Police "monitoring 16 gangs" in Doncaster
Many of them are related to drugs.
Last updated 5th Feb 2021
Police teams have said they are closely monitoring 16 criminal gangs and 142 suspected members across Doncaster – many related to drugs.
South Yorkshire Police, under their ‘Tackling Serious and Organised Crime’ work, say that there have been fourteen shootings incidents in Doncaster throughout 2020, two of which resulted in injury.
A further nine guns have been recovered in the same period and are now no longer in criminal circulation for use by organised criminals, documents seen by councillors show.
A fatal shooting was recorded in the early part of 2021 which is still being investigated.
The force has continued long term deployment of resources in Mexborough, Conisbrough and Denaby to target gangs in the area.
Officers say this has ‘allowed disruption of key individuals’ linked to this gang with drugs, cash and a firearm being recovered and a number of members being imprisoned or awaiting sentence.
SYP has also said A separate gang in Doncaster has identified possible links to county lines drug dealing across the region. But officers said sustained police work has made the group ‘effectively dormant’ which has given time for the force to protect vulnerable children at risk.
Officers also said the impact of Covid-19 on gang crime levels ‘been minimal’ on operations with restrictions to access prisons being only a ‘minor hurdle’.
Bill Hotchkiss, head of service safer communities at DMBC, said: “Doncaster OCGs (organised crime gangs) undergo regular review and scoring. The Risk Score presents the level of risk posed. This method of scoring provides a structure in which to prioritise activity based on threat, risk and harm. The highest scoring attracts the highest resources.
“A bronze, silver and gold structure continues to drive our OCG activity. This captures work undertaken under Pursue, Prepare, Protect and Prevent and supports joint working between police and partners to disrupt OCG activity.
“Significant impact has been made on OCGs in Doncaster, with a number of warrants executed.
“During this reporting period we have focused on the top tier seeking disruptive charging decisions to allow deeper investigative work, whilst protecting the wider community.
“We have trials awaited for serious criminal offences and principle members are currently remanded.”