West Yorkshire Police

West Yorkshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire, England. It is the fourth largest territorial police force in England and Wales by number of officers.

West Yorkshire Police
MottoIn the Public Service
Agency overview
Formed1974
Preceding agencies
Employees9,853
Volunteers403[1]
Annual budget£396.0 million[1]
Legal personalityPolice force
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionWest Yorkshire, England
Map of West Yorkshire Police's jurisdiction.
Size2,029 km²
Population2,108,000
Legal jurisdictionEngland & Wales
Constituting instrument
General nature
Operational structure
HeadquartersWakefield
Constables5,062 (including 493 Special Constables)[2]
Police Community Support Officers689[2]
Police and Crime Commissioner responsible
Agency executive
  • John Robins, Chief Constable
Divisions5
Facilities
Stations41
Website
www.westyorkshire.police.uk

History

West Yorkshire Police was formed in 1974, when part of the West Yorkshire Constabulary (itself created in 1968, and covering a much larger area) was amalgamated with the Leeds City Police and Bradford City Police, under the Local Government Act 1972. The force was originally known as the West Yorkshire Metropolitan Police. Some older signs around the Force area, such as the one in the reception of Millgarth Police Station in Leeds city centre, read 'West Yorkshire Metropolitan Police'. The 'Metropolitan' from the police title was dropped in 1986 when the Metropolitan counties were abolished.[3][4] Proposals made by the Home Secretary on 21 March 2006 would see the force merge with North Yorkshire Police, South Yorkshire Police and Humberside Police to form a strategic police force for the entire region. These plans are currently under review and not expected to take place in the foreseeable future.

On 12 December 2006, Sir Norman Bettison was announced as the new Chief Constable, replacing Colin Cramphorn and resigned from his post on 24 October 2012. He was replaced by Temporary Chief Constable John Parkinson until the appointment of Mark Gilmore as Chief Constable on 1 February 2013.

In 2018 it was reckoned West Yorkshire Police would lose 400 officers from its 4,800 officers due to austerity.[5]

Operational structure
West Yorkshire Police Peugeot 308

For operational purposes West Yorkshire Police is divided into five geographic divisions known within the force as ‘policing districts’. The change in nomenclature reflects that of April 2014 the alignment with council boundaries for policing districts and the reduction of divisions in Leeds (which had three) and Bradford (which had two) so that each policing district was conterminous with its respective local authority boundaries. Each district is made up of Partnership Working Areas (PWA) which consist of an Inspector and three teams of sergeants, police constables, special constables and PCSOs. The first single police commander of the Bradford district, Chief Superintendent Simon Atkin, was appointed in October 2013 as part of ongoing moves to merge the district’s two policing divisions, while Chief Superintendent Angela Williams was appointed in Calderdale.[6]

The five existing divisions with their divisional identifiers and their divisional commander are as follows:

IdentifierDistrictPartnership Working AreasDistrict CommanderDistrict HQ
LDLeedsCity, Inner East, Inner North East, Inner North West, Inner South, Inner West, Outer East, Outer North East, Outer North West, Outer South, Outer WestChief Superintendent Steve CotterElland Road Police Station, Beeston[7]
BDBradfordBradford East, Bradford South, Bradford West, City, Keighley, ShipleyChief Superintendent Osman KhanTrafalgar House Police Station, Bradford[8]
WDWakefieldCastleford, Normanton and Featherstone, Pontefract and Knottingley, South East, Wakefield Central, Wakefield North West, Wakefield RuralChief Superintendent Paul HepworthHavertop Lane Police Station, Normanton[9]
KDKirkleesBatley and Spen, Dewsbury and Mirfield, Huddersfield, RuralChief Superintendent Julie SykesHuddersfield Police Station[10]
CDCalderdaleHalifax Centre, Halifax North, Halifax West, Valley North, Valley North East, Valley South, Valley South East, Valley WestChief Superintendent Dickie WhiteheadHalifax Police Station[11]
Relic of the former West Yorkshire Metropolitan Police - sign found near former police building in Wakefield city centre (now removed)
Photograph of the West Yorkshire Police Sir Alec Jeffreys Building - part of the Yorkshire and The Humber Scientific Support Unit at Calder Park, Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

The force headquarters is situated on Laburnum Road to the north of Wakefield city centre along with the Learning and Development Centre and specialist operations facility at Carr Gate, Wakefield at Junction 41 of the M1 motorway.

