BARNSLEY’S top police officer has outlined plans to continue investing in neighbourhood policing after it was revealed that a closed police station is reopening.
On August 6, Cudworth station, on Manor Road, will become operational again after it was axed in a police reshuffle in 2015 which saw officers move to Wombwell.
However, following a public backlash, neighbourhood teams in the town centre, Goldthorpe, Kendray and Royston were reinstated in April last year.
A smaller team was created in Penistone afterwards and Cudworth - chosen because of its station and close proximity to traditionally problem areas such as Lundwood and Grimethorpe - will become the town’s sixth hub.
A full complement of a sergeant, PCs and PCSOs will be based there.
Barnsley’s district commander Ch Supt Scott Green said: “It’s great news for not only Cudworth but for the rest of the town as it increases coverage.
“We will continue to assess how the six bases operate and if all goes well, there’s no reason why it can’t be replicated elsewhere and residents won’t see more hubs opening.”
The teams deal with low-level issues, such as antisocial behaviour, before cases can be escalated up to case management basis if it’s deemed the problem requires more intervention from partnering agencies such as Barnsley Council, whose staff also work in the hubs.
Since officers were redeployed in Barnsley, levels of antisocial behaviour have fallen by 21 per cent and police have also recorded positive results with operations to combat house burglary and rural crime.
Ch Supt Scott Green added: “The neighbourhood teams are becoming embedded in their local communities and feedback has been positively received on their presence and impact.
“As the first district to reintroduce fully-staffed teams, Barnsley PCSOs and officers have been providing a visible presence within their local areas and have been developing relationships with the public in order to support individuals and families.
“Further work is ongoing regarding how the safer neighbourhood service (SNS) will develop in 2018/19, with the aspiration to invest more staff into neighbourhood policing.
“I would love to get back to where we were with numbers in 2010, but it’s a steady process which takes time.”
Coun Charlie Wraith, who represents the Cudworth ward, hailed the move as another step in the right direction.
“A lot has been said about the police’s decision to close neighbourhood stations in 2015 - it was short-sighted and a big mistake,” he said.
“We seem to be getting back to where we were, which is a massive step in the right direction as it’s what we want to see. It’s not just councillors banging that drum, it’s the residents of Barnsley.
“Having a station operating on your doorstep provides reassurance to those affected by crime and boosts confidence. It will also make criminals think twice as response times to incidents will surely be reduced.
“Before, when they were based in Wombwell, it was too far away and didn’t work.”
