Crime tsar shares plans for new year

West Yorkshire Police plans to recruit hundreds of special constables this year, a crime chief revealed.
19th February 2013. Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire Mark Burns-Williamson.19th February 2013. Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire Mark Burns-Williamson.
19th February 2013. Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire Mark Burns-Williamson.

Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire, Mark Burns Williamson, said the role of the volunteers was “vital” to effective policing across the area.

He said: “We ‘re planning to recruit approximately 1,000 special constables in the new year, a role vital to effective policing in West Yorkshire as Dr Alistair McFadyen, one of our specials just awarded the MBE for services to community policing, clearly shows. Volunteers are also urged to sign up and get involved with the Tour de France coming to Yorkshire in 2014.”

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Mr Burns Williamson said he would be focusing on safer neighbourhoods with more visible policing, more integrated partnership work, increased engagement, greater support for victims and more opportunities for volunteers this year.

He said: “With a new victim code in place, 2014 will see an improved service for victims and witnesses in West Yorkshire with their needs at the heart of the way support is provided and in the best way possible.

“This year sees huge challenges for our West Yorkshire police service and across our vital public services with a government cut to the police budget of nearly a third resulting in £154m of savings needed by 2016/17.

“These challenges mean in the year ahead we need to make sure we are all working on intervention and crime prevention together, with police resources focused on catching the criminals and detecting crime.”