Police and firefighters working together to keep communities safe as EURO 2024 approaches

We’re working closely with our colleagues at Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service to step up our efforts to keep people safe in the build-up to the European championships.

Fans across the country are expected to pack out local venues and host from their homes for the eagerly anticipated match against Serbia on Sunday evening (16 June).

Whether you’re expecting football to finally come home or for an early exit from the tournament, police officers and firefighters are on-hand to make sure everyone has a summer to remember, for the right reasons. 

It’s never easy to predict British weather, but we’re planning for more barbecues, large groups socialising and busy town centres across Staffordshire.

We want everyone to enjoy this period, but we’re also expecting an increased demand on emergency services across the country.

These risks involve the potential for wildfires from barbecues, cooking fires fuelled by increased alcohol consumption, anti-social behaviour, drink driving and localised crime.

We’ve been working alongside firefighters in Staffordshire to put plans in place to reduce the risk of crime and fire hazards. Officers are going to be patrolling busy areas, speaking with people and adopting a friendly but firm approach to make sure we keep people safe. Prevent and protect teams from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service are going to be visiting popular beauty spots, making sure people are using barbecues safely and the hazards are minimised as much as possible.

PC Richard Lymer, one of our dedicated football officers, will be joining with other specialist teams to proactively police the streets over the football period.

Officers like PC Lymer have been working hard to eradicate the behaviour of those engaging in football-related violence in the UK. Our dedicated football officers have been helping football clubs across Staffordshire to engage with fans, police matchdays and tackle anti-social behaviour.

He said: “Major football tournaments are a cause of excitement for so many across the world, but for emergency services, they can unfortunately bring an increased level of demand.

“Being proactive in how we tackle anti-social behaviour, domestic abuse and neighbourhood crime is a priority for officers across Staffordshire, regardless of whether football is involved or not.

“It’s vital that residents and businesses engage with officers who are out and about and to report any concerns so we can tackle the issues as effectively as possible. 

“We’re not here to spoil the fun for anyone but we will take robust action against those who engage in crime and anti-social behaviour. Drivers who are over the limit will be sent to court and those blighting communities will be targeted.

“For the vast majority, we expect the summer period to be an enjoyable one, and hopefully one which sees Gareth Southgate’s men replicate the same feat as Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses in 2022.”

To report a crime, call 101 or message us using Live Chat on our website. If you want to report anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

In an emergency, always call 999.