Recommendations - West Yorkshire Police, May 2026

The IOPC recommends that West Yorkshire Police should review and enhance the training provided on honour-based abuse for first responders and supervisors with consideration given to doing this in partnership with appropriate third sector organisations. 

Enhanced training should ensure that officers and staff are equipped to consistently identify and respond to risk associated with honour-based abuse, including recognising identifiable indicators of serious harm, patterns of escalation and the importance of effective risk assessments. Recognising the absence of a nationally mandated honour-based abuse specific risk assessment tool, West Yorkshire Police should ensure that training and operational guidance provide clear and consistent expectations for the identification and assessment of risk, including the effective use of existing frameworks such as DARA and any additional honour-based abuse questions. The training should reinforce the requirement to ask and seek responses to all relevant questions within the risk assessment, to apply professional curiosity and to avoid making subjective judgements about victims which may adversely affect safeguarding decisions.

This recommendation has arisen as a result of an independent investigation where risk factors identifying an escalation in risk and the potential for serious harm were missed. The investigation found that several pertinent questions relating to honour-based abuse contained within the risk assessment were not asked to the victim, and that assumptions made about the victim undermined professional curiosity. 

Officers were not aware of the Karma Nirvana Risk Assessment and Protection Plan for honour-based abuse and forced marriage. While its use is not nationally mandated, the investigation highlighted missed opportunities to draw on this specialist resource to support professional curiosity and strengthen the assessment of escalating risk. 

This recommendation is intended to address gaps in training by improving officers’ understanding of the specific dynamics of honour-based abuse, supporting better identification of escalation and ensuring consistent and thorough risk assessments to reduce the risk of serious harm.

Accepted

West Yorkshire Police is the North East region rep at national meetings, working with police, Crown Prosecution Service colleagues and wider partner agencies to share good practice and learning, which we cascade back to the other forces in the region.

West Yorkshire Police continues to work in partnership with local authorities and partner agencies across West Yorkshire to develop a comprehensive multiagency training package addressing honour‑based abuse (HBA). This training package is being finalised and should be ready to be delivered after Summer 2026. This is part of a wider steering group to better improve West Yorkshire’s response to HBA. 

The Karma Nirvana Risk Assessment and Protection Plan is recognised as a valuable specialist tool; however, it is not endorsed by the College of Policing and is therefore not mandated. The Karma Nirvana risk assessment is referenced within the honour-based abuse and forced marriage force policy to support professional curiosity, but its use remains discretionary rather than compulsory.  Officers are advised that it should be considered where appropriate, subject to the availability of trained practitioners, acknowledging that current access to this specialist training is limited.

There is currently no nationally endorsed risk assessment specific to honour based abuse. Therefore, as an interim measure, an additional question has been added after our Domestic Abuse Risk Assessment (DARA) to ask if HBA is considered to be a factor. If answered yes, additional questions contained with the Niche Public Protection Notice (PPN) module are required to be answered. These questions will support risk identification in HBA cases.

The force has delivered DARA to over 2800 officers and staff since October 2025 and the use of DARA began in the force in March 2026. Within this training to frontline officers, neighbourhoods, safeguarding and domestic abuse teams, was how to look for and recognise the motivations for committing HBA. Red flags and high-risk indicators of domestic abuse were also highlighted within the training.

Any learning gaps identified through safeguarding reviews will be escalated to the Safeguarding Governance Group for consideration.

The cost of completing the Karma Nirvana training is significant and not sustainable within West Yorkshire Police at this time. There are some officers trained in HBA and are used as SPOCs across the teams which enables SME advice. 

The Safeguarding Governance Unit are completing a review of the current training delivered to student officers at their initial training and following this will add new modules as required. In addition, we will continue to support and deliver refresher training on mandated safeguarding and frontline training days. 

The IOPC recommends that West Yorkshire Police should review and enhance the training available for all West Yorkshire Police Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) coordinators. 

West Yorkshire Police should ensure that MARAC coordinators, including those operating within multi-agency arrangements, receive comprehensive training on identifying and managing high risk domestic abuse cases, understanding escalation indicators and applying effective safeguarding measures in a multi-agency context. 

Training should also reinforce the importance of accurate information sharing, professional curiosity and the consistent application of risk assessment processes, regardless of organisational employer, to support robust decision making and victim safety. 

Recognising that MARAC practice is underpinned by national guidance and multi-agency governance frameworks, West Yorkshire Police should ensure that training provides clear and consistent expectations for all MARAC coordinators in relation to risk identification, escalation and decision making, including in cases involving honour-based abuse.

