Extra patrols extended in Dearne communities after success in controlling crime

More patrols: South Yorkshire officers will be in Dearne area hotspots

Dearne Valley communities have benefitted from a wave of ‘hot spot’ police patrols which have seen 16,000 extra hours of officers on the streets of areas with known crime problems – and now the work is being extended.

Money for the initiative - called the Grip Programme - came from the Government and South Yorkshire Police have now secured the cash for more work over the next 12 months.

It works by putting extra officers into areas with known problems like violence and street robberies, to deter potential offenders and re-assure communities.

The patrols are repeated regularly, a tactic which has been show to work effectively.

Communities involved are selected on the basis of council wards, the local areas sub-divided across Barnsley and Doncaster councils.

Those which have received more police attention include locations at Dearne North and Wombwell in Barnsley and Conisbrough, Warmsworth and Balby in Doncaster.

The first phase of the work saw 79 people arrested across the county, with most of those found as a result of planned operations.

Some were wanted on recall to prison, failing to appear at court or on suspicion of being involved in violence, robbery or having weapons.

South Yorkshire Police are crediting the work with helping to reduce the occurrence of the most serious violence in Rotherham.

Det Supt David Cowley, who oversees the Grip Programme and is the force’s lead officer on knife crime, said: “Tackling the most serious crime in South Yorkshire is, and will remain, a priority for us.

“This additional funding is allowing us to continue to do what we do and place our officers in the areas that see more incidents of serious and violent crime, and that would benefit the most.

“We know that drugs and alcohol fuel violence, and can often cloud our judgement or thinking.

“Through the Grip Programme, we have engaged with night-time bar and club premises owners and security staff maintaining relationships to help us better understand how we can support them when it comes to violence.

“People go out in town to enjoy themselves and to have fun with friends, and we want to create a safer South Yorkshire to ensure that everyone can do this safely,” he said.