POLICE, FIRE AND CRIME PANEL REPORT
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Meeting Date |
23 April 2026 |
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Report Title |
Prevention & Early Intervention / Targeted Prevention - Data Driven Approaches at NYP. |
Information should be accessible for all. If you require this information in a different language or format, please contact the Police, Fire and Crime Team at info@northyorkshire-pfcc.gov.uk.
Purpose of this report
The purpose of this report is to outline the development of preventative, data‑driven approaches used to identify high‑risk locations and individuals and to provide updates on the programmes and operations currently in place, or planned, by North Yorkshire Police (NYP).
This work is framed by and directly aligned to the priorities set out within the North Yorkshire Police and Crime Plan, which provides the strategic focus and direction for both services. The report therefore highlights how NYP are delivering against the Plan’s ambitions and ensuring that prevention, community safety and resilience remain at the forefront of local service delivery.
Both NYP and NYFRS provide regular performance updates on the effectiveness of early intervention and prevention activities to the Deputy Mayor’s Strategic Oversight Boards and Online Public Meetings (OPMs).
North Yorkshire Police
1.0 Background
North Yorkshire Police (NYP) has increasingly shifted its policing towards prevention and early intervention as a core strategy to reduce demand, tackle the root causes of crime, and enhance community safety.
This approach has evolved, fully supported by the PFC, to a proactive, data-driven, partnership focused methodology through intelligence-led decision making and collaboration with partners. The prevention and early intervention approach is embedding across the force with a focus on identifying and problem solving in partnership, to tackle local problems early before they escalate and create demand upon other parts of policing or partner agencies.
2.0 Introduction
The shift into pro-active policing started when NYP introduced "Expedite" Teams in 2019 to tackle local crime and vulnerability through proactive investigation. Following this, in 2020, a pilot Public Safety Service was launched in the Craven district to prevent vulnerability and improve community resilience. Following the introduction of the Serious Violence Duty in 2023, NYP enhanced its focus on multi-agency approaches to prevent violence. This included launching the Serious Violence Duty Prevention and Early Intervention Fund.
The 2025 Force Management Statement Force Management Statement 2025 | North Yorkshire Police[1] confirms that prevention and early intervention are now embedded as the main vehicle for reducing future crime. Key actions include:
· Rural Task Force (RTF): Enhanced intelligence-led operations to deter rural crime.
· Hot Spot Policing: Securing £1 million in Home Office funding for 2024-2025 to tackle ASB and serious violence in specific hotspots.
· School Liaison Realignment: Moving School Liaison Officers directly under local Neighbourhood Policing Teams to strengthen preventative work with young people.
3.0 Specific Interventions
Below are some interventions in place, which predominantly cover youth provision. Youth provision remains a core pillar of early intervention across North Yorkshire, with NYP and commissioned partners delivering targeted programmes that give young people positive pathways and reduce the likelihood of offending.
3.1 Operation Divan
Local Policing Support (LPS) has developed several intervention projects such as Op Divan, and which are designed to reduce entry into the criminal justice system and provide effective early interventions. NYSCP [2]
· Identification route is done through intelligence reports, young people identified with knife and offensive weapons, and young people identified from incidents at home, schools, colleges and public spaces.
· Results have seen a significant reduction in knife/weapon offending in young people who have been involved in the program and are 60% less likely to commit knife-related crimes in the future.
· Of note: North Yorkshire are the only force to have this programme.
3.2 Operation Choice
An early intervention initiative aimed at reducing the criminalisation of young people found in possession of drugs, focusing on education and diversion.
· Identification through referrals of children and young people who are found in the possession of drugs. Operation Choice: Youth Justice Resource Hub[3]
· Results have seen an 80% reduction in drug possession with primary offence disposal at a Youth Offender Panel, over a 3-year period. Designed to avoid criminalising children for minor, first-time offences, focusing instead on restorative interventions.
3.3 Knife Drop Bins
Knife drop bins was a pilot in Harrogate (started in 2023) led to the removal of over 500 knives, prompting wider expansion.
· More than 1,700 weapons have been deposited in knife amnesty bins across North Yorkshire since a county-wide roll-out.
· Weapons including hunting knives, daggers and machetes have been handed in and will prevent them falling into the wrong hands.
· An interactive map was developed to show where knifes can be deposited and how to do it safely. Knife bins | North Yorkshire Police[4]
3.4 Clear, Hold, Build
Launched in March 2024 in Clifton (York) and Barrowcliff (Scarborough), this initiative focuses on disrupting organised crime and rehabilitating areas. Barrowcliff Clear, Hold, Build[5] Initial results from Clear, Hold, Build areas show reductions in ASB and improved community confidence, supported by targeted hotspot patrols and multi‑agency place‑based problem solving.