This recommendation has arisen as a result of an independent investigation which highlighted the critical role of MARAC coordinators in managing risk and safeguarding victims. The investigation identified gaps in understanding and application of risk assessment principles within multi agency settings which can lead to missed opportunities for intervention and increased risk of harm. 

While existing structures, guidance and training (including those provided by SafeLives) support MARAC practice, the investigation identified that these were not consistently translated into effective practice in all cases. MARAC coordinators must receive sufficient and consistent training to fully understand the additional risks posed by honour-based abuse, and in doing so, will be able to identify when a case should be reconsidered by MARAC due to repeated or escalating concerns. 

By strengthening MARAC training and drawing on the specialist resources available, West Yorkshire Police can ensure coordinators are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to facilitate effective collaboration, improve risk management and enhance outcomes for victims. 

This recommendation is intended to complement existing governance, automation and national frameworks by ensuring that all MARAC coordinators, regardless of role or employing organisation, are able to apply these consistently in practice to identify escalation and safeguard victims effectively.

Accepted

WYP have agreed ‘Common Standards’ that is shared with and agreed by partners, it has principles that underpin MARAC practice, providing clear guidance and structural frameworks for managing high risk domestic abuse cases. West Yorkshire Police recognises that not all MARAC coordinators are directly employed by the force; however, consistent expectations are maintained through multi-agency governance. These common standards were introduced in January 2025 to provide consistency and governance to WYP MARAC practice. The Safeguarding governance unit has conducted several audits of this work and will continue to do so.

MARAC Chairs are supported through SafeLives MARAC Chair training and are signposted to relevant SafeLives toolkits and guidance materials. 

West Yorkshire Police has a digital automation in place which enables the identification of repeat, rapid escalation and intensive cases, reducing reliance on subjective assessments and mitigating the risk of missed opportunities due to human error.  This approach ensures that escalation pathways cannot be overlooked and that high risk cases are consistently identified, reviewed, and managed in a timely and robust manner.

Recognising the need to ensure MARAC Coordinators understood the new DARA risk assessment, Police MARAC Coordinators were invited to the DARA training, following the success of this approach we are now including them in the mandatory safeguarding training days to ensure they have an oversight of wider domestic abuse and safeguarding which would support their role as a MARAC coordinator. 

West Yorkshire Police also delivered DARA briefings to 175 people from partner agencies, particularly those involved in MARAC, so they understood the changes to police risk assessments.

The IOPC recommends that West Yorkshire Police should review and strengthen its approach to record keeping in cases of domestic abuse to ensure that risk is accurately assessed, recorded and clearly explained. This should include improving how risk assessments are recorded on NICHE and ensuring that detailed rationales are accurately documented to show that supervisors have considered all available information when ratifying risk assessments and making safeguarding decisions. 

Recognising that West Yorkshire Police has established policies, templates and training (including DARA processes) to support the recording and supervision of risk assessments, the force should ensure that these are consistently applied in practice and that supervisory rationales clearly demonstrate how all relevant information, intelligence and risk factors have been considered in reaching decisions.

This follows an IOPC investigation which identified deficiencies in record keeping on NICHE, including failures by supervisors to fully consider all available information when reviewing risk assessments on DASH. While policies, templates and training are in place to support compliance, the investigation identified that these were not consistently reflected in practice, with supervisory rationales lacking sufficient detail to demonstrate how decisions were reached. 

This recommendation is intended to address gaps in understanding and application of risk assessment processes, ensuring that risk is consistently and accurately recorded to support effective safeguarding and risk management, and that decision making is clearly evidenced through robust and comprehensive recording.

Accepted

West Yorkshire Police officers have received Domestic Abuse Risk Assessment (DARA) training, which reinforces the identification of high-risk indicators and known red flags associated with domestic abuse, including escalation factors. The training is underpinned by College of Policing (CoP) risk principles and emphasises the importance of jointly managing risk with victims through effective safety planning. This training was well received by Officers and has ensured the transition from DASH to DARA was effective. 

Officers are trained through the DARA training to explain identified risks to victims, including what those risks mean in practical terms and how they may impact safety and decision making. Where officers assess that a victim is at high risk, additional safeguarding measures are implemented in line with national guidance and local policy. 

The DARA specifically helps as victims are asked to provide their own perception of risk which informs Officers professional judgement in the overall risk identified in DARA. Further training in risk management was delivered in the DARA training package which included Officers to inform victims of the DARA risk grading. In addition, this risk grading is reviewed and agreed by the Sergeant from the scene. National frameworks and guidance, including those produced by SafeLives and the College of Policing, inform this approach and support consistent understanding of risk communication and victim centred safeguarding.

DARA is completed on officer’s handheld devices which automatically transfers the risk assessment to Niche. Officers are required to record their general assessment of risk, which should include any aggravating factors (such as HBA), and a rationale for their risk grading.

