Domestic violence victims are among those benefiting from a pilot scheme which has seen police brought back to Bradford to use their local knowledge to get better responses to calls from the public.
Officers and civilian staff, trained at a more centralised police calls centre also covering Halifax, Kirklees and parts of Leeds, are now operating from a base at Trafalgar House police station, and taking responsibility for incidents in the Bradford South district.
The staff all volunteered to return to Bradford, where most still live, and the Bradford South Divisional Commander said the scheme, which is now being rolled out across the Force, was making a difference.
Airedale and North Bradford division has also set up a domestic violence Rapid Reaction team to increase help for victims over Christmas – which traditionally sees a spike in domestic violence.
Chief Superintendent Alison Rose said: “The whole point is to give the best possible response to victims. These officers and staff are bringing with them the technical expertise they have learned, and using it alongside their local knowledge to bring a better service to victims.
“When you take a vulnerable victim, like a woman in distress, having the ability to understand the area and understand the people that call frequently, gives us the opportunity to get it right from the very first call.”
In Airedale and North Bradford, extra specialist domestic violence officers will be drafted in to respond as quickly as possible to those who need help.
Chief Supt Rose said in one case it took a woman 34 times before she reported domestic abuse. She said: “My message is don’t wait to report it. That is potentially 34 times that your child could see you being assaulted. They may be emotionally damaged for the rest of their lives.
“There may be a perception that in the past, victims have not been supported by the courts or the criminal justice system. That is not the case in Bradford. The vast majority of people who commit a domestic violence-related crime are immediately arrested. We do everything in our power to charge them and they appear before a special court in Bradford.”
The domestic abuse campaign includes a short film, featuring an interview with a victim, and posters being placed in workplaces, including hairdressers and beauty salons, encouraging women to report abuse.
Chief Supt Rose said: “A lot of women talk to their hairdresser about their problems. It’s not often this sort of business sector can get involved in crime prevention, but in this case they can.
“In my experience, Christmas is always a difficult time when there are problems within a relationship. It’s quite often affected by alcohol, and sometimes drugs, and sometimes just the fact that people are physically very close to each other throughout Christ-mas and New Year.
“I urge victims of domestic abuse to come forward and we will help. I want to reassure people that we are very capable of responding to any call that comes in.”
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