FOI.23.004421.G - Sex Workers Support

Request

This is a request for information relating to designated/specialist police officers working with sex workers. It comes from academics at the University of York and is requested in order to support research development. Specifically, we would like to know.

1. Do you have an individual officer/team/unit dedicated to sex worker liaison work - aimed at supporting sex workers who are victims of crime/vulnerable?
a. If yes, what is the role/team/unit called?
b. Under what strategic or operational unit does the officer/team/unit sit?
c. Is the role operational across the whole force or only in specific areas?
d. If only in specific areas which?

2. How many officers (FTE equivalent) work in these roles/teams/units?
a. Are these officers/teams/units exclusively dedicated to Sex Worker Liaison work or do they have other responsibilities?
b. If they have other responsibilities please list them here.
c. How many sex workers do these roles/teams/units work with across a year? (1-50; 50-100; 100-200; 200+; we don’t keep a record)
d. Which sex work populations do they mainly work with? (on-street/indoor/online/migrant/across all sex work populations)

3. Do you have a role profile/job description for this role?
a. If yes, was this role profile published by the NPCC, College of Policing or University of York or was it produced locally?
b. If locally produced, could you please attach a copy of the role profile/job description?
c. At what grade is the role positioned?

4. With which partner agencies do these officers/teams/units work most closely?
    [Please list top 5]

5. With which other police units/teams do these officers/teams/units work most closely?
    [Please list top 5]

The Freedom of Information Act requires that this request is dealt with in a manner that is motive and applicant blind. A disclosure under this legislation is considered a disclosure to the world and is considered to be on the basis that it is in the public interest.

This response is unique to Humberside Police, and you are advised not to compare this like for like with any other force’s response you receive.

Response

Following liaison with the relevant department, the following information can be disclosed:

Q1) Yes
a. Sex Worker Liaison Officer.
b. Neighbourhood Policing.
c. This role covers the force. We do have other officers working in similar positions but on part time basis running concurrently with full time positions.
d. Hull has a dedicated officer. Scunthorpe and Grimsby have officers that cover those areas as part of normal operational business.

Q2) One.
a. One is permanently dedicated.
b. Others complete as part of operational demand within the Neighbourhood policing pillar.
c. 50-100.
d. On street predominately but assist MSHT (Modern Day Slavery and Human Trafficking Team) when required to assist with operations.

Q3) This is a newly created post without any role requirements composed at this time.
a/b. N/A
c. Scale 4

Q4) Probation, Lighthouse, Domestic Abuse Partnership, Renew, Hull City Council among others.

Q5) West Yorkshire and Northants.

 
Please note that police forces in the United Kingdom are routinely required to provide information and statistics to government bodies and the recording criteria is set nationally. However, the systems used for recording these figures are not generic, nor are the procedures used locally in capturing the data. It should be noted that for these reasons this force’s response to your questions should not be used for the comparison purposes with any other response you may receive.

If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected] or 01482 578662.

Information Governance Unit Humberside Police

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