The Sir Alec Jeffreys Building in the Calder Park Business Estate (at Junction 39 of the M1 motorway) houses the Yorkshire and The Humber Scientific Support Service and was opened in May 2012 by Sir Alec Jeffreys himself.[12] West Yorkshire Police is the 'lead force' for scientific support and provides such services for North Yorkshire Police, South Yorkshire Police and Humberside Police.[13]

Changing estate of West Yorkshire Police
Sign outside of the former West Yorkshire Police Training and Development Centre, Bishopgarth, Wakefield.

The current estate of police stations and other buildings is changing with certain buildings closing and new buildings opening. As of 2014 there are three PFI projects completed and as a result of these new buildings a number of police stations have closed and been sold.[14]

Wakefield District Headquarters

Wakefield District police headquarters is now located on Havertop Lane, Normanton. The total area is 11,500 metres squared and provides office accommodation as well as a 35-cell custody suite.[3] As it's now operational, the following Police stations are in the process of being closed and/or sold.

  • Wood Street Police Station, Wakefield.[15]
  • Normanton Police Station, Normanton.[16]
  • Castleford Police Station, Castleford[17]

Leeds District Headquarters

The new headquarters for the newly formed Leeds District is operational on Elland Road, Beeston, Leeds. The total area is 12,500 metres squared and provides office accommodation as well as a 40-cell custody suite.[3] Now operational, the Leeds District HQ will replace the following stations:

  • Millgarth Police Station, Leeds city centre.[18]
  • Holbeck Police Station, Holbeck, Leeds.[19]

Carr Gate Special Operational Training Facility

The existing Operational Support facilities at Carr Gate, Wakefield have been expanded and new buildings constructed which has centralised specialist training for the force in one location. The new facility, which totals 20,000 metres squared includes the following:

  • Training hub facility (reception, classrooms, 3 gyms, storage and offices etc.)
  • Public Order training facility (storage areas, breakout areas, large briefing room, classroom, training arena, etc.)
  • Driver training facility
  • Firearms training facility (100m and two 50m firing ranges, armoury, etc.)
  • Method of Entry area (approximately 400 metres squared)

Leadership

List of Chief Constables
West Riding Constabulary
West Yorkshire Constabulary (1968)
  • Ronald Gregory (1969 to 1983)
West Yorkshire Police (1974)
  • Sir Colin Sampsom (1983 to 1988)
  • Mr Peter Nobes (1988 to 1993)
  • Keith Hellawell (1993 to 1998)[21]
  • Alan Charlesworth (1998 to 1999)
  • Graham Moore (1999 to 2002)
  • Colin Cramphorn (September 2002 to November 2006)
  • Sir Norman Bettison (January 2007 to October 2012)
  • Mark Gilmore (April 2013 to August 2016)[22]
  • Dee Collins (Appointed November 2016) [Temporary Chief Constable between June 2014 & November 2016]
  • John Robins (Appointed June 2019)

List of West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioners

Former Divisions

The most recent change to the divisional structure was the reduction from eight policing divisions to five policing districts. The table below shows the divisional structure from 2008 – 2014 (showing the last divisional commanders and stations at the point of cessation).

