Day of action sees organised and armed criminality targeted across Rotherham

Yesterday (Wednesday 7 June) the Rotherham district saw its latest day of action take place as officers clamped down on organised and armed criminality.

The district welcomed officers from across the force – with some 128 officers and staff working to tackle those issues which matter to you, the communities we serve.

Key partner agencies were also involved in our activities such as Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council’s housing team and the Safety Camera Partnership.

These days of action are where we bolster our existing district resources with specialist teams from across the force. It is designed to create a day of heightened activity and enhance the work already under way to address concerns raised by local residents.

Officers from our Roads Policing Group, Mounted Unit and other specialist teams supported the day. They joined the ranks of Rotherham’s Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPTs), response units and other officers and staff taking part.

They made 12 arrests throughout the day, including one 27-year-old woman who has since been charged with 10 counts of theft from a shop, two people arrested on suspicion of possession of Class A drugs and one person arrested on suspicion of production of a controlled drug.

Other enforcement actions included:

• Speed enforcement vans near to areas known to be blighted by the issue
• Roads policing officers sought to prevent suspected criminals using the road network - seizing four vehicles and prosecuting drivers
• Two search warrants uncovering nearly 300 cannabis plants across both premises

This work took place in conjunction with our partners, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (housing, Community Safety Partnership and the Neighbourhood Coordinator) the Safety Camera Partnership and local elected members.

The day of action saw Rotherham’s Silver Commander for the operation, Chief Inspector John Crapper, and Assistant Chief Constable David Hartley addressing officers outside Riverside House, just off Main Street in the town centre.

It’s not just about enforcement though; by engaging with all the communities we serve we can stay informed about the issues that matter to you.

Speaking about the day of action, Chief Inspector Crapper said: “The staff and officers serving the Rotherham district work tirelessly to disrupt organised and other forms of criminality, protect the vulnerable people within our communities and make this a safer and nicer place to work, live and visit.

“Yesterday, it was fantastic to see units from the rest of the force – as well as the partner agencies we work so well alongside – come together to work towards our objectives.

“We did a lot of work with our partners and community teams to reassure communities and get out there to be a visible presence so they could see us and ask us questions. We also wanted to reassure them about the activities that were taking place.”

ACC Hartley said: “These days of action are really important for us. This work is what you do day-to-day, but that is sometimes missed by the wider public. What these days do is showcase your work and gives it visibility.

“So it’s a huge thank you from all of us within the force. There’s been some great results I’ve heard about today and it’s great that everybody has returned from their deployments safe and well.

"It’s not just about enforcement though; by engaging with all the communities we serve we can stay informed about the issues that matter to them."

To report an issue that is a concern to you, visit the force’s website https://southyorkshire.police.uk/ and use the ‘what’s happening in your area?’ search tool to find out what local NPT serves your area and how to contact them.

You can also find all their upcoming events and planned engagement stalls on their NPT pages to see what opportunities to come and meet them face to face are coming up.