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 county councils were abolished. 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. This did not take place.
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. In August 2023, the West Yorkshire Police attracted controversy when they arrested an autistic 16-year-old girl in Leeds for telling a female police officer that she looked like her 'lesbian nana' while in her own home.
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.
The five existing divisions with their divisional identifiers are as follows:
Identifier
District
Partnership Working Areas
District HQ
LD
Leeds
City, Inner East, Inner North East, Inner North West, Inner South, Inner West, Outer East, Outer North East, Outer North West, Outer South, Outer West
Batley and Spen, Dewsbury and Mirfield, Huddersfield, Rural
Huddersfield Police Station
CD
Calderdale
Halifax Centre, Halifax North, Halifax West, Valley North, Valley North East, Valley South, Valley South East, Valley West
Halifax Police Station
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. West Yorkshire Police is the 'lead force' for scientific support and provides such services for North Yorkshire Police, South Yorkshire Police and Humberside Police.
Estate
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[update], there are three PFI projects completed and as a result of these new buildings a number of police stations have closed and been sold.
Wakefield district police headquarters is now located on Havertop Lane, Normanton. The total area is 11,500 m2 (124,000 square feet) and provides office accommodation as well as a 35-cell custody suite. As a result of its construction, police stations in Wood Street, Wakefield, Normanton, and Castleford were closed.
The new headquarters for the newly formed Leeds district is operational on Elland Road, Beeston, Leeds. The total area is 12,500 m2 (135,000 square feet) and provides office accommodation as well as a 40-cell custody suite. It replaced Millgarth, and Holbeck police stations in Leeds.
The existing operational support facilities at Carr Gate, Wakefield were expanded and new buildings constructed which provide centralised specialist training for the force in one location. The new facility, which totals 20,000 m2 (220,000 square feet) includes:
Training hub facility (reception, classrooms, three 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 – 100-metre (330 ft) and two 50-metre (160 ft) firing ranges, armoury, etc.
Method of entry area – approximately 400 m2 (4,300 square feet)
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) conducts a periodic police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy (PEEL) inspection of each police service's performance. In its latest PEEL inspection, West Yorkshire Police was rated as follows:
The Police Roll of Honour Trust and Police Memorial Trust list and commemorate all British police officers killed in the line of duty. Since its establishment in 1984, the Police Memorial Trust has erected 50 memorials nationally 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:
PC Mark Goodlad, 2011, (Assisting motorist on M1 when a HGV struck him and his marked police vehicle)
PC Conal Daood Hills, 2006 (fatally injured when his vehicle crashed during a police pursuit)
On a wreath Argent and Azure, a falcon, wings addorsed, Azure, beaked and legged Argent, supporting with the dexter talon a staff Argent, flying therefrom a banner of the Arms.
Escutcheon
Or, a portcullis chained Gules; on a chief dancetty Azure three roses of seven petals Argent, barbed and seeded Or.
Supporters
On either side a griffin regardant Azure, beaked, membered and collared, with a chain reflexed over the back, pendant from the collar four portcullises chained conjoined at their upper ends in cross surmounted by a rose of seven petals Argent, barbed and seeded Or.
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