IdentifierDivisionStationsArea coveredDivisional Commander
AANorth West LeedsWeetwood (Divisional HQ), Pudsey, Woodhouse Lane (Woodhouse, Leeds) & Otleycovering North and West Leeds[23]Chief Superintendent David Oldroyd
BANorth East LeedsStainbeck (Divisional HQ), Killingbeck, Wetherby & Garforthcovering North and East Leeds, Wetherby, Boston Spa, Garforth, Methley and Micklefield[24]Superintendent Martin Snowden
CACity & HolbeckHolbeck (Divisional HQ), Millgarth (Leeds City Centre), Morley & Rothwellcovering Central and South Leeds[25]Chief Superintendent Paul Money
DAWakefieldWood Street (Divisional HQ) (Wakefield City Centre), Pontefract, Normanton, Castleford & South Kirkbycovering the Wakefield Metropolitan District area[26]Chief Superintendent Andy Battle
EAKirkleesHuddersfield (Divisional HQ), Dewsbury & Holmfirthcovering the Kirklees Metropolitan District area[27]Chief Superintendent Steve Cotter
FACalderdaleHalifax (Divisional HQ), Brighouse & Todmordencovering the Calderdale Metropolitan District area[28]Chief Superintendent Chris Hardern
GABradford SouthTrafalgar House (Divisional HQ) & Manningham (Lawcroft House)covering Central and South Bradford[29]Chief Superintendent Simon Atkin
HAAiredale & North BradfordKeighley (Divisional HQ), Ilkley, Shipley & Eccleshillcovering North Bradford and Keighley[30]Chief Superintendent Angela Williams

From the mid-1990s, there were seventeen geographical divisions within West Yorkshire Police;[31] however from 2000 onwards the number of divisions decreased as the move towards aligning police divisions with local council wards was implemented.

Former 17 divisions of West Yorkshire Police

The grid below outlines the mergers of the former divisions to the eight operational divisions which ceased in April 2014.[32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51]

Former West Yorkshire Police divisions from 2000 to 2014.

Notable cases

Officers killed in the line of duty
See also: List of British police officers killed in the line of duty

The Police Memorial Trust lists and commemorates all British police officers killed in the line of duty, and since its establishment in 1984 has erected over 38 memorials to some of those officers.

Since 1900 the following officers of West Yorkshire Police are listed by the Trust as having died during the course of their duties in attempting to prevent, stop or solve a criminal act:[52]

  • PC Mark Goodlad, 2011, (Assisting motorist on M1 when a HGV struck him and his marked police vehicle)[53]
  • PC Conal Daood Hills, 2006 (fatally injured when his vehicle crashed during a police pursuit)[54]
  • PC Sharon Beshenivsky, 2005 (shot dead attending a robbery)[55]
  • PC Ian Nigel Broadhurst, 2003 (shot dead by David Bieber)[54]
  • PC David Sykes, July 1986, struck by a lorry whilst on the hard shoulder of the M62 near Brighouse[56]
  • Sgt John Richard Speed, 1984 (shot dead; posthumously awarded the Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct)[54]
  • Sgt Michael Hawcroft, 1981 (stabbed; posthumously awarded the Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct)[57][58]
  • Insp Barry John Taylor, 1970 (shot dead; posthumously awarded the Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct)[59][60]
  • Otley Police Station

