16/11/2009
'Safer Streets' Pledge From Leeds Chief
Leeds city centre's new Chief Inspector has pledged to make it a safer place to live and work.
Vernon Francis has pledged to consult with all partners involved in the city to make it an even safer place to be, 24 hours a day.
Part of Chief Inspector Francis' role will be to introduce a new strategy to deter and tackle violent crime within the city centre.
He said: "The simple fact is that serious violent crime and disorder is rare within the city centre, and one of the reasons for this is the hard work done by Neighbourhood Policing Team officers and representatives from other agencies."
Chief Inspector Francis joined West Yorkshire Police in 1982, having previously played Rugby League professionally.
As a uniformed patrol officer, he was one of the first officers on the scene when Sgt John Speed was shot near Leeds Parish Church on Wednesday, 31 October, 1984.
On his arrival, he found Sgt Speed had been shot dead and his colleague PC John Thorpe had been seriously injured from a gunshot.
In 1988 he became a Drugs Squad officer and was promoted to sergeant in 1992.
He was then posted to the Operations Division in 1996 before returning to the City and Holbeck Division in 2004 on promotion to Inspector.
He was based at Rothwell unto 2007, when he was posted to Operations Support on promotion to Chief Inspector.
He added: "I'm extremely proud to be responsible for policing in the city centre and will work as hard as possible to ensure it is a safer place for everyone connected with it."
(PR/BMcC)
Vernon Francis has pledged to consult with all partners involved in the city to make it an even safer place to be, 24 hours a day.
Part of Chief Inspector Francis' role will be to introduce a new strategy to deter and tackle violent crime within the city centre.
He said: "The simple fact is that serious violent crime and disorder is rare within the city centre, and one of the reasons for this is the hard work done by Neighbourhood Policing Team officers and representatives from other agencies."
Chief Inspector Francis joined West Yorkshire Police in 1982, having previously played Rugby League professionally.
As a uniformed patrol officer, he was one of the first officers on the scene when Sgt John Speed was shot near Leeds Parish Church on Wednesday, 31 October, 1984.
On his arrival, he found Sgt Speed had been shot dead and his colleague PC John Thorpe had been seriously injured from a gunshot.
In 1988 he became a Drugs Squad officer and was promoted to sergeant in 1992.
He was then posted to the Operations Division in 1996 before returning to the City and Holbeck Division in 2004 on promotion to Inspector.
He was based at Rothwell unto 2007, when he was posted to Operations Support on promotion to Chief Inspector.
He added: "I'm extremely proud to be responsible for policing in the city centre and will work as hard as possible to ensure it is a safer place for everyone connected with it."
(PR/BMcC)
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