New approach to tackle crime in Sheffield suburb
A multi-agency approach to tackling organised crime in the Woodhouse area of Sheffield has been launched this week.
Over the past few months, Sheffield City Council has been supporting South Yorkshire Police and working with the community and partner agencies to design a plan, with the aim of sparking positive change in the area.
Proactive police activity was launched at the start of July in the form of a day of action in Woodhouse.
A number of arrests have already been made for a variety of offences as well as numerous items seized.
The approach is being implemented by police in Sheffield and is known as Clear Hold Build.
Clear Hold Build is a strategy made up of three phases which are designed to tackle and disrupt the work of organised criminals in an area, before moving onto working with the community to make that area a more prosperous place to live.
Councillor Kurtis Crossland, Chair of the Communities, Parks and Leisure Committee with Sheffield City Council, said:
“We want every person in Sheffield to live a safe and fulfilling life. Everyone should have the opportunity to live in a neighbourhood they feel secure in and within a community they belong to.
“The work being done in partnership with South Yorkshire Police as part of the ‘Clear Hold Build’ initiative aims to reduce crime and help protect local residents and I am really pleased the first phase has been such a success.
“Hopefully this initiative, alongside all the other great work taking place to create safer communities across the city, will help make residents feel safer and happier in their local neighbourhood.”
Detective Superintendent Nicola Leach, of South Yorkshire Police, said:
“We will work together to tackle the issues that cause the most serious harm to the Woodhouse community and the key to this project being a success is strong collaboration between police and our local partners.
“We have already executed a number of warrants during our days of action, which began at the start of July. These warrants were made possible thanks to information and intelligence provided to us by members of the public.
“This intelligence has led to us securing closure orders on problematic properties and arresting a number of suspects for various offences. It is important that you continue to talk to us and pass on information and intelligence that will help us to continue this activity.”
A day of community conversations will be held on Wednesday, 31 July, and residents are currently being asked to offer feedback by completing a short survey.
The community conversation day will provide members of the public a chance to have their say and contribute to the formation of the community plan.
For more information about Clear Hold Build, see the South Yorkshire Police website.