Police and Justice Bill

Local policing is central to neighbourhood policing and other matters. One of the exciting things that is happening in many parts of the country—I believe that that includes West Yorkshire—is opening police facilities in a wide range of areas such as schools, shopping centres and so on. Chief constables must examine the overall policing presence in their community, including the existing stations, and determine the best way in which to make an impact on their local communities. Much of the police estate was built decades—sometimes even centuries—ago, and reconfiguring it to fit the modern policing need is a key responsibility of the police in West Yorkshire or anywhere else. That is what they have to do, and they will do precisely that.