Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire | WYPCC

West Yorkshire Police hosts regional modern slavery event

28th October 2019

Police and partners from across Yorkshire and beyond have joined forces to tackle modern slavery.

West Yorkshire Police hosted the event - on Wednesday 23 October - which brought together staff involved in investigating Modern Slavery from across the four regional forces of North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Humberside.

Representations were made by legal experts and those involved in tackling serious and organised crime.

Detective Inspector Vicky Wilson of the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit, said:

"This was an event attended by senior officers and front line specialist practitioners to ensure our combined response to this horrific crime is as strong as possible.

"As criminals adapt so do we - we are always learning and developing our techniques and for example we had an input around how to best use Slavery and Trafficking Orders to disrupt offenders.

"If we are to stop modern slavery from happening and safeguard victims, we need both a strategic and an operational (front line) response.

"This event was about making sure our strategic response is as strong as it possibly can be."

The event was organised following on from the national Anti-Slavery Day on Friday 18 October

Mark Burns-Williamson, West Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) and National Lead PCC on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking, said: "I welcomed this training event which is a crucial step in keeping our officers, staff and partners fully equipped to tackle modern slavery and human trafficking.

"This is a complex area requiring a multi-partnership approach across all levels of strategic and operational agencies, not only to tackle this heartless criminality but also to care for and safeguard the victims.

"I am committed to continuing to work in close partnership with key agencies to help tackle the scourge of modern slavery and human trafficking, disrupting criminal networks and bringing perpetrators to justice wherever possible and preventing all the vile human rights abuses that can result in such dire consequences."