in public places'

The report of the recent incident, (Star, April 28) in which a 22-year-old man was shot in the face whilst walking through Meersbrook Park in the early evening was extremely disturbing as it would appear people are no longer safe in public places.
Police at the scene.Police at the scene.
Police at the scene.

All the city’s parks and open spaces are used by families, runners and dog-walkers and are places where one would expect to feel safe, but sadly it would seem this is no longer the case as a recent report showed our parks are now becoming dangerous hot-spots of crime.

The police say the latest attack ‘appears to be an isolated incident’ but this claim is contradicted by the fact that at the time this occurred there had been three people shot in gun attacks in the city in less than 24 hours.

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There have been many gang-related ‘targeted’ incidents recently but these are no less worrying as often innocent people can get caught up in the cross-fire simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

During 2017 crime in South Yorkshire has risen by 30% (the fifth highest in the country) with violent offences up by 60% and gun and knife crime by an astonishing 57% increase. These are frightening statistics which appear to indicate that the police are losing the battle in their fight against crime, especially following the announcement that in London around 70 people have already been killed this year due to gun and knife crime which has now exceeded homicides in New York for the first time. It is quite clear that the police need to reclaim the streets in Sheffield and across the country before a state of anarchy exists and that will only be achieved by adopting a ‘zero tolerance’ policy towards all crime and more severe punishments being handed out in the courts.

Susan Richardson

Westminster Crescent, Lodge Moor, Sheffield, S10