One of Barnsley’s highest-ranked police officers says the town is in good stead after lauding it for ‘leading the way’ with its transformed neighbourhood policing model. Josh Timlin met Superintendent Mark James to discuss the current plight - and future - of local policing.

THEY often say that people who hail from the north-east of England have the gift of the gab and that certainly rings true when you cross paths with Superintendent Mark James.

Despite being a veteran in policing terms - having first become a sergeant in Barnsley more than 20 years ago - his unwavering passion for his job immediately comes to the fore.

He’s now the second-in-command in Barnsley, overseeing scores of officers and PCSOs working for the town’s six neighbourhood policing teams.

Central, West, South, North, North East and South East police officers are joined by Barnsley Council staff - predominantly those responsible for housing, antisocial behaviour and enforcement - at their respective hubs.

Having recently returned to the district for his third spell, Supt James said it has been so successful that it’s been rolled out across South Yorkshire - but the pilot scheme came at a time when the force was in disarray.

South Yorkshire Police had axed its former ‘Safer Neighbourhood Team’ structure in a bid to slash £8.1m from its budget in 2015 - a widely criticised decision which saw bobbies being taken out of the communities they knew in favour of a move to Wombwell.

But a U-turn was performed following the backlash and an initial four hubs - in Barnsley town centre, Goldthorpe, Kendray and Royston - began operating in 2017, joined by officers based at Cudworth and Penistone in 2018.

Hoyland followed. Supt James was instrumental in that process and the rest, as they say, is history as other districts across South Yorkshire followed suit, using Barnsley’s model to implement a carbon copy set-up due to its undoubted success at driving down crime.

Supt James, who is originally from Newcastle, told the Chronicle they’re now firmly embedded in their communities.

“I started in Barnsley in 2002 and having served for nine years, I went elsewhere but returned in 2015,” he added.

“That was a crucial time for the force, especially with neighbourhood policing, as we were given what was effectively a blank canvas to expand our offer.

“We were in a period of austerity, teams had been dismantled and PCSOs were effectively removed - we simply couldn’t afford to continue with the model we had.

“Put simply, we were very limited in what we could do - it was overwhelming in what was a difficult time.

“Barnsley was placed at the forefront as its pilot and it saw Kendray Police Station being built - that was chosen as a location due to it being one of the top ten crime hotspots in the entire county.

“It truly was a thorn in the force’s side but that hub, with a hand-picked team, improved the picture immeasurably in just two years.”

In what was a ‘leap of faith’, the new-look teams’ formation brought PCSOs back alongside on-the-beat bobbies. Community engagement events picked up and there was a sustained push to improve the public’s confidence in the force.

Things such as PACT (police and communities together) meetings became more prominent, becoming six-weekly events in which the public could meet their local cops and play a key role in shaping their priorities.

“It was a leap of faith but Barnsley went for it, leading the way for everyone else in South Yorkshire to follow,” Supt James said.

“Sir Robert Peel - who established the Metropolitan Police - had a famous quote and that’s ‘the police are the public and the public are the police’.

“That most definitely is true in Barnsley with its neighbourhood policing model.

“It was an outstanding turnaround and one which was hailed during inspections.”

Having left when they were flourishing, he’s returned for another spell in the town which he now resides in.

However, does he think the town’s in a position to continue its purple patch?

“It’s lovely to come back - my kids have been born and bred here so when that’s the case, policing not only becomes a job for members of the public but my family, too.

“It’s such a great place to be.

“There’s been huge investment in the town centre and across the borough as a knock-on from that.

“It’s vibrant, it’s modern, but it’s built on strength and fight, probably from its mining past.

“Policing-wise, Barnsley is a breeding ground for talent - we have a relatively young, inexperienced force but I see their commitment, their enthusiasm day in, day out.

“They’ve long careers to develop that raw talent but Barnsley’s in good stead - we’re on the cusp of more success.”