Wakefield Council is funding more police officers
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Wakefield Council is committed to keeping communities safer for residents by helping to put more police and enforcement officers on the streets to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.
As part of the 2026/27 budget, £200,000 from the District Investment Fund will help support police staff and two Council enforcement officers to fight crime and anti-social behaviour in our city and towns.
The £4.3 million District Investment fund will also support families with school uniforms and childcare, help young people access training and leisure opportunities, and give a seasonal payment to qualifying pensioners.
“We’re determined to ensure our city and town centres are places where people want to visit, live, work and do business.
“We know that seeing more police on the streets is reassuring for people in our communities.
“Our ongoing work with the police on tackling anti-social behaviour has seen great success. And I’m pleased to say through this funding we can ensure this work continues, keeping our streets safer and more enjoyable for everyone.”
Cllr Daniel Wilton
Cabinet member for Communities
By funding more officers, the police will be able to increase patrols helping to tackle anti-social behaviour across the district. Strengthening the Council’s commitment to keeping communities safer for residents.
Through the partnership work between the police, the Council and other partners on the Anti-Social Behaviour Taskforce, Wakefield has seen a significant reduction in crime in the city centre over recent months.
Chief Superintendent Stuart Bainbridge, Wakefield District Commander, said: “This funding will help us build on the great work we’ve already been doing across the Wakefield district, as a police force and as a partnership.
“We’ll now be able to fill in the gaps and direct our patrols to where they’re needed most. Allowing us to form a targeted response across the entire district.”
Recent success has been helped by the extension of the city centre Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in December 2025. During 2025, the Council successfully applied for 31 criminal behaviour orders and issued 154 fixed penalty notices for nuisance and anti-social behaviour in four PSPO areas across the district.