A Message From The Chiefs

We have travelled a long way since we began the journey of collaborative working between the four forces of Yorkshire and the Humber.

Initial work centred on establishing a formal meeting and decision making process and we, as Chief Constables, have invested our energy in building lasting relationships to create a formalised structure of how the police forces and police authorities can work together for the greater good. It is important, however, that we future proof our activities and do not rely unduly on good personal relationships.

Our joint vision is to continue to deliver improved neighbourhood policing to local communities and at the same time increase our collective ability to meet the requirement for effectively delivered protective services. We are also looking at ways to improve efficiencies across the four forces and these efficiencies will be fed back into front line policing.

It is encouraging to see that some of the earliest aims and aspirations are now coming to fruition. We are particularly pleased that the Regional Roads Policing Team (RRPT), as part of the Strategic Roads Policing Project, is now operational and already producing some excellent results, tackling cross-border criminals that use the region’s roads.

Other successes which demonstrate the value of collaborating together include the Regional Intelligence Unit and its partnership activities with other agencies such as the Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA). Working in such close proximity has obvious advantages and the Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU) is maximising those benefits even at this early stage.

Yorkshire and the Humber is leading the way for its joint working practices. We were very encouraged to know that we have gained a good reputation nationally for our collaborative approach. Vernon Coaker, Minister for State responsible for Policing, Crime and Security acknowledged the work we have carried out to date at a recent Joint Police Authorities Committee (JPAC) meeting. He stated that others around the country could learn from what we have done so far and commended our hard work to date.

Finally, we are delighted that South Yorkshire Police has become the lead force for HR and the Employment Framework. As well as a great show of confidence, it creates real stability for our regional teams and allows us to plan for the further development of joint working.

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.

Picture above (L-R) the four Chief Constables, Grahame Maxwell, Tim Hollis, Meredydd Hughes and Sir Norman Bettison.

Find out more about how the four regional Police forces are working together…