West Yorkshire Police
Yorkshire and the Humber · Territorial force · 6,100 officers
Key Statistics
Officers
6,100
Staff
2,700
Area (sq miles)
783
Population served
2,350,000
About West Yorkshire Police
Covering Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Halifax and Wakefield. A diverse force area with both urban centres and rural Pennine communities, offering a varied policing experience.
West Yorkshire Police serves a diverse region spanning urban centers and rural Pennine communities, presenting varied policing experiences. It operates in a culturally rich area marked by significant hubs such as Leeds and Bradford, enabling officers to engage with diverse populations. The force stands out with its operational quirks, facing unique challenges due to its geographical position, including borders with other police forces, extensive transport corridors, and proximity to historic sites. The area is served by major motorways, enhancing connectivity but also requiring focused traffic management and crime prevention efforts. Among its notable specialist units are the Cyber Crime Unit, Domestic Violence Unit, and a robust Public Order Unit, which are designed to address contemporary policing challenges and maintain public safety. West Yorkshire Police's commitment to community-focused initiatives is evident in its current priorities, including the Police Race Action Plan to promote equality, raising awareness about violence against women and girls, and tackling anti-social behavior, underscoring a progressive approach to policing in the modern era.
Current priorities
- Police Race Action Plan
- Violence against women and girls
- Reducing anti-social behaviour
- Community engagement initiatives
Notable specialisms
Source: About West Yorkshire Police. Summary fetched 2026-07-05.
Public-data snapshot
Workforce
Officers
6,100
Staff
2,700
Total headcount
8,800
Source: Home Office Police Workforce Statistics as of 31 March 2025 · OGL v3
HMICFRS PEEL rating
outstanding
Inspection cycle: 2023-2025
Source: HMICFRS PEEL assessments · Open Government Licence v3.0
In recent oversight reports
West Yorkshire Police is named in 2 recent IOPC investigation outcomes or HMICFRS thematic reports.
Former West Yorkshire officer charged following investigation into police corruption
2026-06-02 · IOPC
Terms of reference: Home Secretary’s commission for a thematic inspection of the handling of misconduct in fire and rescue services
2023-07-19 · HMICFRS
From data.police.uk
data.police.uk covers England, Wales & Northern Ireland; not Police Scotland.
Stop and search
Latest available month: 2026-08. 1,700 recorded stop-and-search records that month. Officer-defined ethnicity was recorded on 0% of records.
By object of search (2026-08)
| Controlled drugs | 1,160 |
| Article for use in theft | 163 |
| Stolen goods | 118 |
| (not recorded) | 117 |
| Offensive weapons | 108 |
| Psychoactive substances | 13 |
| Firearms | 11 |
| Articles for use in criminal damage | 10 |
By outcome (2026-08)
| A no further action disposal | 1,087 |
| Community resolution | 275 |
| Arrest | 263 |
| Summons / charged by post | 43 |
| (not recorded) | 22 |
| Caution (simple or conditional) | 10 |
Source: data.police.uk · Open Government Licence v3.0
Recorded crime by category
24,418 crimes recorded by West Yorkshire Police in 2026-08 (latest published month), by category. Counted from the published street-level archive; England, Wales & Northern Ireland only.
| Crime type (2026-08) | Recorded |
|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 8,785 |
| Anti-social behaviour | 3,211 |
| Shoplifting | 1,957 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 1,911 |
| Public order | 1,778 |
| Other theft | 1,543 |
| Vehicle crime | 1,364 |
| Burglary | 1,227 |
| Drugs | 924 |
| Other crime | 773 |
| Robbery | 396 |
| Possession of weapons | 229 |
| Theft from the person | 177 |
| Bicycle theft | 143 |
| Total | 24,418 |
Source: data.police.uk street-level archive · Open Government Licence v3.0
Misconduct hearing outcomes
1 published misconduct-hearing outcome for West Yorkshire Police. Officer names are omitted; follow the source link for the full published record.
Deaths during or following police contact
IOPC-recorded fatalities involving West Yorkshire Police over 2004/05 to 2024/25 (2024/25 in brackets). These use the IOPC’s five categories, which have different definitions and are not additive. Figures count incidents the IOPC attributed to West Yorkshire Police; see the national page for how multi-force incidents are handled.
Recruitment
How to join West Yorkshire Police
Application stages, entry routes, fitness and vetting requirements.