Yet another shooting in Sheffield 16th September

Nah, drugs work the same whether they are illegal or not.

Legal drugs tend to be a lot safer, because their purity and dose is much better controlled, and they are less likely to fall into the hands of minors, and all the revenue stays out of the criminal economy, and can therefore contribute to the national tax pot.

Well, not really. Legal drugs like alcohol affect everyone. Cost to th NHS, policing costs on a weekend, I'm not sure a whole raft of legal drugs with far greater potency than alcohol free for all is necessarily the answer.

That isn't really an argument against legalisation.

It is an argument for more responsible use of all drugs.

You started the argument on here saying all drugs should be legalised

Getting absolutely ridiculous something needs to be done asap.

In the US and Canada they have specialized police units that track and apprehend gang members. Probably so in London. The Sheffield Mayor/MPs need to demand same for Sheffield, make the "Gang chasing" police units mobile if not already.

And in the US if gang members want out and co-operate with the law, they can expect leniency if downstream convictions take place. Sheffield and surrounds need to consider the same.

And I agree with Lazuras, life should mean life if you are a convicted killer convicted with the malice and pre-planning to kill someone. Similar to the "Moor" murderers Brady and Hindley I would say. Yes they could repent and be sorrowful in later years, but never enough to overturn the risk of turning them loose in an unsuspecting general population again. No need to run that risk.

 

In the US and Canada they have specialized police units that track and apprehend gang members. Probably so in London.

Yes, the Met Police have one but nearly a third of people on their 'gang members database' have nothing to do with gangs.

Getting absolutely ridiculous something needs to be done asap.

What is it that you think should be done, and who needs to do it?

its wasvery scary thing... i am afraid about the future of sheffield.

The Police and Government have total control to eliminate this gang problem. The Sheffield Mayor and MPs need to be onto the gang violence issue 24/7. The longer it is left with no corrective measures, the worse it is to stop (See California and Chicago etc).

If the UK police don't have the proper training or experience, then get it now before the gangs have control.

One of the challenges cities like Sheffield have, is that everything is centralised in London (politics, economics/budgets, police etc) so the security of cities such as Sheffield/Leeds/Liverpool/Newcastle etc will come in a distant second.

If the Mayor and MPs don't move quickly and forcefully, then the citizens will have to provide continual pressure

Yes, the Met Police have one but nearly a third of people on their 'gang members database' have nothing to do with gangs.

The matrix database is useless, mainly young black men being listed for being young black men.

If the Mayor and MPs don't move quickly and forcefully, then the citizens will have to provide continual pressure

Sheffield's mayor is mainly a ceremonial role. Sheffield MPs have no say in the running of Sheffield City Council, and as they are currently all opposition MPs, they have very little influence in the running of the national government.

Surely somebody has to take responsibility for action against the gangs. Who can the citizens turn to ? If no action is taken by anyone the gangs will know they have a free hand. The MPs must try to get some influence with the people with the purse strings in London? I can understand that the Council don't have the budget or what exactly is needed from a policing perspective

Does Sheffield have a more serious gang problem than the other larger cities in the UK ?

I was under the impression that there were two mayors recently appointed, one in a more regionalised role. Could he not speak to Westminster for the south Yorkshire region, of which Sheffield in a prominent part ?