North Yorkshire Police is theterritorial police force covering theunitary authorities ofNorth Yorkshire and theCity of York in northern England. As of April 2024 the force had a strength of 1,665 police officers, 127special constables, 192PCSOs and 1,072 police staff.^{[4][failed verification]} Of the 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales, the force has the 3rd largest geographic area of responsibility whilst being the 15th smallest force in terms of police officer numbers.

North Yorkshire Police
Abbreviation	NYP
Agency overview
Formed	1 April 1974; 51 years ago (1974-04-01)
Annual budget	£146.8 million[1]
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	North Yorkshire, York
Map of North Yorkshire Police's jurisdiction
Size	8,310 square kilometres (3,210 sq mi)
Population	0.813 million
Constituting instrument	Police Act 1996
General nature	Local civilian police
Operational structure
Overseen by	His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services Independent Office for Police Conduct
Headquarters	Northallerton
Sworn members	1,370 (of which 158 areSpecial Constables)[2]
Mayor responsible	David Skaith,(L Co-op)
Agency executive	Tim Forber (2024–)[3], Chief constable
Safer Neighbourhood Commands	6
Facilities
Stations	24
Custody Suites	3
Website
www.northyorkshire.police.uk

The force was formed on 1 April 1974, under theLocal Government Act 1972, and was largely a successor to theYork and North East Yorkshire Police, also taking part of the oldWest Riding Constabulary's area. The York and North East Yorkshire Police had covered theNorth Riding of Yorkshire, theEast Riding of Yorkshire and thecounty borough ofYork; it was itself formed in 1968 from a merger of the two riding forces with the York City Police.^[5]

Proposals made by theHome Secretary on 21 March 2006 would have seen the force merge withWest Yorkshire Police,South Yorkshire Police andHumberside Police to form a strategic police force for the entire region.^[6] However, these proposals were later dropped.^[7]

It was announced in January 2007 that the thenChief Constable, Della Cannings, would be retiring from the force on 16 May 2007 due to illness.^[8] Della Cannings made the headlines on a number of occasions. She was not allowed to purchase wine fromTesco inNorthallerton in March 2004 until she had taken off her hat andepaulettes, as it was illegal to sell alcohol to on-duty police officers.^[9] In October 2006 it was revealed that more than £28,000 had been spent to refurbish ashower in her office.^[10]

On 19 April 2007, it was announced that Grahame Maxwell was to become the new Chief Constable of North Yorkshire Police. Grahame Maxwell began his career withCleveland Police and served in all ranks up to Chief Superintendent when he became District Commander inMiddlesbrough. After completing the Strategic Command Course in 2000, he was appointed as anAssistant Chief Constable withWest Yorkshire Police and during his four years there served as the ACC Specialist Operations and ACC Territorial Operations. Mr Maxwell was promoted toDeputy Chief Constable withSouth Yorkshire Police in January 2005 and become the Chief Constable of North Yorkshire Police on 17 May 2007.^[11]

Dave Jones QPM, was appointed as chief constable in 2013 after serving as Assistant Chief Constable at thePolice Service of Northern Ireland, where he had command of the Rural Division. He was awarded the Queen's Police Medal in the2017 New Year Honours List^[12] and retired from the role in 2018.^[13]

In July 2017, the force's headquarters was moved fromNewby Wiske to Alverton Court inNorthallerton. The new headquarters is the former offices of the Rural Payments Agency.^[14] The previous headquarters at Newby Wiske is agrade II listed building and was becoming difficult to upgrade into the 21st century. The memorial stones commemorating those who have served the police in the region have been moved to the new headquarters from Newby Wiske. These include those who have died in theFirst and theSecond World Wars and also those who have died in the line of duty.^[15]

In August 2018, it was confirmed that Lisa Winward would become the new chief constable with immediate effect. Winward joined the police in 1993 and has been serving in the North Yorkshire police service since 2008.^[16]

Since May 2024, the force has been overseen by the electedMayor of York and North Yorkshire. This mayoral role has also included oversight of theNorth Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Previously, until May 2024 the overseer was theNorth Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, and before November 2012 the North YorkshirePolice Authority had nine councillors (drawn from bothNorth Yorkshire County Council andCity of York Council), threejustices of the peace, and five independent members.^{[citation needed]} The PFCC was abolished and its functions were transferred to the mayor.^[17]

• 1974–1977 : Robert Boyes^[18]
• 1977–1979 :John Woodcock^[18]
• 1979–1985 : Kenneth Henshaw^[18]
• 1985–1989 : Peter Nobes^[19]
• 1989–1998 : David Burke^[19]
• 1998–2002 : David Kenworthy^[19]
• 2002–2007 : Della Cannings^[20]
• 2007–2012 : Graham Maxwell^[20]
• 2012–2013 : Tim Madgwick^[21]
• 2013–2018 : Dave Jones^[13]
• 2018–2024 : Lisa Winward^[22]
• 2024–present : Tim Forber^[3]

ThePolice Roll of Honour Trust andPolice Memorial Trust list and commemorate all British police officers killed in the line of duty. Since its establishment in 1984, the Police Memorial Trust has erected 50 memorials nationally to some of those officers.

The following officers of North Yorkshire Police are listed by the trust as having died attempting to prevent, stop or solve a crime, since the turn of the 20th century:^[23]

• Acting DC Norman Garnham, 1977 (fatally stabbed during an arrest)^[24]
• PC David Ian Haigh, 1982 (shot dead byBarry Prudom)^[25]
• Sergeant David Thomas Winter, 1982 (shot dead byBarry Prudom)^[25]
• Special constableGlenn Thomas Goodman, 1992 (shot dead; posthumously awarded theQueen's Commendation for Brave Conduct)^[26]

• List of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories
• Law enforcement in the United Kingdom

• Official website 
• North Yorkshire Police atHMICFRS
• Operation Countryman 2 is Launched