Top officer hands over reins to son

Superintendent Paul Jeffrey has retired from West Yorkshire Police following 31 and a half years of public service.

He will now be handing over the reins to his son Harry who joined the force last year and has taken on his collar number.

During his career, Paul has been posted to various different roles across the force, from neighbourhood constable, patrol inspector, custody sergeant and detective learning the ropes in Bradford.

Paul joined the Force in 1986 where he was posted to Toller Lane sub division where he served as a patrol constable and then CID aide and detective.

He was promoted to Sergeant in Pudsey in 1994 where he served on patrol, custody and then proactive team.

After returning to Eccleshill, Bradford, as community safety sergeant he was promoted to Inspector at Odsal and returned to Toller Lane Patrol.

In 2003, Paul was appointed detective inspector for the Leeds Child and Protection Unit where he spent seven years leading child abuse investigations before securing temporary promotion to DCI.

In 2012, he came across to Kirklees on substantive promotion to detective chief inspector crime manager and then promoted to superintendent (Operations) in 2015.

He said: “I have had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed my service at West Yorkshire Police. Some of my highlights over the past 30 years would include my early days as a patrol officer and a young detective ‘learning the trade’ in Bradford.

“I have now spent five years in Kirklees, first as a DCI crime manager and latterly as superintendent.

“I am proud to have been part of a team that delivered unprecedented improvements in crime reduction and detection.”

Paul is really proud to come from a family with a long policing tradition in West Yorkshire.

His father Harry Jeffrey joined the force in 1962 and retired in 1992. His brother Simon Jeffrey has 22 years’ service, the majority as a dog handler at West Yorkshire Police.

Paul added: “Now it’s time for me to hand over the baton to my son Harry who joined West Yorkshire Police in September 2016 at Toller Lane Police station, where I started my career as a fresh face 19-year-old.

“I hope he will enjoy his service as much as I have and carry on the proud family tradition.”