Our partners

Through our Joining Forces campaign we work together with partners. These include:

• South Yorkshire Police
• South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue
• Berneslai Homes
• Safer Neighbourhood Service

Neighbourhood Wardens

Our seven Neighbourhood Wardens work to help deter low level criminal behaviour, environment offences, and anti social behaviour.

Working with our partners, they can offer advice and support if you have any concerns in your community.

They work to promote unity and help people and neighbourhoods to identify and resolve problems. They have enforcement powers on littering, fly tipping, and public space protection orders.

Town Centre Wardens

Our Town Centre Wardens patrol the town centre to stop low level crime, environment offences, and anti social behaviour.

Our wardens have the power to enforce the Barnsley Public Space Protection Order and Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs). They'll try to use low level resolution first.

Their role is to offer advice and support to those who need it. This includes locating vehicles and offering directions.

Barnsley's Public Space Protection Order (PSPO)

Barnsley town centre has a Public Space Protection Order in place. This gives the police, the council and other officers extra powers to deal with low level anti social behaviour. Having a town centre PSPO in place is part of the ongoing Joining Forces work. They make sure Barnsley continues to be a safe, inclusive and attractive place to visit.

Both our town centre and Neighbourhood Wardens have the power to enforce under the PSPO.

Find out more about Barnsley's PSPO.

In the video below, Paul, one of our Town Centre Wardens talks about his role. They enforce the town centre Public Space Protection Order.

Barnsley town centre

Safer Neighbourhood Service

The Safer Neighbourhood Service brings together Barnsley Council, South Yorkshire Police, housing, support providers, and other key stakeholders.

Homelessness and Recovery Steps

An update from Inspector Richard Mangham

We've been listening to our communities and responding to their concerns. Following a PACT meeting we focussed our attention toward Oakwell, along with the work in the public space protection order (PSPO) area. This will see some of the team working with our partners and local community to increase patrols and intelligence gathering in the area while establishing community events and groups to increase community cohesion.

We're supported this month and next by two student officers in the central team who will be spending their time working with our team inside and outside the PSPO area learning more about problem solving policing and how effective partnerships can help improve communities and reduce levels of anti-social behaviour and criminality.

Problem solving and targeted activity

Operation Oakwell - We've increased our patrols and visibility within the Oakwell area this month, due to recent reports of issues around anti-social behaviour and drug abuse in the area.

Teams from across the force, including our mounted department have also joined us to offer a greater police presence and provide reassurance to the residents.

Our local PCSO’s will be holding engagement stands outside 'The Red Shop' on the following dates, where they'll be happy to give advice and support in relation to any questions that you may have.

• Friday 5 July, 12pm to 2pm.
• Friday 12 July, 2.30pm to 4pm.

We've created a community survey to give you the opportunity to provide feedback around your experiences with ASB.

To share your views, complete the Oakwell Community Survey. This is anonymous.

Man arrested and charged for theft.

A Barnsley man was arrested and interviewed in relation to several theft related offences.

James Upton, 29, was interviewed regarding two counts of theft, and a further offence of theft from a motor vehicle. He was charged and remanded in police custody to appear at Barnsley Magistrates Court.

Operation Civitas – Tackling Anti-Social behaviour.

Some latest figures have been released from Operation Civitas which is a Home Office funded operation that involves high visibility patrols in targeted hotspot areas.

From the outset our communities have seen over 2500 hours additional visible police patrols since Civitas commenced at the end of July 2023 up to 31 March 2024, with an additional supplement of 816 hours of local authority patrols carried out.

We have seen crucial reductions in 10 hotspot locations locally contributing to overall reduction of anti-social behaviour in Civitas Hotspots of -28.11%.

Community engagement

Alongside the town centre wardens, on 13 May as part of the week-long Op Sceptre, to tackle knife crime, we dispersed seven people to leave the town centre under the Public Space Protection Order (PSPO). Two people were also stopped and searched.

On 28, 30 and 31 May, we provided a united visible uniformed presence during the school half-term holiday. Over the three days, two people were arrested, one for shoplifting and one on a warrant and eight people were directed to leave town under the town centre PSPO.

On 31 May, our wardens and ourselves ran a new operation called Operation Barley which was designed to tackle vehicle nuisance in The Seam car park on County Way.

During the operation, a person was arrested on a warrant, another was stopped and searched for drugs, a vehicle was seized for no insurance and the driver was reported on summons for no insurance and no licence. Three people were also directed to leave the town centre under the town centre PSPO.

Crime prevention advice

Practical advice to reduce the risk of being affected by the growing trend of theft of items left unattended by delivery drivers.

Here are some things you could do to reduce the risk of doorstep theft:

• Track your parcel to make sure you or someone else is at home for the delivery.
• Install a video doorbell; this can be connected to your mobile so you are notified immediately of any delivery, and is easier to install than a full CCTV system.
• Install a security light.
• Arrange for your parcel to be delivered to a trusted neighbour, or other family members who will be at home. If you live in a flat, is there a concierge who could accept the parcel for you?

Use an off-site locker service for frequent deliveries, or for expensive items; these parcel boxes are more likely to be in busy, safer locations - such as supermarkets - rather than secluded areas which could be targeted by thieves.

Elsewhere in South Yorkshire

Operation Sceptre: Over 500 dangerous weapons have recently been taken off the streets of South Yorkshire, thanks to our officers continued dedication to tackling knife crime.

Here in South Yorkshire, we have seen the devastation caused by knife crime first-hand on multiple occasions, something which our officers are committed to change.

Intelligence based activity and good old fashioned ‘boots on the ground’ patrols have resulted in 561 weapons, including knives, axes, machetes, and swords seized.

South Yorkshire Police recently took part in Sceptre (Monday 13 to Sunday 19), a national week which allows forces across the county to show the work officers do every day to combat incidents which involve the use of knives.

Detective Superintendent David Cowley, force lead for violent crime, said: "We're committed to bringing these outright dangerous and appalling weapons off our streets, and Sceptre allows us to show our public the level of this dedication to keep them safe to enjoy our towns and cities without fear."

Come and speak to us

Pop-up police stations/engagement stalls:

Throughout each month, we hold several engagement events at different locations across the town centre and the surrounding area. Events and stalls will be held on the following dates:

• 2 July Central Area PACT meeting 11.30am at Warren Quarry Lane Community Centre
• 2 July engagement stand at Morrisons 3.30pm to 5pm
• 3 July engagement stand at Library 12.30pm to 3pm
• 4 July Town Centre PACT meeting 2.30pm at the Library at the Lightbox
• 5 July engagement stand at The Red Shop 12pm to 2pm
• 10 July engagement stand at Interchange 1.30pm to 3pm
• 12 July engagement stand at The Red Shop, Oakwell at 2.30 to 4pm
• 17 July engagement stand at Morrisons 12pm to 1.30pm
• 22 July engagement stand at Alhambra 3.30pm to 5pm
• 30 July engagement stand at Barnsley Interchange 3.30pm to 5pm

We'll be on hand to answer any questions you may have around crime and anti-social
behaviour, provide crime prevention advice, or just for people to have a chat with local
officers.

Throughout May there will be focus on knife crime, it’s impact and how SYP manage
issues of this nature.