Two police public help desks across Wakefield and Pontefract set to close permenently

By Kara McKune
Published 10th Feb 2023, 09:00 BST
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Two police help-desks in Wakefield and Pontefract, which were temporarily closed in 2021, will shut permanently after an internal review.

West Yorkshire Police conducted the review of the service offered at Pontefract Town Hall and the help-desk at Northgate, Wakefield, after a force-wide decline in numbers, with more people turning to non-emergency 101 number and online contact options for advice.

The review looked at whether the public help desks across the county were providing the best possible service based on community needs, public and internal demand and the changing use of technology.

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in response, the review found that, across the period analysed, there was a reduction in total contacts at help desks across the force, with contact through online services rising significantly, from 86,000 per year, when the current help desk model was introduced in 2017, to 280,000 per year in 2022.

Pontefract Town Hall's police help desk will shut for good after temporarily being closed in 2021.Pontefract Town Hall's police help desk will shut for good after temporarily being closed in 2021.
Pontefract Town Hall's police help desk will shut for good after temporarily being closed in 2021.

The Pontefract help-desk temporarily shut in January 2021, with the help desk at Northgate, Wakefield, temporarily closed since September 2021.

Now, the move has been confirmed as permanent with Pontefract Town Hall and Wakefield Northgate public help desks shutting for good as well as the help-desks at Todmorden Police Station and Leeds Central Police Station.

West Yorkshire Police insisted that 24/7 patrol and neighbourhood policing operations will continue and that there will still be help desks in each of the five West Yorkshire policing districts for essential face-to-face contact.

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Superintendent Mick Rutter, of West Yorkshire Police said: “These are not decisions that we have taken lightly, but it is important that we are providing a cost-effective service to the public.

The Wakefield Northgate public service desk is set close permanently following a review by West Yorkshire Police.The Wakefield Northgate public service desk is set close permanently following a review by West Yorkshire Police.
The Wakefield Northgate public service desk is set close permanently following a review by West Yorkshire Police.

“Our help desks are just one way that the public can interact with the police, and they are complemented by the 999 and 101 phone lines and our online contact options.

"In recent years, more and more people have been utilising our free and easy to use online options, which include forms to report crimes and anti-social behaviour and 101 Live Chat.

“We have been running a reduced help desk service for some time due to staff shortages and, alongside this review, have been recruiting and training new staff to enable us to have eight public help desks open across the Force area. I would like to thank the public for their patience during this time,” Supt Rutter added.