Police chief puts retirement on hold to help Leeds communities fight the coronavirus crisis.
Steve Cotter, based at Elland Road Police Station, joined the force in 1990 and had planned to retire this week with the intention to take a well-earned rest and enjoy more time with his family.
But he has put those plans on hold temporarily to take up a short-term role with Leeds City Council as part of its response to the current Coronavirus situation.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdHe said: "The current situation with coronavirus is completely unprecedented and has brought some real challenges for the police and our partner agencies and I will continue to play a part in the city’s response to the crisis through this new short-term role with the council.
“Like everyone, I hope this unsettling period in our lives will be over as soon as it can be and that we all continue to stay safe and do everything we can to reduce the impact on the NHS and help to save lives in the meantime.”
Ch Supt Cotter joined the police force 30 years ago and spent the majority of his police service in uniform operational roles and worked in Calderdale, Bradford, headquarters in Wakefield, Kirklees and latterly in Leeds.
In 2007 he was promoted to the rank of superintendent and led the county-wide introduction of neighbourhood policing. In 2011 he moved to what was then the North East Counter Terrorism Unit where he led on work as part of the Prevent strategy before being seconded to the Association of Chief Police Officers Terrorism and Allied Matters in London where he led Prevent work nationally.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdHe returned to West Yorkshire Police in 2014 to lead the Force’s Programme of Change project, which looked at how best to make savings and focus resources in response to public expenditure austerity measures.
In 2015, he became Kirklees District Commander and played a key role in partnership work to reassure local communities in the aftermath of the murder of Batley and Spen MP Jo Cox in 2016, as well as overseeing innovative work to tackle gang crime.
He became district commander for Leeds in July 2018, taking over from Ch Supt Paul Money.
As well as continuing the work of his predecessor, Ch Supt Cotter has been a big advocate of a partnership response to tackling crime in Leeds, looking at the reasons why people do it and trying to address those.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdHe said: “I am pleased to have had the opportunity to build on the achievements of my predecessor during my time here in Leeds, continuing to develop our work alongside our partner agencies to protect the vulnerable, reduce crime and reassure the public that we serve.
"We often talk about partnership work but Leeds is truly somewhere where there is a very clear recognition that we can only properly address the issues that cause harm and risk to people by combining and co-ordinating the efforts of a whole range of agencies."
He paid tribute to his colleagues throughout the force - and made reference to the immense pressure police forces are under.
Ch Supt Cotter added: "It has been an immense privilege to work with so many talented colleagues here in Leeds and across West Yorkshire as part of our ongoing efforts to keep our communities safe.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad"Policing has continued to face really significant pressures over the last few years, both in terms of the volume and the complexity of the demands place on its limited resources, but I have been made very proud by the work I see from officers and staff every day that demonstrates their commitment to keeping people safe."
Chief Superintendent Damien Miller takes up the role of Leeds District Commander this week from his previous role as Head of Corporate Services.
Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.
Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdAnd that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.
Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing [email protected]. Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available.
If you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country.
Sincerely. Thank you.
James Mitchinson
Editor