Progress promise to improve women’s safety a year after North Yorkshire police commissioner resigns

Zoe Metcalfe said she had been “absolutely delighted” by the launch of a strategy to address violence against women and girls and that key work under each of its six objectives was already underway.

However, Mrs Metcalfe has told the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel, the purpose of which is to hold her to account, that the force is lacking sufficient trained detectives to deal with an anticipated increase in reported offences against women.

When asked how confident she was that the force had enough detectives to cope with an influx of crimes such as rape, Mrs Metcalfe replied: “We have got quite a few spaces in our detective team at the moment.”

Superintendent Ian Scott added the force was working on a plan to attract more detectives, upskill the force’s current detectives and ensure those it does have were only used for an appropriate range of situations.

Mrs Metcalfe added she was concerned about whether current levels of funding for partner organisations that were working hand in glove with the police and council to improve women’s safety.

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She said while the multi-agency Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy was launched in June, her office had also considered opportunities to promote educational messages, such as tackling misogyny.

Mrs Metcalfe said her office was also working with the Suzy Lamplugh Trust and North Yorkshire Police to review how the force responds to stalking cases.

The commissioner said women and girls were now being listened to in arenas such as focus groups, and action would be undertaken over the key issue of protective order breaches.

She said opportunities to expand gender specific support services throughout North Yorkshire and City of York, including rural and isolated areas.

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She said to tackle the root causes of violence against women and girls a multi-agency group was coordinating activity for Hate Crime Awareness Week, with

misogyny as a focus for the campaign.

To increase public confidence and trust in the police, she said police officers and other frontline staff were being trained to better identify and respond to offences such as stalking and illegal cultural harm.

The commissioner said a plan to enhance support services for victims had gained momentum since she bought a property on a small private business park on the outskirts of York in May.

She said plans were advancing to create a new Victims’ Centre including dedicated, modern Sexual Assault Referral Centre and Child Sexual Assault Assessment Service facilities, and video recorded interview suites to provide an improved service for all victims of sexual violence or abuse.