Doncaster’s Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNT) have rolled out a new initiative across the borough to help residents have their say on how their community is policed.

Officers from Doncaster’s SNTs will be going into the community to make it easier for residents to talk to them and have their say on issues that matter most to them. They will be visiting supermarkets, shopping precincts, village shops, libraries and even blood donor sessions where they will be engaging with and listening to local people.

These events will be advertised within communities and will enable SNT staff to spend time at busy locations where they can talk and meet with local people from the community.

Over the last year, the SNTs have been holding regular community meetings in various locations across the borough where residents have been able to talk to officers about issues that matter most to them and priorities for the area have been set from these meetings. However, SNT officers know that it is not always possible for residents to come to these meetings and share their views, so they are taking the meetings to them to make it easier for all members of the public to have their say.

Inspector Andrea Cowling for the South safer neighbourhood teams who is leading on the initiative said: “Community issues and priorities are at the heart of everything we do and for us this means listening to what our communities are telling us and what issues matter to them. We have been holding monthly meetings for over a year now where we have been able to talk to the community and find solutions to their local issues.

“However, we appreciate that not everyone is able to attend or is comfortable with being present at a community meeting. It is hoped that through this new initiative we are going to be able to reach a wider audience and really focus on the issues that matter most to the residents.”

Officers from the Urban SNT will be launching the initiative at Tesco Extra on Woodfield Way in Balby on Thursday 22 April from 2 – 3pm. If you want to find out more then come, meet the team, and have your say about how your neighbourhood is policed.

To find out where your nearest meeting is visit www.southyorks.police.ukand enter your postcode.