Mayor to end West Yorkshire’s role as lead force for NPAS

The Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, said she has given 12 months formal notice to end the current arrangement and allow a “new delivery model and structure” to be put in place.

Ms Brabin said: “Although NPAS is a unique national collaboration with a strong brand and has evolved over many years during difficult times in delivering a truly 24/7 borderless service, the conflicting pressures of diminishing resources, new technology and the ever-changing requirements of policing in England and Wales nearly ten years on have become too great to dismiss.

“It is against this backdrop that I have now provided the required 12 months’ notice, to cease the current role that West Yorkshire plays as the lead local policing body.”

Her decision follows a meeting with the Minister of State for Policing and Crime, Kit Malthouse MP, last week in which the future of the NPAS discussed.

“At times, leadership of NPAS has been a herculean effort by all involved and I pay tribute to all the staff who do a great job day-in-day out in providing this specialist key service for policing and our communities,” said Ms Brabin.

“Since the outset, when NPAS was first established under a West Yorkshire lead force model on behalf of policing in England and Wales, it has always been anticipated that there would be a change in the way that the service is delivered, and over the last few years there has been much work and time spent on reviewing the governance and leadership of police aviation.

“Progress has been slow due to a number of reasons, and I believe now is the right time to take stock of the situation and look towards a different way of operating the service.”

Ms Brabin, who took on the police and crime commissioner (PCC) responsibilities as lead local policing body for the NPAS when she was elected, added: “I know there is already an emerging consensus among PCCs for a new delivery model to be established and this is a view that I also share.

“If this is to be achieved, however, the Home Office must also play a key role in helping to jointly secure a sustainable solution for the future of police air support in tandem with any proposed governance changes.

“While we arrive at a position where we can hand over to a new delivery model and structure, West Yorkshire Police will continue to deliver NPAS to the same high standards in supporting policing and helping to keep our communities safe throughout England and Wales.”

The NPAS provides air support to all police forces in England and Wales through a fleet of helicopters and aeroplanes.

Flights are managed by the NPAS Operations Centre, which is based in West Yorkshire.

NPAS was formed in October 2012 following a national review of air support by the Home Office with West Yorkshire Police named as the lead force for its delivery – which NPAS says is “a unique arrangement in UK policing”. All 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales, together with British Transport Police, contribute funding for the service.