Crime consultation will see 10,000 homes across Wakefield being visited by officers

Officers and staff will be visiting residents across three council wards in the district - which stretches from Ryhill to Agbrigg through to Middlestown and Midgley - to ask four quick questions about what their policing priorities are as part of the #WakefieldTalking initiative.

The information will be used to identify and map community concerns for dedicated neighbourhood resources to be deployed most effectively.

The project will identify local issues and priorities on a street-by-street level giving the neighbourhood policing teams (NPTs) the ability to target issues at a local level.

Police staff taking part in the consultation will be wearing PPE and will only seek to speak with participating residents outside whilst socially distancing.

Those who want to take part in the two-minute survey will either be able to give their responses to officers there and then, or answer the same questions online later.

To answer online residents will be able to log on the Community Alerts website by clicking here. Inspector Paul Cumming of Wakefield Police, said: “#WakefieldTalking is a really ambitious initiative which has been resourced to enable to carry out and deliver a real improvement to many aspects of our policing and communication with residents.

“What we are launching in these council wards is very much a pilot based on successful ‘talking’ schemes carried out elsewhere by neighbouring police forces.

“Experience shows that having up to date information about residents concerns is vital as it helps us target resources such as roads policing and anti-social behaviour patrols where they are most needed.

Chief Inspector Rick Sumner of Wakefield District Police, said I want to ensure that the voice of our local communities is heard, particularly at a time when opportunities to engage have been reduced during the current pandemic. Not everyone has access to social media or the internet.”

All households in the three wards will be contacted.

The three council wards taking part are Crofton, Ryhill and Walton; Wakefield South and Wakefield Rural.

The communities involved will include: Crofton, Ryhill , Walton, Havercroft, Notton, Middlestown, Netherton, Midgley, Overton, Bretton, Woolley, Haigh, Hall Green, Painthorpe, Chapelthorpe, Durkar, Crigglestone, Newmillerdam, Calder Park, Calder Grove, Agbrigg, Sandal, Kettlethorpe and Belle Vue.