Supervisors are required to review the DARA, and based on their review of previous history, the current information and their own professional curiosity, they must also record their final risk grading and rationale on a Niche template.  This template has been reviewed and updated since the launch of DARA.

Within internal policing systems the risk is identified through the Niche ‘summary’ field. The risk grading and the victim’s perception of risk is automatically populated in this field making it easily identifiable on the crime report to recognise cumulative risk and helps inform reviews conducted by supervisors and wider safety planning.

A DARA feedback portal is now live in West Yorkshire which allows feedback on the quality of the DARA’s, both positive feedback and development opportunities direct to the officer and to their supervisor.

The IOPC recommends that West Yorkshire Police should review and strengthen its approach to communicating risk to victims in domestic abuse cases to ensure that information is clearly explained, accurate and consistent. This should include making sure that victims are explicitly informed when their circumstances involve high risk elements of domestic abuse, and that officers explain what these risks mean for their safety and decision making.

Accepted

As per recommendation 3, the below is repeated for recommendation 4. 

West Yorkshire Police officers have received Domestic Abuse Risk Assessment (DARA) training, which reinforces the identification of high-risk indicators and known red flags associated with domestic abuse, including escalation factors. The training is underpinned by College of Policing (CoP) risk principles and emphasises the importance of jointly managing risk with victims through effective safety planning. This training was well received by Officers and has been rolled out over the last 9 months to both frontline and investigators. 

Officers are trained through the DARA training to explain identified risks to victims, including what those risks mean in practical terms and how they may impact safety and decision making. Where officers assess that a victim is at high risk, additional safeguarding measures are implemented in line with national guidance and local policy. 

The DARA specifically helps as victims are asked to provide their own perception of risk which informs Officers professional judgement in the overall risk identified in DARA.

The IOPC recommends that West Yorkshire Police should review and strengthen its approach to handling complaints to ensure that complainants and interested parties are kept appropriately informed throughout the process, including during periods when complaints or conduct matters are suspended and in line with the IOPC’s Focus issue 24. 

This should include explaining the reasons for suspension and outlining next steps so that complainants and other affected individuals understand the status of their case. Appropriate mechanisms should be in place to ensure adherence to policy and procedure, quality assurance and escalation when needed. West Yorkshire Police should also ensure that investigations are resumed promptly once there is no longer any prejudice to criminal proceedings. 

Improved communication should be supported by accurate and consistent record keeping demonstrating that updates have been provided, expectations have been managed effectively and decisions relating to suspension and resumption are clearly recorded. Recognising that West Yorkshire Police states that updated processes, oversight, dip sampling, briefings and training are now in place, the force should ensure that these are consistently applied in practice so that complainants and interested parties are kept appropriately informed, investigations are resumed without unnecessary delay and compliance is clearly evidenced through supervisory oversight and record keeping.

This recommendation has arisen as a result of an independent investigation which identified gaps in communication during complaint handling, where complainants and interested parties were not updated when matters were suspended and there was a delay in resuming the complaint investigation following criminal proceedings. 

While the force states that updated processes and policies are now in place, the investigation identified that these issues were not consistently reflected in practice. These gaps risk undermining confidence in the complaints process and can cause unnecessary distress to those involved. 

The recommendation is intended to address these issues by ensuring that West Yorkshire Police adopt a transparent and consistent approach to complaint handling, thereby improving trust, accountability and the overall quality of service.

Accepted

West Yorkshire Police has undertaken a review of its complaint handling processes to strengthen communication, oversight and governance arrangements in respect of complaint matters that are suspended pending criminal proceedings.

A revised process has been implemented to ensure complainants and interested parties are kept informed throughout the lifetime of a complaint.

Where a decision is taken to suspend a complaint, the rationale for that decision is formally recorded within the severity assessment and communicated in writing. Correspondence explains the reasons for the suspension, the current status of the case and the circumstances under which the matter will be reviewed and resumed.

To support ongoing engagement, a structured review and diary management process has been introduced. Complaints subject to suspension are regularly reviewed, with scheduled checkpoints aligned to relevant court, bail or investigative milestones. Where criminal proceedings remain ongoing, further review dates are set automatically and update letters issued at 6 month intervals to ensure complainants and interested parties are kept informed of the position and their expectations are appropriately managed.

To ensure investigations are resumed promptly when there is no longer a risk of prejudice to criminal proceedings, administrative review mechanisms have been enhanced. Once the suspension criteria no longer apply, complainants are contacted to determine whether they wish to pursue their complaint, following which matters are either allocated for handling or concluded in accordance with the relevant regulations and procedures.