Annual report 2013 -2014

Details

This annual report charts the development of North Yorkshire Police over the past 12 months.

This period has  been a time of great change for North Yorkshire Police. It has been the first full year of PCCs; a new Chief Constable and Assistant Chief Constable have been appointed; and we are seeing investment across the organisation. Change is always challenging, though – and the past year has been no different. Despite this, officers and staff have continued to work incredibly hard for North Yorkshire’s public, and I want to thank them for their dedication, commitment and professionalism.

Perhaps the most significant moment for our force this year was the appointment of a permanent Chief Constable. Then serving as Assistant Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s rural region, Dave Jones was the clear and unanimous choice of both myself and my five-strong recruitment panel.

He has brought with him a breadth and depth of policing experience that will be of great benefit to North Yorkshire Police. His determined, yet collaborative approach was honed in Northern Ireland, where partnership and community policing are paramount. This has already started to take effect here, where together we are trying to better engage with both the police service and the public whenever we can.

There have also been some significant investments made in North Yorkshire Police. First and foremost, the Chief Constable and I overturned the Police Authority decision to reduce police officer numbers. Alongside recent investments in IT, there are now 100 more officers on the beat.

Further funding has been made available for the formation of a Major Crime Unit, Automatic Number Plate Recognition and the launch of North Yorkshire’s first Sexual Assault Referral Centre in York.

We have also worked with the health sector to open two facilities for sufferers of serious mental health problems – meaning these individuals no longer have to be kept in police cells if detained under the Mental Health Act. These are crucial changes that are putting people and victims at the heart of policing in North Yorkshire, despite shrinking funds.

North Yorkshire Police continues to develop and change and I will continue to invest in key services and ensure best value for money. I will do so openly and transparently, so you can easily see why and where we have decided to spend your money.

I hope this annual report is a helpful document that charts the development of North Yorkshire Police over the past 12 months and remain available to the public via letter, email or social media. Those who want to raise anything with me in person can do at one of the surgeries held around the county.