Rotherham's new police chief vows to crack down on community crime

Rotherham’s new police District Commander has made clamping down on crime in community and retail hubs his priority in the borough as he begins his role.

Chief Superintendent Andy Wright has taken over from Chief Superintendent Laura Koscikiewicz, who has become the force’s new head of crime.

Chief Supt Wright, who previously served as Chief Inspector of Operations in Rotherham and the district’s Superintendent, stepped into his new role in November and is well aware of the challenges ahead.

He said: “Having been part of the senior command team here in Rotherham for several years, I have seen first hand the great relationships we have with our communities and partners, but there is always more we can do.

“I want to continue our work that contributes to making Rotherham a place people can be proud to call home. We have a great team in Rotherham and will keep on striving to deliver the best possible service for not just the town centre but the wider villages and communities in our district.

“In the last year we have had some fantastic results, including reducing the number of firearm discharges in Rotherham by 75 per cent. Other success stories include continuing to target and dismantle cannabis factories across the borough as part of the nationally recognised partnership work under Operation Grow.”

Op Grow forms part of the work in Rotherham to target serious and organised crime. Chief Supt Wright has vowed to continue to bring those involved in this form of criminality to justice.

He said: “Serious and organised crime not only wreaks havoc on local communities but also often ruthlessly exploits vulnerable people. “We want people to always feel safe in Rotherham and our work with partners to stay ahead of these threats and reduce serious and organised crime will contribute to making the borough a better and safer place for everyone.

“I want us to continue working with partners and colleagues across Rotherham, but our most important relationship is with you – our local communities. The intelligence, information and support you can provide, will directly allow us to proactively tackle crime and issues affecting local people.”