High praise for police ‘dedication’ in pandemic

REPORT SAYS FORCE HAS PROVIDED INVALUABLE SUPPORT

WEST Yorkshire Police officers have shown “dedication and commitment” throughout the Covid-19 pandemic for going above and beyond to help people.

A new report has revealed how police officers across West Yorkshire provided invaluable support to social services and probation workers throughout last year.

In one instance, a police officer took photographs inside a house and emailed them to a social worker so that social services could assess if it was suitable for a child to live in. Others carried out vital probation visits in the community that would otherwise not have been fulfilled.

The findings were revealed in a report on yesterday by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS).

“Police forces took immediate and decisive action to respond to the extreme circumstances of the pandemic,” said the report. “During the first lockdown the demand on policing changed. There were fewer reports of some crimes such as theft and robbery, and an increased need to support the work of other frontline services as well as enforcing lockdown restrictions.

“This change meant forces utilised their

I am very proud of the remarkable effort of our

officers and staff.

resources differently.”

Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Tyron Joyce, who is leading West Yorkshire Police’s Covid-19 operation, said: “The ongoing response to the Covid-19 pandemic over the last year has been an incredibly challenging time for policing.

“I am very proud of the remarkable effort of our officers and staff, and that of the partner agencies we have worked alongside, and thank them for all their hard work and resilience.”

The report scrutinised the actions of police from March to November 2020.