The urban crime fund and total geographic policing initiatives in West Yorkshire

Abstract

The Urban Crime Fund initiative (UCF) in the West Yorkshire Police Authority Area between April 1992 and March 1993 furnished substantial additional resources to selected police forces (West Yorkshire, Northumbria and Merseyside) to deal with urban policing problems. In this paper, we concentrate upon the several ‘total geographic policing’, or ‘problem‐oriented policing’ projects, which in fact consumed the bulk of the budget. Having defined those terms, we describe the practical implementation of the projects by way of Dedicated Policing Teams and the ways in which they sought to achieve public consultation and accountability. We then evaluate both the processes involved in the initiative and the outcomes (in terms of recorded crime levels and clear up rates, as well as public perceptions). We conclude by noting some of the limitations which arise when, as in this case, a ‘top‐down’ initiative is grafted onto existing communities.