South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner
Newsletter
May/June 2018
The past month or so has been a difficult time with the rise, both locally and nationally, of serious violence – shootings and stabbings. This has particularly affected Sheffield. At a recent meeting of my Public Accountability Board, DCS James Abdy, who is Head of Crime, reported that what had happened in South Yorkshire was mirrored across the country. He also said that we did not face here the scale of violence that some other big urban areas faced. Nevertheless, it was requiring intensive activity by both uniformed officers and CID.
There are particular anxieties about the young age of some offenders. This is why it is all the more important for me to do what I can to support groups in the community who work with children and young people. We need to get across to them that carrying a knife does nothing for your protection but rather puts you at risk of harm. People who carry knives are more likely to be the victim of assaults. So I support with grants those who run, often on a voluntary basis, activities for young people – from boxing clubs to summer sports.
In particular I fund a programme for work in schools – You’re Only Young Once (YOYO). This is for schools. Bauer Academy and Hallam FM put on a course for thirteen year olds to learn journalistic and broadcasting skills and as they do so to research topics such as knife crime, guns and gangs and drugs. The course is free. All schools have to do is apply. I urge them to look at how YOYO might be taken into their planning.
The temptation to carry a knife often comes as a result of getting involved with one of South Yorkshire’s 55 organised criminal gangs. These are generally associated with drugs. Gangs that deal in drugs seek to involve children and young people in carrying packets or hiding weapons, keeping themselves at a more remote distance. The young people are groomed into gangs rather as children were groomed into sexual activity. So parents – all of us – need to keep alert.
An independent report into South Yorkshire Police’s handling of the Sheffield trees protests was received by members of the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner’s Public Accountability Board (PAB) on Thursday, 28 June.
The report was commissioned in March by Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, following receipt of complaints from a growing number of people about the policing of the protests. The increase in complaints followed the force’s implementation of Operation Quito from 26 February, which represented a change in the level of police involvement.
The YOYO campaign funded by the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner will be back visiting South Yorkshire schools in the coming weeks.
The campaign stands for You’re Only Young Once and provides media training in schools to year nine pupils and above, providing them with the opportunity to produce podcasts, radio advertisements and videos.
Victims of domestic abuse in Barnsley are receiving therapeutic music sessions after funding received from the Barnsley Chronicle Stronger Together Community Grant Scheme. Read more
Grant funding of £785 has been provided to the 366 (King Ecgbert) Squadron, Air Training Corps at Bailey Barracks in Sheffield.
The funding, provided from the Commissioner's community grant scheme is to part fund equipment that will allow young people to participate in indoor and outdoor climbing.
Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner said: “The stabbing of a fifteen year old boy is a matter of great sorrow for his family. Read more
COMMUNITY groups in Barnsley are being offered the chance to apply again for grants of up to £1,000 as the result of a partnership between the Chronicle and the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner.
Dr Alan Billings has handed another pot of £15,000 to the Stronger Together campaign which will be administered by the Chronicle, with groups filling in a simple form via the Chronicle’s website to apply.
MAPS Karate Club in Swinton were visited by the Commissioner on Monday, 21 May after receiving grant funding of £2,271 to hire the local Civic Hall in Swinton, Rotherham.
The funding came from the Commissioner's Community Grant Scheme and will offer the young people the opportunity to get involved in something that is fun and healthy on a weekly basis.
The Gateway Church Food Bank received a visit from Dr Billings on Thursday, 10 May. The Commissioner called in to the food bank to find out how they are helping people in the area who are in crisis. Read more
South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner
Ground Floor, Carbrook House, Carbrook Hall Road, Sheffield, S9 2EH
