THE University of York and North Yorkshire Police are set to work together in a new £6.7 million project.

The N8 Policing Research Partnership is an initiative which aims to use academics and research at eight universities around the north of England to improve police analysis and suggest new approaches to policing and crime reduction.

The five-year project is led by the University of Leeds, and funded by a £3 million grant from the Higher Education Funding Council for England and £3.686 million from policing partners.

Topics covered by the scheme include understanding crime patterns, and engaging with the public to look at the reception of new technologies, policing practices and changes.

The University of York's strand of the project will be led by Doctor Adam White of the Department of Politics, and is set to start in the next few weeks.

Inspector Bruce Prendergast of North Yorkshire Police, said: "The research collaboration is an opportunity to gain evidence-based information about what works in policing and what doesn’t. It will look at the significant policing challenges of our time, with the results helping to shape our future practices.

"It will be of huge benefit to the police service and will help North Yorkshire Police deliver the best possible policing service to the people of York and North Yorkshire. Without such a collaboration, this in-depth research and its subsequent results, would not be possible."

Prof Adam Crawford, of the School of Law at the University of Leeds is the director of the scheme.

He said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for us to combine the intellectual power and research excellence of eight leading universities with the resources, capabilities and practical skills of police forces across the north of England.

"Together, we now have an opportunity to make a real difference to public safety through cutting-edge research and knowledge exchange that will deliver collaborative advantages.”

Sir Alan Langlands, chair of the partnership, said: "It will enable policing researchers across the N8 universities to collaborate with a broad range of policing stakeholders to deliver excellent research with impact and application in areas with considerable public benefit.

"I am delighted that this pioneering work is taking place in the north of England; though I am confident that it will have both national and international significance.”