See also

References
  1. Home Office Performance and Measurement: West Yorkshire Police
  2. "Tables for 'Police workforce, England and Wales, 31 March 2013". HM Government. Office for National Statistics. 31 March 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  3. West Yorkshire Police: Policing History Archived 25 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  4. West Yorkshire Police: Policing Firsts Archived 15 June 2005 at the Wayback Machine
  5. Police chiefs warn of fewer officers after Treasury shrinks budgets further The Guardian
  6. "Atkin is delighted at new police role in Bradford" 29 Oct 2013
  7. "Leeds | West Yorkshire Police". Westyorkshire.police.uk. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  8. "Bradford | West Yorkshire Police". Westyorkshire.police.uk. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  9. "Wakefield | West Yorkshire Police". Westyorkshire.police.uk. 23 April 2001. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  10. "Kirklees | West Yorkshire Police". Westyorkshire.police.uk. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  11. "Calderdale | West Yorkshire Police". Westyorkshire.police.uk. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  12. "The 'Father' of DNA fingerprinting opens the new Scientific Support Building in Wakefield — University of Leicester". .le.ac.uk. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  13. "New approach to regional collaboration - North Yorkshire Police". Northyorkshire.police.uk. 26 July 2013. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  14. West Yorkshire Police (2013) PFI Building Projects (accessed 4 July 2013)
  15. Wakefield Express (2013) A room for one at Wood Street - hotel plan for Wakefield's police station after council buy it as part of masterplan (accessed on 4 July 2013)
  16. West Yorkshire Police (2013) Wakefield 5th Event Feedback (accessed 4 July 2013)
  17. Yorkshire Evening Post (2013) Castleford Fire crews and police sharing new station (accessed 4 July 2013)
  18. BBC News (2012) Leeds City Council approves Millgarth Police station purchase (accessed 4 July 2013)
  19. The Leeds Citizen (2012) Rush on to get new Elland Road Police HQ through planning work to start in June (accessed 4 July 2013)
  20. Who was who: A Companion to Who's Who.
  21. Goodley, Simon (5 September 2016). "From Peter Sutcliffe to drugs policy: the career of Keith Hellawell". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  22. "West Yorkshire Police chief constable's suspension lifted". BBC News. 14 May 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  23. "North West Leeds Division". Wypnpt.org. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  24. "North East Leeds Division". Wypnpt.org. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  25. "City & Holbeck Division". Wypnpt.org. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  26. "Wakefield Division". Wypnpt.org. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  27. "Kirklees Division". Wypnpt.org. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  28. "Calderdale Division". Wypnpt.org. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  29. "Bradford South Division". Wypnpt.org. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  30. "Airedale & North Bradford Division". Wypnpt.org. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  31. "Internet Archive Wayback Machine". Replay.waybackmachine.org. 13 October 2002. Archived from the original on 13 October 2002. Retrieved 29 November 2011.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  32. "The new Calderdale Division". Web Archive. 1 January 2003. Archived from the original on 1 January 2003. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  33. "The new Wakefield Division". Web Archive. 26 July 2001. Archived from the original on 26 July 2001. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  34. "Millgarth Division". Web Archive. 13 December 2001. Archived from the original on 13 December 2001. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  35. "Pudsey Division". Web Archive. 14 June 2002. Archived from the original on 14 June 2002. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  36. "Chapeltown Division". Web Archive. 17 August 2002. Archived from the original on 17 August 2002. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  37. "Weetwood Division". Web Archive. 17 April 2002. Archived from the original on 17 April 2002. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  38. "Killingbeck Division". Web Archive. 15 June 2002. Archived from the original on 23 February 2004. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  39. "Holbeck Division". Web Archive. 17 August 2002. Archived from the original on 17 August 2002. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  40. "Keighley Division". Web Archive. 11 April 2002. Archived from the original on 11 April 2002. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  41. "Bradford North Division". Web Archive. 11 April 2002. Archived from the original on 11 April 2002. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  42. "Bradford South Division". Web Archive. 16 August 2001. Archived from the original on 16 August 2001. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  43. "Huddersfield Division". Web Archive. 17 April 2002. Archived from the original on 17 April 2002. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  44. "Dewsbury Division". Web Archive. 11 April 2002. Archived from the original on 11 April 2002. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  45. "The new City & Holbeck Division". Web Archive. 3 October 2003. Archived from the original on 3 October 2003. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  46. "The new Pudsey & Weetwood Division". Web Archive. 12 April 2003. Archived from the original on 12 April 2003. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  47. "The new Kirklees Division". Web Archive. 5 March 2005. Archived from the original on 5 March 2005. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  48. "The new North East Leeds Division". Web Archive. 2 April 2007. Archived from the original on 2 April 2007. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  49. "Merger of old Chapeltown and Killingbeck divisions". BBC News. 13 July 2006. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  50. "The new North West Leeds Division". Web Archive. 24 October 2007. Archived from the original on 24 October 2007. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  51. "Proposals to merge two of the three Bradford divisions". Web Archive. 20 January 2008. Archived from the original on 20 January 2008. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  52. Archived 20 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  53. "M1 driver jailed for PC killing". BBC News. 22 November 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  54. "Roll of honour: West Yorkshire police officers killed in the line of duty". The Yorkshire Post. 4 December 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  55. "Memorial service held for PC shot dead". BBC News. 18 November 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  56. "Tributes paid to cop killed in lorry crash". Huddersfield Examiner. 25 October 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  57. "Stone tribute to brave policeman". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  58. "PressReader.com - Connecting People Through News". www.pressreader.com. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  59. "'Let's honour two men killed by safe-blower in Farsley in 1970'". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  60. Wolfiewiseguy (15 May 2013). "WolfieWiseGuy: The Murder of Inspector Barry Taylor". WolfieWiseGuy. Retrieved 9 June 2018.

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