Local Council and Police Step Up Activities to Keep City Centre Safe As Part of National Summer Campaign

Backed by the UK Home Office, this “Safer Streets” blitz is running from now until the end of September. Over 500 towns and cities across the UK have signed up to be part of the scheme, with the respective authorities for each area committing to step up their efforts when it comes to tackling urban crime and antisocial behaviour during the summer months. Among other things, the public will see increased patrols and enhanced surveillance in civic centres all over the country, with proactive actions being taken to prevent offences like shoplifting, and stronger enforcement also being carried out.

Much of this activity is already well underway here in Doncaster, where South Yorkshire Police and the council joined forces back in October 2024 to team up on the “Safer City” initiative. Since that collaboration launched, the city centre has received significant investment in new initiatives like cutting-edge CCTV, high-tech tannoy systems, additional safety patrols, and other such resources to help protect visitors and businesses alike. Not to mention, a new policing base is now in operation at the Frenchgate Shopping Centre.

Yet while City of Doncaster Council (CDC) and South Yorkshire Police (SYP) have been working together to improve safety in the urban core for a number of months, they are still stepping up their activities as part of the national “Safer Streets” scheme. For example, weekly pop-up stalls have just been introduced for summer, giving council and police officers a new way to engage with the public.

Elsewhere, the partners have been coordinating special days of action to crack down on the most common forms of urban antisocial behaviour, supporting popular events like the recent Armed Forces Day parade, disseminating crime prevention advice to local retailers and residents, and maximising the use of the enforcement powers granted to them under the city centre’s Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO).

Since commencing, the Safer Streets scheme in Doncaster has had a real tangible impact. The council alone has conducted 1,672 hours of additional patrols (on top of their usual rounds), issued 357 PSPO warnings (and an associated 31 fixed penalty notices), and dispensed 448 fines for littering. Meanwhile, the police have similarly increased their patrols and overseen a notable reduction in shop thefts as well.

Speaking about the Safer Streets summer blitz, Dan Swaine, Executive Director of Place at City of Doncaster Council, said: “Safety is, of course, a top priority for us all year round — across the entirety of Doncaster — and we are always working tirelessly to ensure that people feel protected when out and about, and that any concerns are dealt with. 

“When it comes to this national initiative, however, we are focussing on making sure that our city centre is secure and welcoming, so that everyone can enjoy all that it has to offer over the coming summer months. That’s why we have organised increased patrols, dedicated support for upcoming events, pop up engagement stands with the police, and joint days of actions to really crack down on crime and antisocial behaviour.

“With all that said, if you see our Safer City teams whilst visiting the city centre, please don’t hesitate to approach them if you have any concerns or questions. They are always happy to help.” 

Doncaster District Commander, Chief Superintendent Pete Thorp, said: “Since the launch of the Safer City initiative, we have put a considerable amount of resources into the city centre to make it as safe and welcoming as possible for everyone who visits the area.

“Visibility is absolutely key for us and there are now more dedicated police officers based in the city centre, many of whom work out of our new base in Frenchgate Shopping Centre.

“In June alone, our officers carried out 238 hours of additional, dedicated patrols in the city centre on foot, covering over 300 miles, which really puts into context how committed we are to being visible and ready to respond to incidents in the city centre.

“Despite a national rise in levels of shoplifting, the area covered by Doncaster Central Neighbourhood Policing Team has seen a reduction in reports of shop thefts, with over 60 shoplifters jailed in the first six months of 2025.

“If you see our officers while you are out and about in the city centre and you have a concern or query you wish to raise, please make sure you speak to them.

“They are there to help you, engage with you and keep you safe and we know that, by working together and improving our relationship with you, we can achieve the best results as everything we do in policing is shaped by you and your concerns.”

Offering the perspective of a business based in the city centre, Deborah Thompson, owner of both Ben Marshall Master Butchers and Marshall’s Deli and Rotisserie in the International Food Hall , added: “As a city centre business, we really welcome all of this great work that has been taking place in recent months. Improving safety in our urban core is, of course, a top priority for city centre visitors and businesses alike, so it’s great to see the police and council collaborating in this way.

“The increased presence, engagement and proactive action we’re seeing here is making a real difference. I hope that the public take notice of this and start to spend time in the city centre more frequently over the summer, visit more local businesses, and enjoy all that this wonderful place has to offer.”

Below is a comprehensive list of what has already been done, and what else is going to be done, in Doncaster as part of the Safer Streets summer initiative:

• Increased council and police patrols in the city centre
• Enhanced surveillance
• Coordinated days of actions between the police and council
• Safer City teams, comprising neighbourhood police officers and council staff, appearing at weekly pop-up stands every week
• Safer City presence at upcoming summer events
• Dissemination of crime prevention advice
• Stronger enforcement under the city centre Public Spaces Protection Order
• Joint truancy patrols ahead of the summer holidays
• Dedicated operations to crack down on parking offences
• Joint work with British Transport Police
• The launch of a new Report It to Sort It campaign, encouraging the public to report crime and antisocial behaviour to the right authorities

On that last note, members of the public can contribute to this collective effort to keep Doncaster safe by letting the council and police know about any incidents of antisocial behaviour or crime they encounter, so that these issues can then be documented and dealt with by the relevant organisation.

Residents can easily file said reports by heading to https://www.yourlifedoncaster.co.uk/report-it. Alternatively, they can call the police on the non-emergency 101 number or City of Doncaster Council on 01302 736000. Remember, if a crime is in progress, or a life is at risk, always call 999.

Meanwhile, to discover what Doncaster has to offer this summer, head over to the Visit Doncaster website and check out the full line up of scheduled events and activities: https://www.visitdoncaster.com/whats-on