West Yorkshire Police

Infobox UK Police
name= West Yorkshire Police
area= West Yorkshire
start= 1974 (merger)
population= 2,108,000
size= 2,029 km²
officers= 5,671
title= Chief Constable
head= Sir Norman Bettison
divname= Divisions
divno= 9
stations= 41
HQ= Wakefield

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web= [http://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/ West Yorkshire Police]

West Yorkshire Police is the Home Office police force responsible for policing West Yorkshire in England. It is the fourth largest force in England and Wales by number of officers, with 5671 officers.

West Yorkshire Police Authority contains 9 councillors, 3 magistrates and 5 independent members. The councillors are appointed by the five borough councils in the area - Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield.

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. [http://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/section-item.asp?sid=2&iid=821] [http://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/section-item.asp?sid=10&iid=343]

Proposals made by the Home Secretary on March 21, 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. These plans are currently under review and not expected to take place in the foreseeable future.

On 12 December 2006, Sir Norman Bettison was announced as the new Chief Constable, replacing Colin Cramphorn.

West Yorkshire Police is reported to have had £6.3 million GBP invested in failed Icelandic financial institutions.

Divisional structure

For operational purposes, West Yorkshire Police is divided into eight divisions. The force headquarters is at Bishopgarth, in the city of Wakefield. The divisions (with their associated stations and divisional identifiers) are:

* AA - North West Leeds Division (Weetwood, Pudsey, Horsforth & Otley) "- covering North and West Leeds [ [http://www.wypnpt.org/Division.asp?id=11 North West Leeds Division] ] "
* BA - North East Leeds Division (Stainbeck, Killingbeck, Wetherby & Garforth) "- covering North East Leeds [ [http://www.wypnpt.org/Division.asp?id=21 North East Leeds Division] ] "
* CA - City & Holbeck Division (Holbeck, Millgarth & Morley) "- covering Central and South Leeds [ [http://www.wypnpt.org/Division.asp?id=16 City & Holbeck Division] ] "
* DA - Wakefield Division (Wakefield, Pontefract, Castleford & South Kirkby) "- covering the Wakefield Metropolitan District area [ [http://www.wypnpt.org/Division.asp?id=15 Wakefield Division] ] "
* EA - Kirklees Division (Huddersfield, Dewsbury & Holmfirth) "- covering the Kirklees Metropolitan District area" [ [http://www.wypnpt.org/Division.asp?id=9 Kirklees Division] ]
* FA - Calderdale Division (Halifax & Todmorden)"- covering the Calderdale Metropolitan District area [ [http://www.wypnpt.org/Division.asp?id=7 Calderdale Division] ] "
* GA - Bradford South Division (Bradford South police station) "- covering Central and South Bradford [ [http://www.wypnpt.org/Division.asp?id=17 Bradford South Division] ] "
* HA - Airedale & North Bradford Division (Keighley & Ilkley) "- covering the North of Bradford & the Keighley [ [http://www.wypnpt.org/Division.asp?id=10 Airedale & North Bradford Division] ] "

ee also

*List of police forces in the United Kingdom
*Policing in the United Kingdom

References

External links

* [http://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/ West Yorkshire Police Website]
* [http://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/npt West Yorkshire Police Neighbourhood Policing Teams Website]
* [http://www.999tv.org/ West Yorkshire Police Video Website]
* [http://www.wypa.org/ West Yorkshire Police Authority Website]
* [http://www.beatcrime.info/ West Yorkshire Crime Statistics Website]