Police column: Neighbourhood policing is at the heart of our communities

The work they do is wide ranging - including executing warrants, carrying out targeted activity to locate stolen vehicles, high-visibility and plain clothes patrols in crime hotspots and speeding operations. They also spend time on engaging with our communities through pop-up police stations, visits to local schools, hosting both online and in-person community meetings and sharing crime prevention advice. The police officers and PCSOs are all well-known faces in their respective patches. Each team understands their communities and, working with partner organisations, use a problem solving approach to provide tailored local solutions to specific local problems. During a recent day of action in Thorne, the Doncaster East NPT focussed on the local concerns of youth antisocial behaviour and vehicle crime. Throughout the day the team carried out patrols, seized vehicles, issued traffic offence reports and checked the speeds of over 200 cars. They also worked with local primary schools to educate parents on responsible and safe parking, and engaged with a number of young people in antisocial behaviour hotspots. A day of action run by the newly formed Doncaster North NPT in Bentley saw them joined by specialist teams from around the force as well as partners from Doncaster Council and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). They executed a drugs warrant at a property on Bentley Road, recovering 71 cannabis plants, with a street value of around £71,000 and arresting a 32-year-old man on suspicion of cannabis cultivation and possession of class A drugs.

They made two further arrests throughout the day, as well as seizing a number of vehicles, issuing traffic offence reports and conducting speed checks in a number of concern areas.

Another fantastic example of the work our neighbourhood officers do is the Mini Police scheme. This initiative sees PCSOs spending time in primary schools to help create a positive attitude towards the police.

During the course of the programme, the children get their own police uniform and notebook, and learn about staying safe online, the impact of antisocial behaviour and speeding. They also get involved with projects around their school, like making posters to encourage parents to park considerately.

Community engagement like this is a vital part of policing, and helps to build positive relationships between us and the communities that we serve. You can keep up to date with the latest activities by following our accounts for each NPT on Facebook and Twitter.