Since the South Yorkshire Mayor now has the powers of the previous Police and Crime Commissioner, it is vital that I share my Crime Reduction Plan for Rother Valley.
As the South Yorkshire Mayor is now responsible for policing in South Yorkshire, I will continue to demand for him to listen to Rother Valley residents and to implement important measures which will keep us all safe.
My Plan:
- Every town and village should have access to a reliable CCTV system to prevent and deter crimes from occurring.
- Modelling the current scheme in Brookhouse, the South Yorkshire Mayor should allocate some of his new budget to ensure our towns and villages have adequate CCTV.
- I will demand South Yorkshire Police initiate a dedicated High Street team which patrols our local high streets and check in with our local businesses.
- South Yorkshire Police already has a Neighbourhood Policing Team; however, the South Yorkshire Mayor should take this further, and create a dedicated High Street Team which can be used to deter retail crime, and other anti-social behaviour our local high streets see.
- I will continue to apply pressure so that local police bases can be re-opened in Dinnington and Maltby. Also, I will continue to press for mobile police vans, so there continues to be a Police presence, even in the most rural parts of Rother Valley!
- Residents want ‘Bobbies on the Beat’ - the South Yorkshire Mayor should do what the previous Police and Crime Commissioner didn’t do.
- Having a dedicated spot for residents to talk to Police Officers, rather than having them sit behind a desk is what we need – this should also mean quicker response times when victims have to call the Police.
- South Yorkshire Police needs to take ALL calls from victims seriously. I will ensure that every single phone call is taken seriously and is followed up with a Police Officer visiting the victims.
- The South Yorkshire Mayor needs to ensure that his budget can be used appropriately, ensuring victims receive a follow-up visit is vital to alleviate any further concerns after a traumatic experience.
- Every off-road bike which is seized needs to be crushed to ensure offenders cannot ‘buy back’ their bike.
- If some bikes cannot be seized, the South Yorkshire Mayor needs to ensure that these bikes are being ‘smart tagged’ to ensure the same bike isn’t being returned to its original offender.
- I will call for bi-monthly meetings with the Borough Commander around Rother Valley so residents can hear first-hand about the recent crimes, and what support and advice South Yorkshire Police can provide.
- Ensuring the Police are visible to residents is important. Having these meetings, whether face-to-face or online will mean that residents are aware of the top crimes in the area, and how to protect themselves from it.
Although we no longer have a Police and Crime Commissioner, I will still make sure our voices are heard with the South Yorkshire Mayor. I will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that residents in Rother Valley are listened to, especially now that the South Yorkshire Mayor has an increased budget for policing.
It is vital that Rother Valley is not forgotten, which is why I am going to keep applying the pressure until these measures are implemented.