Policing and Crime

Role and Responsibilities

With regards to policing and crime, the Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, is responsible for:

• Securing the maintenance of an efficient and effective police force and holding the Chief Constable to account.
• Issuing a Police and Crime Plan, determining police and crime objectives.
• Attendance at the Police and Crime Panel.
• Preparing an annual report.
• Calculating a council tax or budget requirement (precept).
• Maintaining the Police Fund.
• Appointing, and where necessary, suspending or calling on a Chief Constable to retire or resign.
• Delegating some of these functions to a Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime where appointed.
• Consulting the public to ensure that their views and priorities on community safety issues inform the police and crime plan.
• Commissioning of services which include supporting victims and tackling reoffending.
• Strengthening links such as inclusive growth and community safety and cohesion.

To provide stronger and more transparent accountability of the police, the Mayor of West Yorkshire holds the Chief Constable to account, helping to make the police answerable to the communities they serve.

The Mayor will ensure community needs are met as effectively as possible and foster local relationships through building confidence. They will work in partnership across a range of agencies at local and national level to ensure there is a unified approach to preventing and reducing crime.

The Mayor does not run the police. The role is to be the voice of the people and hold the police to account.

About the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime

When the Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, was re-elected on 4 May 2024, they nominated Alison Lowe as their preferred candidate for Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC).

The appointment of this position was confirmed at a hearing of the Police and Crime Panel on Friday 14 June.

Find out more