A View from the Joint Police Authorities Committee (JPAC)

Together with the support of the four Chief Constables from the four police forces of Yorkshire and the Humber, the spirit of collaborative working would be ineffective without the continued support of the Joint Police Authorities Committee (JPAC).

The Joint Police Authority Committee (JPAC).

Left to right (standing): Sir Norman Bettison - CC of West Yorkshire Police, Mr Meredydd Hughes - CC of South Yorkshire Police, Mr Grahame Maxwell – CC of North Yorkshire Police and Mr Tim Hollis – CC of Humberside Police.

Left to right (seated): Mark Burns-Williamson - Chair of West Yorkshire Police Authority, Jane Kenyon – Chair of North Yorkshire Police Authority, Charles Perryman - Chair of South Yorkshire Police Authority and Alene Branton MBE, Chair of Humberside Police Authority.

JPAC has been behind the approach of joint working that enhances and complements, but does not replace or compromise the policing delivering locally by individual forces to communities, from the start. Representatives from the four police authorities work closely with the Chief Constables and the Regional Programme Team to influence the strategic direction of joint working and the speed at which projects are implemented.

The Joint Committee had the opportunity to present some of the ongoing projects, and current results recently to Vernon Coaker, MP and Minister for State responsible for Policing, Crime and Security, at a meeting hosted by Humberside Police Authority.

Charles Perryman of South Yorkshire Police Authority and the Chair of JPAC outlined the journey taken to date to establish and run the Regional Roads Policing Team and detailed some of the results already obtained.

Alene Branton of Humberside Police Authority championed some of the discreet work undertaken by the Regional Intelligence Unit and the benefit of co-location of SOCA and other agencies.

Mr Coaker commented upon the good work that had already been undertaken and was impressed by the positive attitude the four forces and joint police authorities had shown in progressing their plans for collaborative working.

Jane Kenyon of North Yorkshire Police Authority, said: “We know the strength of the cooperation within the region and the successes that we have already achieved. Vernon Coaker’s visit gave us the opportunity to demonstrate those successes and in particular show him our ambitious plans for future joint working with Yorkshire and the Humber Region.

Much is often said of the difficulties in getting forces and authorities to agree common goals within regions and we have never pretended that it would be easy. But what we have shown is that with commitment and a positive ‘can do’ approach we can make a difference.”

Vision Statement

For the four Police Forces and Police Authorities of Yorkshire and the Humber to work together to build capacity and capability in specialist and strategic areas of policing, adding value and improving confidence for the overall benefit of the region.