Ex police chief on Bradford riots

The former chief superintendent of West Yorkshire Police believes that the Bradford riots in 2001 could have been avoided, if bobbies had been left on the beat.

Les Vasey was in charge of the Bradford area during the first riots in 1995, and feels that the stopping of the patrol in areas such as Manningham created 'no go' zones, that affected the relationship between officer and the residents.

He said: "I think it was a combination of changes in police strategy, where more and more police were taken off the streets from the community role in order to tackle crime. Alot of issues came together and I think the police lost contact with its community."

The ex police chief feels that the first riot differed to that of ten years ago, but what the issues remained the same.

"The first riot was very much a spontaneously suituation sio there was limited plasnning no notice what was going to happen kicked off fairly quickly," said Les Vasey.

"Unlike the second riot, no one was kettled. Alot of the rioters went down to the city centre and committed millions of pounds of damage really. I think its a no win situation, either you protect city centre and control rioters in a particular area, or the rioters break loose and spread out all over the district," he added.

The question then needs to be asked, has Bradford moved on since the riots? Or is there still hostility between the districts.

He said: "I think the communities co-exist and within certain sections there's integration. I dont see that its a truly integrated city, and an independent observer coming into Bradford would see evidence its an integrated city either.

"But I think the tensions that probably existed then don't exist now, largely due to changes in police practice. I think the community and its leaders have more legitimacy now. Overall Bradford's still a multi cultural city," he added.