Press release – Police Digital Service and West Yorkshire Police pilot new process to safeguard victims
Last week, The Rt Hon John Glen MP, Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office, visited West Yorkshire Police to learn about their innovative approach to tackling domestic abuse. A key focus of the visit was the new Domestic Violence Protection Notice (DVPN) process developed in collaboration with the Police Digital Service (PDS).
A DVPN is an emergency order issued by police to perpetrators following a domestic abuse incident. It acts as a temporary non-molestation and eviction notice, providing immediate support for victims.
PDS worked closely with West Yorkshire Police and their delivery partner Tisski, a Node4 company. Facilitating the development process, securing seed funding, obtaining intellectual property rights, and establishing a development programme at no cost to participating forces.
The new DVPN process is a fully digital end to end process which integrates all elements of the process including authorities and permissions. Previously it was an amalgam of word documents, email and word of mouth, meaning that opportunities for safeguarding were not fully maximised.
Richard Atherton, Business Engagement Manager at PDS said: “We are committed to supporting police forces in developing innovative solutions to tackle domestic abuse. The new DVPN process has the potential to make a real difference in the lives of victims by providing them with the immediate support they need.”
A pilot of the new DVPN process is due to commence in April, followed by an independent rigorous evaluation arranged by PDS and funded by the Cabinet Office Evaluation Task Force. The streamlined and informative design aims to increase victim safety and protection, enhance perpetrator management, and generate cost and efficiency savings.
Chief Inspector Dan Tillett of West Yorkshire Police said: “I am grateful for the support provided by PDS and our development partners. This solution will undoubtedly safeguard more victims, both locally and nationally, and deliver a faster and more reliable process – I look forward to piloting this innovation in West Yorkshire in the near future and evaluating the results”
Early projections indicate that the new DVPN process could safeguard at least one additional victim per week in West Yorkshire alone by eradicating error, omission and inconsistent application of the legislation resulting in more successful DVPN applications. Additionally, the solution uses common technology available to all police forces. This facilitates swift and cost-effective deployment across other police forces upon successful completion of the pilot.
The Police Digital Service, recognising the urgent need for better solutions nationwide, brought together dozens of police forces to tackle common challenges. This tech-focused collaboration aimed to improve practices, strengthen criminal justice outcomes, and most importantly, safeguard more victims. Details from the pilot will be shared with domestic abuse and technology leads across UK forces, ensuring this vital protection reaches those who need it most.
