I am currently working in the role on Neighbourhood Support Sergeant. Unlike my Sergeant colleagues across South Leeds, I do not have a specific ward area as such, instead I am responsible for having an oversight of all the main issues and areas of concern across all of the Inner South Leeds Locality.
I work very closely with our partnership agencies and despite only being a member of the Inner South Neighbourhood Team for 5 weeks, I have forged some very close working relationships with the likes of Leeds Anti-Social Behaviour Team (LASBT), Leeds Housing and the council Parks and Countryside teams.
My role is very much aimed at long term problem solving and working with our partners to identify and implement long term solutions to problems that have the greatest impact on our communities. As such, I focus a lot of my time on working to take positive action against those using properties in South Leeds to engage in criminal activity. We are working tirelessly to put an end to these properties, which cause a great deal of disruption and unease to the people of South Leeds.
I bring to the role a wealth of experience, having joined West Yorkshire Police nearly 20 years ago as a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO). Community policing has always been my passion and an area I continue to be drawn back to.
I spent just short of 2 years as a PCSO working in West Leeds as a member of the West Leeds Neighbourhood Team, with my ‘beat’ being Wortley and Armley.
After ‘cutting my teeth’ in the policing world, I decided it was time for me to move on and in 2007 I was recruited as a Police Constable and was posted to Bradford District.
My time in Bradford was a real eye opener, as I moved between several areas and teams over a relatively short period of time, and it was here that I got my first taste of ‘response policing’ which I thoroughly enjoyed. I also spent a period on the Neighbourhood Team covering Great Horton and Little Horton and thrived on the challenges the area provided.
After approximately 5 years at Bradford, I transferred back to Leeds where I was posted back to where it all began, on Leeds West Neighbourhood Team. I spent several very happy years back in West Leeds and it was here that I was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2012.
Following promotion, I fulfilled a variety of roles including a stint back on response, neighbourhoods, working on a proactive team targeting serious violence and drug crime and up until joining South Leeds NPT, 6 years as a custody sergeant at Elland Road.
My passion undoubtedly lies in Neighboutrhood Policing, I am one of the ‘older’ ones that still has memories of the local community bobby that made it their business to know the locals, both good and not so good. I believe strongly in making our communities, housing estates, local shops and green spaces, places that we all feel safe and happy to use.
Although it is still very early days for me in South Leeds, I am already feeling well settled and I very much look forward to the challenges that face me over the coming months.
This post was written by Sgt Mark Czternastek of the Leeds South Neighbourhood Policing Team
Main photo: A closure order for a house associated with drug dealing in Hunslet
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