· Is a place-based, 3-phase operational framework designed to simultaneously tackle the totality of Serious Organised Crime. The 3rd stage, BUILD, aims to restore areas which includes promoting education and training opportunities aimed at diverting young people away from a life of crime.
Ø Since ‘Building Barrowcliff Together’ was launched, there has been a 25% decrease in overall crime on the estate, with 284 incidents in total.
Ø Incidents also decreased by 9% (840 in total).
Ø Most crime groups have seen a reduction compared with the previous 12-month period, except vehicle offences which went up by nine (10 in total) and drug offences which increase by four (19 in total). No drug importation offences were recorded in the area, which is positive as this offence type has increased across other areas of North Yorkshire.
Ø Anti-social behaviour has reduced by five offences with 85 offences in total.
Ø Arson and criminal damage reduced by five offences, with a total of 42 offences.
Ø Violence against the person reduced the most, with 71 fewer offences (146 in total).
Ø There have also been 11 arrests for possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply, and more than 50 disruptions of organised crime groups operating on the estate.
The number of intelligence reports has increased by 73%, from 362 in 2024-2025 to 626 reports in 2024-2025. This shows the level of support within the community as well as the work of officers to develop fresh lines of enquiry to act upon.
3.5 Operation Vigilant
Operation Vigilant is a NYP initiative deploying plain-clothed and uniformed officers in York and Scarborough to identify, challenge, and disrupt individuals displaying predatory, sexual, or harmful behaviour in the night-time economy. The operation aims to prevent sexual offenses, protect vulnerable people, and boost safety through proactive, intelligence-led patrols
· Results from Project Vigilant in Scarborough ended in 23 arrests, 9 stop and search, 9 dispersals, 49 people taken to places of safety and 68 conversations held to resolve incident escalation.
· As part of the VAWG Strategy, Op Vigilant continues to deploy in York City Centre on key dates, including race days.
This operation has been in the media recently as it was announced that The Home Office are investing over £1 million in Project Vigilant, expanding undercover operations across nine forces – one of the largest crackdowns yet on predatory behaviour in public spaces. North Yorkshire has had this in place since 2023.
3.6 School Liaison Realignment
Neighbourhood Policing Teams, including Schools‑based officers, have refocused on proactive prevention, earlier identification of vulnerability and increased engagement with young people and families.
In 2025 the realignment of Problem Solving and School Liaison resources took place. School Liaison Officers now come under the command of local Commands within Neighbourhood Policing teams. This are closely managed to ensure that these roles remain focused on the force’s prevention and early invention priority.
North Yorkshire Police has embraced the prevention and early intervention methodology as the main vehicle through reducing future crime to sustain the viability of the force to meet demand. If this approach isn’t embedded and driving benefits in the future the likely consequential growth of reactive demand and crime will outstrip any resourcing model the force can afford to put into place to meet demand
3.7 Activity led by the Mayor and Deputy Mayor for Policing Fire and Crime
The Deputy Mayor continues to convene regular strategic meetings with Community Safety Partnerships to drive consistent, joined‑up approaches to violence reduction, safeguarding, and community resilience.
The Mayor/Deputy Mayor are also leading cross‑agency work on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), ensuring the adoption of trauma‑informed, evidence‑based approaches across the county.
The Mayor has committed to doubling the Community Fund, increasing investment in grassroots prevention to ensure resources reach the places of greatest need and make the greatest impact.
Alongside this, the Community Fund’s processes are being reviewed to maximise fairness, transparency, and the impact of local prevention activity
The Mayor’s commissioning intentions further strengthen prevention through investment in restorative justice services, specialist women’s centres and targeted initiatives such as the Crossroads Project, supporting people at risk of entering or re‑entering the criminal justice system. This aligns with the Mayor’s commitment to significantly expand early intervention and prevention services across York and North Yorkshire.
4.0 Key Areas for Future Focus
Going forward there are key areas which will be prioritised in the Prevention and Early Intervention space.
· Developing a strengthened public health approach to crime, incorporating evidence‑based interventions addressing drugs and alcohol misuse, trauma, adverse childhood experiences and wider determinants of vulnerability.
· Working closely with Local Authorities, fire services, and health partners to create a "public health approach" to crime. This means using data, intelligence, and case studies to identify the extent and impact this has on perpetrators, victims of crime, and the wider community.
· Utilising analytical tools to identify high-risk areas or individuals for early intervention for data driven approaches.
· Proactive, trauma-informed support to break the cycle of crime for victims.
The March OPM also asked NYP about this topic and further details of some of the things mentioned in this report, relating to Prevention and Early Intervention can be found here, if you have not watched it already. Online Public Meeting – 19 March 2026 -NYP - Prevention and Early Intervention - York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority – Policing, Fire and Crime Team[6]