Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire | WYPCC

Launch of the first ever Victims’ Strategy for West Yorkshire

23rd September 2019

'The Supporting People Harmed by Crime' strategy will be officially launched by West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Mark Burns Williamson OBE, and the national Victims Commissioner for England and Wales, Dame Vera Baird QC.

The date will be Monday 11 November at a venue in central Leeds with the first part of the event starting at 1pm and ending at 5pm, and the second part, for those unable to make the earlier session and also open to those attending from the outset, starting at 5:30pm and ending at 8.30pm, the launch event will also provide an opportunity to engage with a variety of support services throughout.

Keynote speakers will include:

  • Mark Burns-Williamson on the Strategy and his regional role in supporting victims.
  • Dame Vera, Victims Commissioner for England and Wales and formerly Northumbria PCC.
  • John Robins QPM, Chief Constable of West Yorkshire, speaking about how West Yorkshire Police supports victims.

The strategy has been developed with the full involvement of stakeholders including West Yorkshire Police, other criminal justice partners, West Yorks Councils, the NHS and the third sector.

Victims and survivors themselves have also played an important role in developing the strategy, and will speaking about their experiences.

The event coincides with the further devolution of key responsibilities to Police and Crime Commissioners, for monitoring compliance with the Victims Code; and with new developments in support services for victims and survivors in West Yorkshire.

Mr Burns-Williamson said: "One of my most important roles as PCC is to champion the interests of all victims and witnesses, and this strategy goes some way to addressing that. I urge anyone with an interest in victims and witnesses to consider what we can do collectively to support them and to attend this important event launch.

"People and communities are at the heart of our policies, practice and development of services and the launch of this strategy is about putting people at the heart of what we are trying to achieve which is why victims and survivors of crime have played a pivotal role in helping to inform and develop this strategy."

There will be an opportunity for organisations offering support services to publicise their services in a "market place" style event.